THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


NOTES, 

EXPLARATOBT  ARB  PRACTICAL, 

ON 

THE  GOSPELS: 

DESIGNED  FOR 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  TEACHERS  AND  BIBLE-CLASSES. 

By  albert  BARNES, 

AUTHOR  OF  "  NOTES  ON  THE  PSALMS,"  "  LECTURES  ON  THE  EVIDENCES 
OF  CHRISTIANITY,"  ETC.,  ETC. 

IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 

Vol.  II. 

E-E^ISED  E33ITI01Sr. 

WITH   A   CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE,  TABLES   OP   WEIGHTS,  ETC., 
AND   AN  INDEX. 


NEW  YORK: 
HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 

FEANKLIN  SQUARE. 


Eutered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18CS,  by 

ALBERT  BARNES, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern 
District  of  Pennsylvania. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE. 


Little  is  certainly  known  concerning  the  time  and  place  of  writing 
this  Gospel,  or  concerning  the  author.  The  first  time  we  have  any 
mention  of  the  author  is  in  his  own  history.  Acts  xvi.  10, 11.  He 
was  then  the  companion  of  Paul  in  his  travels,  and  it  is  evident  that 
he  often  attended  Paul  in  his  journeys.  Compare  Acts  xvi.  11-17 ; 
xxi.  1-6.  In  each  of  these  places  the  author  of  "the  Acts"  speaks  of 
Ms  being  in  company  with  Paul.  That  the  same  person  was  the  writ- 
er of  this  Gospel  is  also  clear  from  Acts  i.  1. 

From  this  circumstance  the  ancients  regarded  this  Gospel  as  in  fact 
the  gospel  which  Paul  had  preached.    They  affirm  that  Luke  record* 
ed  what  the  apostle  preached.    Thus  Irenseus  says,  "  Luke,  the  com- 
f    panion  of  Paul,  put  down  in  a  book  the  gospel  preached  by  him." 
/    He  also  says,  "  Luke  was  not  only  a  companion,  but  also  a  fellow- 
^     laborer  of  the  apostles,  especially  of  Paul.    Origen,  speaking  of  the 
Gospels,  says,  "  The  third  is  that  according  to  Luke,  the  gospel  com- 
mended by  Paul,  published  for  the  sake  of  the  Gentile  converts."  The 
testimony  of  the  fathers  is  uniform  that  it  was  written  by  Luke,  the 
companion  of  Paul,  and  was  therefore  regarded  by  them  as  really  the 
gospel  which  Paul  preached. 
-        It  is  not  known  lohere  it  was  written.   Jerome  says  it  was  composed 
^     in  Achaia.    There  seems  to  be  some  probability  that  it  was  written  to 
persons  that  were  well  acquainted  with  Jewish  manners,  as  the  author 
^  does  not  stop  to  explain  the  peculiar  customs  of  the  Jews,  as  some  of 
the  other  evangelists  have  done.    Respecting  the  time  when  it  was 
written  nothing  very  definite  is  known.    All  that  can  with  certainty 
be  ascertained  is  that  it  was  written  before  the  death  of  Paul  (A.D. 
65),  for  it  was  written  before  the  Acts  (Acts  i.  1),  and  that  book  only 
brings  down  the  life  of  Paul  to  his  imprisonment  at  Rome,  and  previ- 
ous to  his  going  into  Spain. 
'     It  has  been  made  a  matter  of  inquiry  whether  Luke  was  a  Gentile 
or  a  Jew.    On  this  subject  there  is  no  positive  testimony.  Jerome 
and  others  of  the  fathers  say  that  he  was  a  Syrian,  and  born  at  Anti- 
^    och.    The  most  probable  opinion  seems  to  be  that  he  was  a  proselyte 
to  the  Jewish  religion,  though  descended  from  Gentile  parents.  For 
"^^^  this  opinion  two  reasons  may  be  assigned  of  some  weight.    1st.  He 
^    was  intimately  acquainted,  as  appears  by  the  Gospel  and  the  Acts, 
vl^    with  the  Jewish  rites,  customs,  opinions,  and  prejudices ;  and  he  wrote . 
in  their  dialect^  that  is,  with  much  of  the  Hebrew  phraseology,  in  a 
style  similar  to  the  other  evangelists,  from  which  it  appears  that  he 


f  045367 


iv 


PliEFACE. 


was  accustomed  to  the  Jewish  religion,  and  was,  therefore,  probably  a' 
proselyte.  Yet  the  preface  to  his  gospel,  as  critics  have  remarked,  is 
pure  classic  Greek,  unlike  the  Greek  that  was  used  by  native  Jews ; 
from  which  it  seems  not  improbable  that  he  was  by  birth  and  educa- 
tion a  Gentile.  2d.  In  Acts  xxi.  27,  it  is  said  that  the  Asiatic  Jews 
excited  the  multitude  against  Paul  because  he  had  introduced  Gen- 
tiles into  the  temple,  thus  defiling  it.  In  verse  28  it  is  said  that  the 
Gentile  to  whom  they  had  reference  was  TropMmus^  an  Ephesian.  Yet 
Luke  was  also  at  that  time  with  Paul.  If  he  had  been  regarded  as  a 
Gentile  it  is  probable  that  they  would  have  made  complaint  respect- 
ing Mm  as  well  as  Trophimus;  from  which  it  is  supposed  that  he  was 
a  Jewish  proselyte. 

But  again,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  ch.  iv.  9-11,  we  find  Paul 
saying  that  Aristarchus,  and  Marcus,  and  Barnabas,  and  Justus  saluted 
them,  "  who  are,"  he  adds,  "  of  the  circumcision^''^  that  is,  Jews  by  birth. 
In  verse  14  he  says  that  Imlce^  the  beloved  physician,  and  Demas  also 
saluted  them ;  from  which  it  is  inferred  that  they  were  not  of  tlie  cir- 
cumcision, but  were  by  birth  Gentiles. 

Most  writers  suppose  that  Luke,  the  writer  of  this  Gospel,  was  in- 
tended in  the  above  place  in  Colossians.  If  so,  his  profession  was  that 
of  a  physician ;  and  it  has  been  remarked  that  his  descriptions  of  dis- 
•  eases  are  more  accurate  and  circumstantial,  and  have  more  of  technical' 
correctness  than  those  of  the  other  evangelists. 

Luke  does  not  profess  to  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  what  he  re- 
corded. See  ch.  i.  2,  3.  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  he  was  not  one  of 
the  seventy  disciples,  nor  one  of  the  two  who  went  to  Emmaus,  as  has 
been  sometimes  supposed.  Nor  was  he  an  apostle.  By  the  fathers  he 
is  uniformly  called  the  companion  of  the  apostles,  and  especially  of 
Paul. 

If  he  was  not  one  of  the  apostles,  and  if  he  was  not  one  of  those  ex- 
pressly commissioned  by  our  Lord  to  whom  the  promise  of  the  infal- 
'  lible  teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  the  question  arises  by 
what  authority  his  Gospel  and  the  Acts  have  a  place  in  the  sacred 
canon,  or  what  evidence  is  there  that  he  was  divinely  inspired  ? 

In  regard  to  this  question  the  following  considerations  may  give 
satisfaction :  1st.  They  were  received  by  all  the  churches  on  the  same 
footing  as  the  first  three  Gospels.  There  is  not  a  dissenting  voice  in 
regard  to  their  authenticity  and  authority.  The  value  of  this  argu- 
ment is  this — that  if  they  had  been  spurious,  or  without  authority,  the 
fathers  were  the  proper  persons  to  know  it.  2d.  They  were  published 
during  the  lives  of  the  apostles  Peter,  Paul,  and  J ohn,  and  were  re- 
ceived during  their  lives  as  books  of  sacred  authority.  If  the  writings 
of  Luke  were  not  inspired,  and  had  no  authority,  those  apostles  could 
easily  have  destroyed  their  credit,  and  we  have  reason  to  think  it 
would  have  been  done.  3d.  It  is  the  united  testimony  of  the  fathers 
that  this  Gospel  was  submitted  to  Paul,  and  received  his  express  ap- 
probation. It  was  regarded  as  the  substance  of  his  preaching,  and  if 
it  received  his  approbation  it  comes  to  us  on  the  authority  of  his 
name.  Indeed,  if  this  be  the  case,  it  rests  on  the  same  authority  as 
the  epistles  of  Paul  himself  4th.  It  bears  the  same  marks  of  inspira- 
tion as  the  other  books.   It  is  simple,  pure,  yet  sublime ;  there  is  noth- 


PREFACE. 


V 


ing  unworthy  of  God ;  and  it  is  elevated  far  above  the  writings  of  any 
uninspired  man.  5th.  If  he  was  not  inspired — if,  as  we  suppose,  he 
was  a  Gentile  by  birth — and  if,  as  is  most  clear,  he  was  not  an  eye- 
witness of  what  he  records,  it  is  inconceivable  that  he  did  not  contra- 
dict the  other  evangelists.  That  he  did  not  'borrow  from  them  is  clear. 
Nor  is  it  possible  to  conceive  that  he  could  write  a  book  varying  in 
the  order  of  its  arrangement  so  much,  and  adding  so  many  new  facts, 
and  repeating  so  many  recorded  also  by  the  others,  without  often  hav- 
ing contradicted  what  was  written  by  them.  Let  any  man  compare 
this  Gospel  with  the  spurious  gospels  of  the  following  centuries,  and 
he  will  be  struck  with  the  force  of  this  remark.  6th.  If  it  be  objected 
that,  not  being  an  apostle,  he  did  not  come  within  the  promise  of  in- 
spiration (John  xiv.  26 ;  xvi.  13, 14)  made  to  the  apostles,  it  may  be 
replied  that  this  was  also  the  case  with  Paul ;  yet  no  small  part  of  the 
New  Testament  is  composed  of  his  writings.  The  evidence  of  the  in- 
spiration of  the  writings  of  Luke  and  Paul  is  to  be  judged,  not  only 
by  that  promise,  but  by  the  early  reception  of  the  churches  ;  by  the 
testimony  of  the  fathers  as  to  the  judgment  of  inspired  men  when  liv- 
ing, and  by  the  internal  character  of  the  works.  Luke  has  all  these 
equally  with  the  other  evangelists. 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  LUKE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FORASMUCH  as  many  have 
taken  in  hand  to  set  forth  in 
order  a  declaration  of  those  things 
which  are  most  surely  believed 
among  us, 

aJno.15.27.  Heb.  2.  3.  1  Pet.  5.1.  2  Pet.  1.16.  1 
Jno.  1, 1. 


1.  Forasmuch  as  many.  It  has  been 
doubted  who  are  referred  to  here  by 
the  word  many.  It  seems  clear  that 
it  could  not  be  the  other  evangelists, 
for  the  Gospel  by  John  was  not  yet 
written,  and  the  word  ma7iy  denotes 
clearly  more  than  two.  Besides,  it  is 
said  that  they  undertook  to  record 
what  the  eye-wU7iesses  had  delivered  to 
them,  so  that  the  writers  did  not  pre- 
tend to  be  eye-witnesses  themselves. 
It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  other  writ- 
ings are  meant  tlian  the  Gospels  which 
we  now  have,  but  what  they  were  is  a 
matter  of  conjecture.  What  are  now 
known  as  spurious  Gospels  were  writ- 
ten long  after  Luke  wrote  his.  It  is 
probable  that  Luke  refers  to  frag- 
ments  of  history,  or  to  narratives  of 
detached  sayings,  acts,  or  parables  of 
our  Lord,  which  had  been  made  and 
circulated  among  the  disciples  and 
others.  His  doctrines  were  original, 
bold,  pure,  and  authoritative.  His 
miracles  had  been  extraordinary,  clear, 
and  awful.  His  life  and  deatli  had-been 
pecijjiar ;  and  it  is  not  improbable — 
indeed  it  is  highly  probable — that  such 
broken  accounts  and  narratives  of  de- 
tached facts  would  be  preserved.  That 
this  is  what  Luke  means  appears  far- 
ther from  verse  3,  where  he  professes 
to  give  a  regular,  full,  and  systematic 
account  from  the  very  beginning — 
^'having  had  perfect  understanding 
of  all  things  from  the  very  first.  The 
records  of  the  others— the  "many"— 
were  broken  and  incomplete.  His 
were  to  be  regular  and  full.  H  Taken  in 
hand.  Undertaken;  attempted.  1[  To 
set  forth  in  order.  To  compose  a  nar- 
rative. It  does  not  refer  to  the  order 
or  arrangement^  but  means  simply  to 
give  a  narrative.  The  word  rendered 
here  in  order  is  different  from  that  in 
the  third  verse,  which  has  reference 
to  ordcTj  or  to  a  full  and  fair  arrange-  I 


2  Even  as  they  delivered  them 
unto  us,  which  from  the  beginning 
were  eye-witnesses  and  ministers 
of*  the  word ; 

3  It  seemed  good  to  me  also, 
having  had  perfect  understanding 

6  Rom.  15.16.   Eph.  3.  7 ;  4. 11, 12. 


7nent  of  the  principal  facts,  etc. ,  in  the 
history  of  our  Lord.  T[  A  declaration. 
A  narrative — an  account  of  ^  Which 
are  most  surely  believed  among  us. 
Among  Christians  —  among  ail  the 
Christians  then  living.  Here  we  may 
remark — 1st.  That  Christians  of  that 
day  had  the  best  of  all  opportunities 
for  knowing  whether  those  things 
were  true.  Many  had  seen  them,  and 
all  others  had  had  the  account  from 
those  who  had  witnessed  them.  2d. 
That  infidels  now  can  not  possibly  be 
as  good  judges  in  the  matter  as  those 
who  lived  at  the  time,  and  who  were 
thus  competent  to  determine  whether 
these  things  were  true  or  false.  3d. 
That  all  Christians  do  most  surely  be- 
lieve the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  It  is 
their  life,  their  hope,  their  all.  Nor 
can  they  doubt  that  their  Saviour 
lived,  bled,  died,  rose,  and  still  lives ; 
that  h^  was  their  atoning  sacrifice, 
and  that  he  is  God  over  all,  blessed 
forever. 

2.  As  they  delivered  them.  As  they 
narrated  them.  As  the}^  gave  an  ac- 
count of  them.  T[  From  the  beginning. 
From  the  commencement  of  these 
things  —  that  is,  from  the  birth  of 
John,  or  perhaps  from  the  beginning 
of  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  ^  Eye-wit- 
nesses. Who  had  seen  those  things 
themselves,  and  who  were  therefore 
proper  witnesses.  1[  Ministers  of  the 
word.  The  term  word  here  means  the 
Gospel.  Luke  never  uses  it,  as  John 
does,  to  denote  the  second  person  of 
the  Trinity.  These  eye-witnesses  and 
ministers  refer,  doubtless,  to  the  sev- 
enty disciples,  to  the  apostles,  and 
perhaps  to  other  preachers  who  had 
gone  forth  to  proclaim  the  same 
things. 

3.  It  seemed  good.  I  thought  it  best ; 
or,  I  have  also  determined.  It  seem- 
ed to  be  called  for  that  there  should  be 


8 


LUKE. 


of  all  things  from  the  very  first,  to 
write  unto  thee  in  order, most  ex- 
cellent Theophilus,^ 
4  That  thou  mightest  know  ^  the 
certainty  of  those  things  wherein 
thou  hast  been  instructed. 

a  Acts  11.4.  6  Acts  1.1.  cJno.20.31. 


a  full,  authentic,  and  accurate  account 
of  these  matters.  H  Having  had  per- 
fect understanding^  etc.  The  literal 
translation  of  the  original  here  would 
be,  "having  exactly  traced  every  thing 
from  the  first;"  or,  "having,  by  dili- 
gent and  careful  investigation, /o??oz(;e(Z 
up  every  thing  to  the  source^  to  obtain 
an  accurate  account  of  the  matter." 
This  much  better  expresses  the  idea. 
Luke  did  not  profess  to  have  seen  these 
things,  and  this  expression  is  designed 
to  show  how  he  acquired  his  informa- 
tion. It  was  by  tracing  up  every  ac- 
count till  he  became  satisfied  of  its 
truths.  Here  observe,  1st.  That  in  re- 
ligion God  does  not  set  aside  our  nat- 
ural faculties.  He  calls  us  to  look  at 
evidence ;  to  examine  accounts ;  to 
make  up  our  own  minds.  Nor  will 
any  man  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
religion  who  does  not  make  investiga- 
tion and  set  himself  seriously  to  the 
task.  2d.  We  see  the  nature  of  Luke's 
inspiration.  It  was  consistent  with 
his  using  his  natural  faculties  or  his 
own  powers  of  mind  in  investigating 
the  truth.  God,  by  his  Holy  Spirit, 
presided  over  his  faculties,  directed 
them,  and  kept  him  from  erroT.  T[  In 
order.  This  word  does  not  indicate 
that  the  exact  order  of  time  would  be 
observed,  for  that  is  not  the  way  in 
which  he  writes ;  but  it  means  distinct- 
ly^ particularly^  in  opposition  to  the 
confused  and  broken  accounts  to 
which  he  had  referred  before.  H  3fost 
excellent  TheopJdlus.  The  word  The- 
ophilus  means  a  fricfid  of  God^  or  a 
pious  man ;  and  it  has  been  supposed 
by  some  that  Luke  did  not  refer  to 
any  particular  individual,  but  to  any 
man  that  loved  God ;  but  there  is  no 
reason  for  this  opinion.  Significant 
names  were  very  common,  and  there 
is  no  good  reason  to  doubt  that  this 
was  some  individual  known  to  Luke. 
The  application  of  the  title  "mo.s-^  ex- 
cellenf^  farther  proves  it.  It  would 
not  be  given  to  an  unknown  man. 
The  title  most  excellent  has  by  some 
been  supposed  to  be  ^iven  to  express 
his  character^  but  it  is  rather  to  be 


5  rpHERE  was,  in  the  days  of 
X  ^  Herod  the  king  of  Judea, 
a  certain  priest  named  Zacharias, 
of  the  course  of  Abia :  ^  and  his  wife 
teas  of  the  daughters  of  Aaron,  and 
her  name  was  Elisabeth. 

d  Matt.  2. 1.  el  Chron.  24. 10.  Neh.  12. 4, 17. 


considered  as  denoting  rank  or  office. 
It  occurs  only  in  three  other  places 
in  the  New  Testament,  and  is  there 
given  to  men  i7i  office — to  Felix  and 
Festus.  Acts  xxiii.  26 ;  xxiv.  3 ;  xxvi. 
25.  These  titles  express  no  quality 
of  the  men,  but  belong  to  the  office; 
and  we  may  hence  learn  that  it  is  not 
improper  for  Christians,  in  giving  hon- 
or to  whom  honor  is  due,  to  address 
men  in  office  by  their  customary  ti- 
tles, even  if  their  moral  character  be 
altogether  unworthy  of  it.  Who  The- 
ophilus  was  is  unknown.  It  is  prob- 
able that  he  was  some  distinguished 
Roman  or  Greek  who  had  been  con- 
verted, who  was  a  friend  of  Luke,  and 
who  had  requested  an  account  of  these 
things.  It  is  possible  that  this  preface 
might  have  been  sent  to  him  as  npyH- 
vate  letter  with  the  Gospel,  and  The- 
ophilus  chose  to  have  them  published 
together. 

4.  The  certainty.  Have  full  evidence 
or  proof  of.  ^  Been  instructed.  By 
the  preachers  of  the  Gospel.  The 
original  word  is  the  one  from  which 
is  derived  our  word  catechism — been 
catechised;  but  it  does  not  here  denote 
the  manner  in  which  the  instruction 
was  imfparted,  as  it  does  with  us,  but 
simply  the/ac^  that  he  had  been  taught 
those  things. 

5.  In  the  days  of  Herod.  See  ^tes 
on  Matt.  ii.  1.  H  Of  the  course  of  Abia. 
When  the  priests  became  so  numerous 
that  they  could  not  at  once  minister 
at  the  altar,  David  divided  them  into 
twenty-four  classes  ov  courses,  each  one 
of  which  officiated  for  a  week.  1  Clir. 
xxiv.  The  class  or  course  of  Abia  was 
the  eighth  in  order.  1  Chron.  xxiv.  10. 
Comi)are  2  Chron.  viii.  14.  The  word 
course  means  the  same  as  class,  or  or- 
der. The  Greek  IV Abia  \^  the  same 
as  the  Hebrew  wor^Abijah.  1  His  wife 
was  of  the  daughters  of  Aaron.  A  de- 
scendant of  Aaron,  the  first  high-priest 
of  the  Jews ;  so  that  JoJin  the  Baptist 
was  descended,  on  the  father's  and 
the  mother's  side,  from  priests.  Our 
Saviour  was  not  on  either  side.  John 
would  have  been  legally  entitled  to  a 


CHAPTER  I. 


9 


6  And  they  were  both  righteous  * 
before  God,  walking  in  all  the  com- 
mandments and  ordinances  *  of  the 
Lord  blameless. 

7  And  they  had  no  child,  because 
that  Elisabeth  was  barren,  and 
they  both  were  now  well  stricken 
in  years. 

8  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  while 
he  executed  the  priest's  office  be- 

a  Gen.  7.1.    1  Kin.  9. 4.    2  Kin.  20. 3. 
il  Cor,  11.  2.   Phil.  3.  6. 


place  among  the  priests ;  our  Saviour, 
being  of  the  tribe  of  Juclah,  would  not. 

6.  Both  righteous.  Botli  jmi  or  holy. 
This  means  here  more  than  external 
conformity  to  the  law.  It  is  an  hon- 
orable testimonial  of  their  'piety  to- 
ward God.  If  Walking  in^  etc.  Keep- 
ing the  commandments.  To  walk  in 
the  way  that  God  commands  is  to 
obey.  T[  Ordinances.  Rites  and  cus- 
toms which  God  had  ordained  or  ap- 
pointed. These  words  refer  to  all  the 
duties  of  religion  which  were  made 
known  to  them.  T[  Blameless.  That  is, 
no  fault  or  deficiency  could  be  found 
in  them.  They  were  strict,  exact, 
punctual.  Yet  this,  if  it  had  been 
mere  external  observance,  might  have 
been  no  proof  of  piety.  Paul,  before 
his  conversion,  also  kept  the  law  exter- 
nally blameless.  Phil.  iii.  6.  But  in 
the  case  of  Zachariah  and  Elisabeth  it 
was  real  love  to  God  and  sincere  re- 
gard for  his  law. 

7.  Well  stricken  in  years.  Old  or  ad- 
vanced in  life,  so  as  to  render  the  pros- 
pect of  having  children  hopeless. 

8.  Before  God.  In  the  Temple,  where 
God  dwelt  by  the  symbols  of  his  pres- 
ence. The  Temple  was  regarded  by 
the  Jews  as  the  house  or  dwelling  of 
God ;  and  in  the  first  Temple  there 
was,  in  the  most  holy  place,  a  cloud 
called  the  Shechinah,  or  a  visible  sign 
of  the  presence  of  God.  It  was  thus 
before  God  that  Zachariah  offered  in- 
cense. 

9.  According  to  the  custom  of  the 
priesfs  office,  his  lot  was.  The  Jewish 
writers  inform  us  that  it  was  custom- 
ary for  the  priests  to  divide  their  daily 
task  by  lot.  ^  To  burn  incense.  In- 
cense is  an  aromatic  or  white  rosin 
procured  from  trees,  chiefly  in  Arabia. 
It  is  obtained  by  making  inciajons  in 
the  tree,  and  the  gum  flows  out.  It  is 
distinguished  for  a  peculiarly  pleasant 


fore  God  in  the  order  of  his 
course, 

9  According  to  the  custom  of  the 
priest's  office,  his  lot  was  ^  to  burn 
incense  when  he  went  into  the 
temple  of  the  Lord. 

10  And  the  whole  multitude  of 
the  people  were  praying  without,^ 
at  the  time  of  incense. 

11  And  there  appeared  unto  him 

c  Ex.  30, 7, 8.  rfLev.  16. 17. 


smell  when  burnt,  and  was  therefore 
used  in  ancient  worship.  It  was  burnt 
by  the  priest  twice  a  day  (Ex.  xxx.  7), 
and  it  seems  to  have  been  emblematic 
of  prayer  and  praise,  or  of  the  grate- 
ful offerings  of  the  heart  wafted  to- 
ward heaven.  The  incense  used  in  the 
Temple  was  made  of  stacte,  onycha, 
and  galbanum  (Ex.  xxx.  34),  with  pure 
frankincense,  and  it  was  not  lawful 
for  this  compound  to  be  used  else- 
where than  in  the  house  of  God. 
H  Into  the  Tem2)le.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxi.  12.  T\\(ipart  of  the  Temple  where 
incense  was  burnt  was  the  holy  place. 

10.  The  whole  multitude.  This  was 
the  regular  time  of  evening  prayer, 
and  multitudes  came  up  to  the  Tem- 
ple to  worship.  H  Praying  without. 
That  is,  in  the  courts  around  the  Tem- 
ple, particularly  in  the  court  of  the 
women. 

11.  An  angel.  An  angel  is  a  messen- 
ger sent  from  God.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  i.  20.  It  had  now  been  about 
four  hundred  years  since  the  time  of 
Malachi,  and  since  there  had  been  any 
divine  revelation.  During  that  time 
the  nation  was  looking  for  the  Mes- 
siah, but  still  with  nothing  more  than 
the  ancient  prophecies  to  direct  them. 
Now  that  he  was  about  to  appear, 
God  sent  his  messenger  to  announce 
his  coming,  to  encourage  the  hearts 
of  his  people,  and  to  prepare  them  to 
receive  him.  1[  On  the  rigid  side,  etc. 
The  altar  of  incense  stood  close  by 
the  veil  which  divided  the  holy  place 
from  the  most  holy.  On  the  north 
stood  the  table  of  shew-bread ;  on  the 
south  the  golden  candlestick.  As 
Zacharias  entered,  therefore,  with  his 
face  to  the  west,  the  angel  would  stand 
on  the  north,  or  near  the  table  of  shew- 
bread.  That  table  was  eighteen  inch- 
es square  and  three  feet  high.  The 
top,  as  well  as  the  sides  and  horns, 


10 


LUKE. 


an  angel  of  the  Lord,  standing  on 
the  right  side  of  the  altar  ^  of  in- 
cense. 

12  And  when  Zacharias  saw  Aim, 

a  Ex.  30. 1.    Rev.  8.  3, 4. 


was  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  and  it 
was  finished  around  the  upper  surface 
with  a  crown  or  border  of  gold.  Just 
below  this  border,  four  golden  rings 
were  attached  to  each  side  of  the  al- 
tar, one  near  each  corner.  The  staves 
or  rods  for  bearing  the  altar  passed 


he  was  troubled,  ^  and  fear  fell 
upon  him. 

13  But  the  angel  said  unto  him, 
Fear  not,  Zacharias ;  for  thy  prayer 

6Judg.  13.  22.  ver.  29.  Dan.  7. 14,27.  Mic.4.  7. 


perpetual.  Ex.  xxx.  8.  Neither  burnt- 
sacrifice,  nor  meat-offering,  nor  drink- 
offering  was  permitted  upon  this  al- 
tar ;  nor  was  it  ever  stained  with  blood 
except  once  annually,  when  the  priest 
made  atonement.  Lev.  xvi.  18, 19. 
The  following  cut  will  furnish  a 


through  these  rings,  and  were  made 
of  the  same  wood  with  the  altar  it- 
self, and  richly  overlaid  with  the  same 
precious  metal.  Upon  this  altar  in- 
cense was  burnt  every  morning  and 
every  evening,  so  that  it  was  literally 


good  illustration  of  the  form  and  use 
of  the  altar  of  incense. 

12.  He  was  troubled.  He  was  alone, 
in  the  presence  of  God.  Tlie  appear- 
ance m  the  angel  was  sudden,  unex- 
pected, and  therefore  fearful. 


CHAPTER  I. 


11 


is  heard ;  and  thy  wife  Elisabeth 
shall  bear  thee  a  son,  and  thou 
shalt  call  his  name  *  John. 

14  And  thou  shalt  have  joy  and 
gladness;  and  many  shall  rejoice* 
at  his  birth. 

15  For  he  shall  be  great in  the 
sight  of  the  Lord,  and  shall  ^  drink 

a  ver.  60, 63.  b  ver.  58.  c  c.  7.  28. 


13.  Thy  prayer  is  heard.  That  is, 
thy  praj^er  tor  otfsprmg.  This,  among 
the  Jews,  was  an  object  of  intense  de- 
sire. No  prospect  was  more  gloomy 
to  them  than  that  of  dying  cluldless, 
so  that  their  7iame  should  perish.  Spe- 
cial pains,  therefore,  had  been  taken 
in  the  law  to  keep  up  the  names  of 
families  by  requiring  a  man  to  marry 
his  brother's  wife.  Deut.  xxv.  5. 

14.  Many  shall  rejoice  at  his  birth. 
This  does  not  refer  so  much  to  the 
time  of  his  birth  as  to  the  subsequent 
rejoicing.  Such  will  be  his  character y 
that  he  will  be  an  honor  to  the  family, 
and  many  will  rejoice  that  he  lived; 
or,  in  other  words,  he  will  be  a  bless- 
ing to  mankind. 

15.  Shall  be  gy^eat.  Shall  be  eminent, 
or  distinguished  as  a  preacher.  If  In 
the  sight  of  the  Lord.  Greek,  before  the 
Lord.    That  is,  shall  be  really  or  truly 

freat.  God  shall  regard  him  as  such. 
SJiall  drink  neither  wine.  The  kind 
of  wine  commonly  used  in  Judea  w^as 
a  light  wine,  often  not  stronger  than 
cider  in  this  country.  It  was  the  com- 
mon drink  of  all  classes  of  the  peo- 
ple. See  Notes  on  John  ii.  11.  The 
use  of  wine  was  forbidden  only  to  the 
Nazarite,  Num.  vi.  3.  It  was  because 
John  sustained  this  character  that 
he  abstained  from  the  use  of  wine. 
*f[  Strong  d^nnk.  It  is  not  easy  to  as- 
certain precisely  what  is  meant  by  this 
word,  but  we  are  certain  that  it  does 
not  mean  strong  drink  in  our  sense 
of  the  term.  Distilled  spirits  were 
not  then  known.  The  art  of  distil- 
ling w^as  discovered  by  an  Arabian 
chemist  in  the  ninth  or  tenth  centu- 
ry; but  distilled  liquors  are  not  used 
by  Arabians.  They  banished  them  at 
once,  as  if  sensible  of  their  pernicious 
influence ;  nor  are  they  used  in  East- 
ern nations  at  all.  Europe  and  Amer- 
ica have  been  the  places  where  this 
poison  has  been  most  extensively 
used,  and  there  it  has  beggared  and 
ruined  millions,  and  is  yearly  sweep- 


neither  wine  nor  strong  drink ;  and 
he  shall  be  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  even  '  from  his  mother's 
womb. 

16  And  many  of  the  children  of 
Israel  shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord 
their  God. 

17  And he  shall  go  before  him 

d  Num.  6.  3.  e  Jer.  1.5.  /  Jno.  1.  34. 


ing  thousands  unprepared  into  a 
wretched  eternity.  The  strong  drink 
among  the  Jews  was  probabl}^  noth- 
ing more  than  fermented  liquors,  or  a 
drink  obtained  from  fermented  dates, 
figs,  and  the  juice  of  the  palm,  or  the 
lees  of  wine,  mingled  with  sugar,  and 
having  the  property  of  producing  in- 
toxication. Many  of  the  J ewish  writ- 
ers say  that  by  the  word  here  trans- 
lated strong  dririk  was  meant  nothing 
more  than  old  idne,  which  probably 
had  the  power  of  producing  intoxica- 
tion. See  Notes  on  Isa.  v.  11.  ^  Shall 
be  filled  ivith  the  Holy  Ghost,  etc.  Shall 
be  divinely  designated  or  appointed 
to  this  office,  and  qualified  for  it  by 
all  needful  communications  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  To  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  to  be  illuminated,  sanc- 
tified, and  guided  by  his  influence.  In 
this  place  it  refers — 1st.  To  the  divine 
intentio7i  that  he  should  be  set  apart 
to  this  work,  as  God  designed  that 
Paul  should  be  an  apostle  from  his 
mother's  womb.  Gal.  i.  15.  2d.  It  re- 
fers to  an  actual  fitting  for  the  work 
from  the  birth  by  the  influence  of  the 
H0I3"  Spirit,  as  was  the  case  with  Jer- 
emiah (Jer.  i.  5),  and  with  the  Messiah 
himself.  Psa.  xxii.  9, 10. 

16.  Children  of  Israel.  Jews.  De- 
scendants of  Israel  or  Jacob.  ^  Shall 
he  turn.  By  repentance.  He  shall 
call  them  from  their  sins,  and  per- 
suade them  to  forsake  them,  and  to 
seek  the  Lord  their  God. 

17.  Shall  go  before  him.  Before  the 
Messiah.  The  connection  here  leads 
us  to  suppose  that  the  word  him  re- 
fers to  the  "Lord  their  God"  in  the 
previous  verse.  If  so,  then  it  will  fol- 
low that  the  Messiah  was  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel— a  character  abundantly 
given  him  in  other  parts  of  the  New 
Testament.  If  Ii  the  spirit  and  power 
of  Mias.    See  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  14. 

To  timi  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the 
children.  In  the  time  of  John  the 
Jews  were  divided  into  a  number  of 


12 


LUKE. 


in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias,  to 
turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the 
children,  and  the  disobedient  ^  to 
the  wisdom  of  the  just ;  to  make 
ready  a  people  *  prepared  for  the 
Lord. 

18  And  Zacharias  said  unto  the 
angel,  Whereby  shall  I  know  this  ? 

lor,  Psa.  111.10.  a  Matt.  11.14.  Mar.  9. 12. 
Matt.  19.  26.  Rom.  4.  21.  b  1  Pet.  2.  9. 


different  sects.    See  Notes  on  Matt. 

iii.  7.  They  were  opposed  violently 
to  each  other,  and  pursued  their  op- 
position with  great  animosity.  It  was 
impossible  but  that  this  opposition 
should  find  its  way  iuto  families^  and 
divide  parents  and  children  from  each 
other.  John  came  that  he  might  al- 
lay these  animosities  and  produce  bet- 
ter feeling.  By  directing  them  all  to 
one  3faster,  the  Messiah,  he  would  di- 
vert their  attention  from  the  causes 
of  their  difference  and  bring  them  to 
union.  He  would  restore  peace  to 
their  families,  and  reconcile  those  par- 
ents and  children  who  had  chosen 
dilferent  sects,  and  who  had  suffered 
their  attacliment  to  sect  to  interrupt 
the  harmony  of  their  households. 
The  effect  of  true  religion  on  a  fam- 
ily will  always  be  to  produce  harmo- 
ny. It  attaches  all  the  family  to  07ie 
great  Master,  and  by  attachment  to 
him  all  minor  causes  of  difference  are 
forgotten.  ^  And  the  disobedient  to  the 
wisdom  of  the  just.  The  disobedient  here 
are  the  unbelieving,  and  hence  the  im- 
pious, the  wicked.  These  he  would 
turn  to  the  wisdom  of  the  just,  or  to 
such  wisdom  as  the  just  or  pious  man- 
ifest— that  is,  to  true  wisdom.  ^  To 
make  ready  a  people^  etc.  To  prepare 
them  for  his  coming  by  announcing 
that  the  Messiah  was  about  to  appear, 
and  by  calling  them  to  repentance. 
God  has  always  required  men  to  be 
pure  in  a  special  manner  when  he  was 
about  to  appear  among  them.  Thus 
the  Israelites  were  required  to  purify 
themselves  for  three  days  when  he 
was  about  to  come  down  on  Mount 
Sinai.  Ex.  xix.  14, 15.  And  so,  when 
God  the  Son  was  about  to  appear  as 
the  Redeemer,  he  required  that  men 
should  prepare  themselves  for  his  com- 
ing. So  in  view  of  the  future  judg- 
ment— the  second  coming  of  the  Son 
of  man — he  requires  that  men  should 
repent,  believe,  and  be  pure.    1  Pet. 

iv.  7.  2  Pet.  iii.  11, 12. 


for  <^  I  am  an  old  man,  and  my  wife 
well  stricken  in  years. 

19  And  the  angel  answering,  said 
unto  him,  I  am  Gabriel,  ^  that  stand 
in  the  presence  of  God;  and  am 
sent  ^  to  speak  unto  thee,  and  to 
show  thee  these  glad  tidings. 

20  And,  behold,  thou  shalt  be-^ 

cGen.  17. 17.  <Z  Dan.  8. 16.  ver.  26. 

eHeb.l;14.  /Ezek,3.26. 

18.  Whereby  shall  I  knotv  this^  The 
thing  was  improbable,  and  he  desired 
evidence  that  it  would  take  place.  The 
testimony  of  an  angel^  and  in  such  a 
place^  should  have  been  proof  enough ; 
but  men  are  slow  to  believe  the  testi- 
mony of  heavenly  messengers.  As  a 
consequence  of  not  believing,  he  was 
struck  dumb. 

19.  lam  Gabriel.  The  word  Gabriel 
is  made  up  of  two  Hebrew  words,  and 
signifies  ma7i  of  God.  This  angel  is 
mentioned  as  having  been  deputed  to 
inform  Daniel  that  his  prayers  were 
heard.  See  Notes  on  Dan.  viii.  16 ;  ix. 
21.  ^  That  stand  in  the  presence  of 
God.  To  stand  in  the  presence  of 
one  is  a  phrase  denoting  honor  or  fa- 
vor. To  be  admitted  to  the  presence 
of  a  king,  or  to  be  with  him,  was  a  to- 
ken of  favor.  So  to  stand  before  God 
signifies  merely  that  he  was  honored 

or  favored  by  God.  He  was  permit-  • 
ted  to  come  near  him,  and  to  see 
much  of  his  glory.  Compare  1  Kings 
X.  8;  xii.  6;  xvii.  1.  Prov.  xxii.  29. 
H  And  am  sent,  etc.  The  angels  are 
ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to  min- 
ister for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of 
salvation."  Heb.  i.  7,  14.  Tliey  de- 
light to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  one 
way  of  doing  that  will  is  by  aiding  his 
children  here,  by  succoring  the  afflict- 
ed, and  by  defending  those  who  are  in 
danger.  There  is  no  more  absurdity 
or  impropriety  in  supposing  that  an- 
gels may  render  such  aid,  than  there  is 
in  supposing  that  good  men  may  as- 
sist one  another;  and  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  it  affords  high  pleasure  to 
the  angels  of  God  to  be  pe^initted  to 
aid  those  who  are  treading  the  dan- 
gerous and  trying  path  which  leads  to 
eternity.  Holiness  is  the  same  as  be- 
nevolence, and  lioly  beings  seek  and 
love  opportunities  to  do  good  to  their 
fellow-creatures.  In  the  eye  of  holy 
beings  all  God's  creatures  are  parts  of 
one  great  family,  and  whenever  they 
can  do  them  good  they  rejoice  in  the 


CHAPTER  I. 


13 


dumb,  and  not  able  to  speak,  until 
the  day  that  these  things  shall  be 
performed,  because  thc^  believest 
not  my  words,  which  shall  be  ful- 
filled in  their  season. 

2ftind  the  people  waited  for 
Zacharias,  and  marvelled  that  he 
tarried  so  long  in  the  temple. 

22  And  when  he  came  out  he 
could  not  speak  unto  them ;  .and 
they  perceived  that  he  had  seen  a 
vision  in  the  temple ;  for  he  beck- 
oned unto  them,  and  remained 
speechless. 

23  And  it  came  to  pass  that,  as 

a  Gen.  30.  23.    1  Sam.  1.6.    Isa.54. 1,4. 


opportunity,  at  any  sacrifice.  ^  These 
glad  tidings.  This  good  news  respect- 
ing the  birth  of  a  son. 

20.  Because  thou  believest  not,  etc. 
This  was  both  a  sign  and  a  Judgment 
— a  sign  tliat  lie  had  come  n-om  God, 
and  that  the  tiling  would  be  fulfilled ; 
and  a  judgment  for  not  giving  credit 
to  wliat  he  had  said.  There  is  no  sin 
in  the  siglit  of  God  more  aggravated 
than  unbelief.  When  God  speaks, 
man  should  believe ;  nor  can  he  that 
ivill  not  believe  escape  punishment. 
God  speaks  only  truth,  and  we  should 
believe  him.  God  speaks  only  what 
is  for  our  good,  and  it  is  right  that  we 
should  suffer  if  we  do  not  credit  what 
he  saj^s. 

21.  The  people  waited.  That  is,  beyond 
the  usual  time.  ^  Marvelled.  Wonder- 
ed. The  priest,  it  is  said,  was  not  ac- 
customed to  remain  in  the  temple 
more  than  half  an  hour  commonly. 
Having  remained  on  this  occasion  a 
longer  time,  the  people  became  ap- 
prehensive of  his  safety,  and  wonder- 
ed what  had  happened  to  him. 

22.  Had  seen  a  vision.  The  word 
vision  means  sight,  appearance,  or  spec- 
tre, and  is  commonly  applied  to  spir- 
its, or  to  beings  from  another  world. 
When  he  came  out  of  the  temple,  it 
is  probable  that  they  suspected  that 
something  of  this  nature  had  detain- 
ed him  there,  and  that,  on  inquiry  of 
him,  he  signified  by  a  nod  that  this 
was  the  case.  He  was  unable  to 
speak,  and  they  had  no  way  oi^^ per- 
ceiving^^ it  but  by  such  a  sign.  On 
the  word  vision,  see  Notes  on  Isa.  i.  1. 
H  For  he  beckoned  unto  them.  That  is, 
by  beckoning  unto  tliem,  or  by  a  sign. 


soon  as  the  days  of  his  ministra-*^ 
tion  were   accomplished,  he  de- 
parted to  his  own  house. 

24  And  after  those  days  his  wife 
Elisabeth  conceived,  and  hid  her- 
self five  months,  saying, 

25  Thus  hath  the  Lord  dealt 
with  me  in  the  days  wherein  he 
looked  on  me,  to  take  *  away  my 
reproach  among  men. 

26  And  in  the  sixth  month  the 
angel  Gabriel  was  sent  from  God 
unto  a  city  of  Galilee  named  Naz- 
areth, 

27  To  a  virgin  *  espoused  to  a 

b  Matt.  1.18. 

he  informed  them  of  what  he  had 
seen. 

23.  As  soon  as  the  days  of  his  minis- 
tration, etc.  As  soon  as  he  had  fulfil- 
led the  duties  of. the  week.  It  might 
have  been  supposed  that  the  extraor- 
dinary occurrence  in  the  temple,  to- 
gether with  his  own  calamity,  would 
have  induced  him  at  once  to  leave  this 
place  and  return  home ;  but  his  duty 
was  in  the  temple.  His  piety  prompt- 
ed him  to  remain  there  in  the  service 
of  God.  He  was  not  unfitted  for  burn- 
ing incense  by  his  dumbness,  and  it 
was  not  proper  for  him  to  leave  his 
post.  It  is  the  duty  of  ministers  of 
religion  to  remain  at  their  work  until 
they  are  unfitted  for  it,  and  unable  to 
serve  God  in  their  profession.  Then 
they  must  retire.  But  until  that  time, 
he  that  for  trifling  causes  forsakes  his 
post  is  guilty  of  unfaithfulness  to  his 
Master. 

24.  JTid  herself.  Did  not  go  forth 
into  public,  and  concealed  her  condi- 
tion. This  might  have  been  done  that 
she  might  spend  her  time  more  en- 
tirely in  giving  praise  to  God  for  his 
mercies,  and  that  she  might  have  the 
fullest  proof  of  the  accomplishment 
of  the  promise  before  she  appeared  in 
public  or  spoke  of  the  mercies  of  God. 

25.  T/ius.  In  this  merciful  manner. 
If  To  take  away  my  reproacli.  Among 
the  Jews,  a  family  of  children  was 
counted  a  signal  blessing,  an  evidence 
of  the  favor  of  God.  Psalm  cxiii.  9; 
cxxviii.  3.  Isa.  iv.  1 ;  xliv.  3,  4.  Lev. 
xxvi.  9.  To  be  barren,  therefore,  or  to 
be  destitute  of  children,  was  consid- 
ered a  reproach  or  a  disgrace.  1  Sam. 
i.  6. 


14 


LUKE. 


♦man  whose  name  was  Joseph,  of 
the  house  of  David ;  and  the  vir- 
gin's name  was  Mary. 

28  And  the  angel  came  in  unto 
her,  and  said.  Hail,  thou  that  art 
^  highly  favoured,  the  *  Lord  is 
with  thee :  blessed  art  thou  among 
women. 

29  And  when  she  saw  him^  she 
was  troubled  at  his  saying,  and 
cast  in  her  mind  what  manner  of 
salutation  this  should  be. 

1  or,  graciously  accepted  ;  or,  much  graced. 
aDan.  9.  23.  6  Judg.  6.  12. 

26.  In  the  sixth  month.  The  sixth 
month  after  Elisabeth's  conception. 
1[  A  city  of  Galilee^  named  Nazareth. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii.  23,  23. 

27.  To  a  virgin  espoused^  etc.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  i.  18, 19.  Comp.  Notes 
on  Isa.  vii.  14.  1[  House  of  David.  Fam- 
ily of  David,  or  descendants  of  David. 

28.  Hail.  This  word  of  salutation 
is  equivalent  to  Peace  he  with  thee^  or 
Joy  he  with  thee;  a  form  of  speech  im- 
plying that  she  was  signally  favored, 
and  expressing  joy  at  meeting  her. 
H  Highly  favored.  By  being  the  moth- 
er of  the  long-expected  Messiah — the 
mother  of  the  Redeemer  of  mankind. 
Long  had  he  been  predicted ;  long  had 
the  eyes  of  the  nation  been  turned  to 
him,  and  long  had  his  coming  been  an 
object  of  intense  desire.  To  be  reck- 
oned among  his  ancestors  was  account- 
ed sufficient  honor  for  even  Abraham 
and  David.  But  now  the  happy  indi- 
vidual was  designated  who  was  to  be 
his  mother ;  and  on  Mary,  a  poor  vir- 
gin of  Nazareth,  was  to  come  this 
honor,  which  would  have  rendered  in- 
finitely illustrious  any  of  the  daugh- 
ters of  Adam — the  honor  of  giving 
birth  to  the  world's  Redeemer  and  the 
Son  of  God.  1  The  Lord  is  with  thee. 
The  word  is  is  not  in  the  original,  and 
the  passage  may  be  rendered  either 
"the  Lord  is-  with  thee,"  or  "  the  Lord 
he  with  thee,"  implying  the  prayer  of 
tlie  arigcl  that  all  blessings  from  God 
might  descend  and  rest  upon  her. 
H  Blessed  art  thou  among  loomen.  This 
passage  is  equivalent  to  saying  "thou 
art  the  most  happy  of  women." 

29.  Trouhled  at  his  saying.  Disturb- 
ed or  perplexed  at  what  he  said.  It 
was  so  unexpected,  so  sudden,  so  ex- 
traordinary, and  was  so  high  an  hon- 
or, that  she  was  filled  with  anxious 


30  And  the  angel  said  unto  her, 
Fear  not,  Mary;  for  thou  hast 
found  favemr  with  God. 

31  And,  behold,  thou  shall  con- 
ceive in  thy  womb,  and  bring  forth 
a  son,  and  shall  call  his  iftne 
JESUS. 

32  He  shall  be  great,  ^  and  shall 
be  called  the  ^  Son  of  the  Highest : 
and  the  Lord  God  shall  give  unto 
him  the  throne  f  of  his  father  Da- 
vid : 

e  Isa.  7. 14.  Matt.  1.  21.  d  Matt.  12. 42. 

eHeb.  1.2-8.  /  2  Sam.  7. 11, 12.  Isa.  9.  6,  7. 


thoughts,  and  did  not  know  what  to 
make  of  it.  H  Cast  in  her  mind. 
Thought,  or  revolved  in  her  mind. 
^  What  manner  of  salutation.  What 
this  salutation  could  mean. 

30.  Fear  not^  Mary.  Do  not  be  alarm- 
ed at  this  appearance  of  an  angel.  He 
only  comes  to  announce  to  you  good 
tidings.  Similar  language  was  ad- 
dressed by  an  angel  to  Joseph.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  \.  20.  ^  Thou  hast 
found  favor  with  God.  Eminent  favor 
or  mere}'  in  being  selected  to  be  the 
mother  of  the  Messiah. 

31.  And^  behold,  thou  shalt  coticeive  in 
thy  womb.  See  Notes  on  Isa.  vii.  14. 
^  And  shalt  call  7iis  name  Jesus.  A  Sa- 
viour. See  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  21.  All 
this  was  announced,  also,  by  an  angel 
to  Joseph,  after  this  visitation  to  Mary. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  20,  21. 

32.  He  shall  he  great.  There  is  un- 
doubted reference  in  this  passage  to 
Isa.  ix.  6,  7.  By  his  being  great  is 
meant  he  shall  be  distinguished  or  il- 
lustrious ;  great  in  power,  in  wisdom, 
in  dominion,  on  earth  and  in  heaven. 
^  Shall  he  called.  This  is  the  same  as 
to  say  he  shall  he  the  Son,  etc.  The 
Hebrews  often  used  this  form  of 
speech.  See  Matt.  xxi.  13.  The  High- 
est. God,  who  is  infinitely  exalted ; 
called  the  Highest,  because  he  is  exalt- 
ed over  all  his  creatures  on  earth  and 
in  heaven.  See  Mark  v.  7.  H  The 
throne.  The  kingdom  ;  or  shall  ap- 
point him  as  the  lineal  successor  of 
David  in  the  kingdom.  ^  His  father 
David.  David  is  called  his  father  be- 
cause Jesus  was  lineally  descended 
from  him.  See  Matt.  i.  1.  The  prom- 
ise to  David  was,  that  there  should 
not  fail  a  man  to  sit  on  his  throne.,  or 
that  his  throne  should  be  perpetual 
(1  Kings  ii.  4 ;  viii.  25 ;  ix.  5.  2  Chron. 


CHAPTER  I. 


15 


33  And  he  shall  reign  over  the 
house  of  Jacob  forever ;  and  of 
his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end. 

34  Then  said  Mary  unto  the  an- 
gel, How  shall  this  be,  seeing  I 
know  not  a  man  ? 

35  And  the  angel  answered  and 
said  unto  her,  The  Holy  Ghost 
shall  come  upon  thee,  and 
power  of  the  Highest  shall  over 
shadow  thee ;  therefore  also  that 
holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of 
thee  shall  be  called  ^  the  Son  of 
God. 

a  Dan.  7. 14, 27.    Mic.4.7.  6  Mar.  1.1. 


36  And,  behold,  thy  cousin  Elisa- 
beth, she  hath  also  conceived  a 
son  in  her  old  age :  and  this  is  the 
sixth  month  with  her  who  was 
called  barren. 

37  For '  with  God  nothing  shall 
be  impossible. 

38  And  Mary  said.  Behold  the 
thei|tandmaid  ^  of  the  Lord ;  be  it  unto 

me  according  *  to  thy  word.  And 
the  angel  departed  from  her. 

39  And  Mary  arose  in  those  days, 
and  went  into  the  hill  country  with 
haste,  into  f  a  city  of  Juda ; 


c  Matt.  19.26.  Rom.  4.  21. 
e  Psa.  119.38. 


d  Psa.  116.16. 
/  Josh. 21.9-11. 


vi.  16),  and  the  promise  was  fulfilled 
by  exalting  Jesus  to  be  a  Prince  and 
a  Saviour,  and  the  perpetual  King  of 
his  people. 

33.  Over  the  house  of  Jacob.  ThQ  house 
of  Jacob  means  the  same  thing  as  the 
family  of  Jacob,  or  the  descendants 
of  Jacob — that  is,  the  children  of  Is- 
rael. This  was  the  name  by  which  the 
ancient  people  of  God  were  known, 
and  it  is  the  same  as  saying  that  he 
would  reign  over  his  own  Church  and 
people  forever.  This  he  does  by  giv- 
ing them  laws,  by  defending  them, 
and  by  guiding  them ;  and  this  he  will 
do  forever  in  the  kingdom  of  his  glory. 
H  Of  his  kingdom  there  shall  he  no  end. 
He  shall  reign  among  his  people  on 
earth  until  the  end  of  time,  and  be 
their  King  forever  in  heaven.  His  is 
the  only  kingdom  that  shall  never  have 
an  end ;  He  the  only  King  that  shall 
never  lay  aside  his  diadem  and  robes, 
and  that  shall  never  die.  He  the  only 
King  that  can  defend  us  from  all  our 
enemies,  sustain  us  in  death,  and  re- 
ward us  in  eternity.  O  how  impor- 
tant, then,  to  have  an  interest  in  his 
kingdom !  and  how  unimportant,  com- 
pared with  his  favor,  is  the  favor  of  all 
earthly  monarchs ! 

35.  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon 
thee.  See  Matt.  i.  20.  \  The  power  of 
the  Highest^  etc.  This  evidently  means 
that  the  body  of  Jesus  would  be  cre- 
ated by  the  direct  power  of  God.  It 
was  not  by  ordinary  generation  ;  but, 
as  the  Messiah  came  to  redeem  sin- 
ners— to  make  atonement  for  others^ 
and  not  for  himself— it  was  necessary 
that  his  human  nature  should  be  pure, 
and  free  from  the  corruption  of  the 


fall.  God  therefore  prepared  him  a 
body  by  direct  creation  that  should 
be  pure  and  holy.  See  Heb.  x.  5. 
^  That  holy  thing^  etc.  That  holy 
progeny  or  child.  1^  Shall  he  called 
the  Son  of  God.  This  is  s]3oken  in  ref- 
erence to  the  human  nature  of  Christ, 
and  this  passage  proves,  beyond  con- 
troversy, that  07ie  reason  why  Jesus 
was  called  the  Son  of  God  was  be- 
cause he  was  begotten  in  a  supernat- 
ural manner.  He  is  also  called  the 
Son  of  God  on  account  of  his  resurrec- 
tion. Rom.  i.  4.  Acts  xiii.  33,  com- 
pared with  Psa.  ii.  7. 

36,  37.  Thy  cousin  Misaheth^  etc.  The 
case  of  Elisabeth  is  mentioned  to  in- 
spire Mary  with  confidence,  and  to  as- 
sure her  that  what  was  now  promised 
would  be  fulfilled.  It  was  almost  as 
improbable  that  Elisabeth  should  have 
a  child  at  her  time  of  life,  as  it  was  that 
Mary  should  under  the  circumstances 
promised. 

38.  And  Mary  said.,  Behold  the  hand- 
maid^ etc.  This  was  an  expression  of 
resignation  to  the  will  of  God,  and  of 
faith  in  the  promise.  To  be  the  ha7td- 
maid  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  submissive 
and  obedient,  and  is  the  same  as  say- 
ing "I  fully  credit  all  that  is  said,  and 
am  perfectly  ready  to  obey  all  the  com- 
mands of  the  Lord." 

39.  A7id  Mary  arose.  The  word  arose 
here  is  equivalent  to  setting  out,  or 
starting  on  a  journe}^  T[  The  hill  coun- 
try. The  region  in  the  vicinity  of 
Jerusalem,  commonly  called  the  hill 
country  of  Judea.  ^  City  of  Juda. 
What  city  is  meant  is  not  known. 
Some  have  supposed  it  to  be  Jerusa- 
lem, others  Hebron ;  but  all  is  conjee- 


16 


LUKE. 


40  And  entered  into  the  house  of 
Zacharias,  and  saluted  Elisabeth. 

41  And  it  came  to  pass,  that, 
when  Elisabeth  heard  the  saluta- 
tion of  Mary,  the  babe  leaped  in 
her  womb ;  and  Elisabeth  was  fill- 
ed with  the  Holy  Ghost : 

42  And  she  spake  out  with  a 
loud  voice ;  and  said.  Blessed  ^  ar^ 
thou  among  women ;  and  blessed 
is  the  fruit  of  thy  womb. 

43  And  whence  is  this  to  me, 
that  the  mother  of  my  Lord* 
should  come  to  me  ? 

a  Judg.  5.  24.    ver.  28.  h  Jno.  13. 13. 

1  or,  which  believed  that  there  shall  be. 


44  For  lo,  as  soon  as  the  voice 
of  thy  salutation  sounded  in  mine 
ears,  the  babe  leaped  in  my  womb 
for  joy. 

45  And  blessed  is  she  ^  that  be- 
lieved :  for  there  shall  be  a  per- 
formance of  those  things  which 
were  told  her  from  the  Lord. 

46  And  Mary  said,  My  soul  doth 
magnify  the  Lord, 

47  And  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  ^ 
in  God  my  Saviour. 

48  For  he  hath  regarded  the  low  - 
estate  of  his  handmaiden :  for  be- 


ture.  It  was  probably  a  Levitical  citj- , 
and  the  residence  of  Zacharias  when 
he  Avas  not  emploj^ed  in  the  temple. 

40.  Saluted  ElisdbetJi.  Expressed 
great  joy  and  gratification  at  seeing 
her,  and  used  the  customary  tokens 
of  affectionate  salutation. 

41.  Elimheth  ivas  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  meaning  of  this  seems  to 
be  that  she  was  filled  with  joy ;  with 
a  disposition  to  praise  God;  with  a 
prophetic  spirit,  or  a  knowledge  of 
the  character  of  the  child  that  should 
be  born  of  her.  All  these  were  pro- 
duced by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

42.  Blessed  art  thou  among  women. 
She  here  repeated  nearl}^  the  words 
of  the  angel  to  Mary,  esteeming  it  to 
be  the  highest  honor  among  mothers 
to  be  the  mother  of  the  Messiah.  See 
Notes  on  ver.  28. 

4o.  And  whence  is  this  to  me?  An  ex- 
pression of  humility.  Why  is  it  that 
the  mother  of  my  Lord  should  come 
to  me,  as  if  to  honor  me  ?  TI  Mother  of 
my  Lord.  The  word  Lord  sometimes 
denotes  divinity^  and  sometimes  supe- 
rior, master,  teacher,  or  governor.  It 
was  given  by  the  J ews  to  their  exi)ect- 
cd  Messiah ;  but  whetlier  they  under- 
stood it  as  denoting  divinity  can  not 
now  be  ascertained.  It  is  clear^only 
that  Elisabeth  used  it  as  denoting- 
great  dignity  and  honor. 

45.  Blessed  is  she  that  helieved.  That 
is,  Mi^^y^  who  believed  what  the  an- 
gel spoke  to  her.  She  was  blessed 
not  only  in  the  act  of  believing,  but 
because  the  thing  promised  would 
certainly  be  fulfilled. 

From  these  expressions  of  Elisa- 
beth wc  may  Icai-n  —  1st.  That  the 


spirit  of  prophecy  had  not  entirely 
ceased  among  the  Jews.  2d.  That  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  the  source  of  light, 
comfort,  and  joy.  3d.  That  every 
thing  about  the  birth  of  Jesus  was 
remarkable,  and  that  he  must  have 
been  more  than  a  mere  man.  4th.  That 
the  prospect  of  the  coming  of  the  Mes- 
siah was  one  of  great  joy  and  rejoicing 
to  ancient  saints ;  and,  5th.  That  it 
was  a  high  honor  to  be  the  mother  of 
him  that  should  redeem  mankind.  It 
is  from  that  honor  that  the  Roman 
Catholics  have  determined  that  it  is 
right  to  worship  the  Virgin  Maiy  and 
to  oflTer  prayers  to  her— an  act  of  wor- 
ship as  idolatrous  as  any  that  could 
be  offered  to  a  creature.  For — 1st.  It 
is  not  any  where  commanded  in  the 
Bible.  2d.  It  is  expressly  forbidden 
to  worship  afly  being  but  God.  Exod. 
xxxiv.  14;  XX.  4,  5.  Deut.  vi.  13,  14. 
Isa.  xlv.  20.  3d.  It  is  idolatry  to  wor- 
ship or  pray  to  a  creature.  4th.  It  is 
absurd  to  suppose  that  the  Virgin 
Mary  can  be  in  all  places  at  the  same 
time  to  hear  the  prayers  of  thousands 
at  once,  or  to  aid  them.  There  is  no 
idolatry  more  gross,  and  of  course 
more  wicked,  than  to  worship  the  crea- 
ture more  than  the  Creator.  Rom.  i.  25. 

46.  My  sold  doth  magnify  the  Jjord. 
To  magnify  means  to  make  great^  and 
then  to  extol ^  to  praise^  to  celebrate.  It 
does  not  mean  here  strictly  to  make 
great,  but  to  increase  in  our  estimation 
— that  is,  to  praise  or  extol.  See  Psa. 
xxxiv.  3.  2  Sam.  vii.  26. 

47.  In  God  my  Saviour.  God  is  call- 
ed Saviour,  as  he  saves  people  from 
sin  and  death.  He  was  Mary''s  Sa- 
viour, as  he  had  redeemed  her  soul 


CHAPTER  I. 


17 


liold,  from  henceforth  all  genera- 
tions shall  call  me  *  blessed. 

49  for  he  that  is  mighty  ^  hath 
done  to  me  great  things ;  ^  and 
holy  is  his  name. 

50  And  *  his  mercy  is  on  them 

a  Mai.  3. 12.    c.11.27.  iGeti.lT.  1. 

c  Psa.  71.21  ;  126,2,3.  Eph.  3.  20.  rfPsa.111.9. 
c  Gen.  17.  17.    Ex.  20.  6.    Psa.  103. 17. 

and  given  her  a  title  to  eternal  life; 
and  she  rejoiced  for  that-,  and  especial- 
ly for  his  mercy  in  honoring  her  by 
her  being  made  the  thother  of  the 
Messiah. 

48.  He  hath  regarded  the  low  estate  of 
his  handmaid.  Literallj^  he  has  look- 
ed upon  the  low  or  humble  condition 

•  of  his  handmaid.  That  is,  notwith- 
standing her  liumble  rank  and  poyer- 
t}^,  he  has  sliown  her  favor.  And  this 
example  abundantly  teaches  what  is 
elsewhere  fully  taught  in  the  Bible, 
that  God  is  not  a  respecter  of  persons ; 
that  he  is  not  influenced,  in  conferring 
favors,  by  wealth,  honor,  or  oflSLce. 
Rom.  ii.  11 ;  x.  11, 12.  He  seeks  the 
humble  and  the  contrite ;  he  imparts 
his  rich  blessings  to  those  who  feel 
that  they  need  them,  and  who  will 
bless  him  for  them.  1?sa,  cxxxviii.  6. 
Isa.  Ivii.  15.  ^  Froyn  henceforth.  Here- 
after, or  in  consequence  of  this.  H  All 
generations.  All  men.  All  posterity. 
*f[  Call  me  blessed.  Pronounce  me  high- 
ly favored  or  happy  in  being  the  motli- 
er  of  the  Messiali.  It  is  therefore 
right  to  consider  her  as  highly  favor- 
ed or  happy ;  but  this  certainly  does 
not  warrant  us  to  worship  her  or  to 
pray  to  her.  Abraham  was  blessed  in 
being  the  father  of  the  faithful ;  Paul 
in  being  the  apostle  to  the  Gentiles ; 
Peter  in  first  preaching  the  Gospel  to 
them ;  but  who  would  think  of  wor- 
shipping or  praying  to  Abraham,  Paul, 
or  Peter  ? 

49.  He  that  is  mighty.  God.  ^  Hat7i 
done  to  me  great  things.  Hath  confer- 
red on  me  great  favors  and  distinguish- 
ed mercies.  ^  And  hohj  is  his  name. 
This  is  an  expression  of  Mary's  feel- 
ings, desiring  to  bestow  on  God  all 
honor  and  praise.  As  the  highest 
honor,  she  declared  that  his  name 
was  hohj — that  is,  that  God  was  free 
from  sin,  injustice,  and  impurity.  The 
'■'-name'''  of  God  is  often  put  for  God 
himself.  The  proper  name  of  God  is 
Jehovah^  a  word  expressive  of  his  essen- 
tial being^  derived  from  the  word  to  be. 
Ex.iii.i4;  vi.3.  Psa.  Ixxxiii,  18.  That 


that  fear  him,  from  generation  to 
generation. 

51  He  hath  showed  strength 
with  his  arm ;  he  hath  scattered 
the  proud  in  the  imagination  of 
their  hearts. 

/Psa.98.1.    Isa.  51.  9;  52.  10;  63.5. 
g  1  Sam.  2.  9.    Dan.  4.  37. 


name  is  holy ;  is  to  be  regarded  as 
holy ;  and  to  make  a  common  or  pro- 
fane use  of  it  is  solemnly  forbidden. 
Ex.  XX.  7. 

50.  His  mercy.  Favor  shown  to  the 
miserable  and  the  guilty.  11  Is  on 
them.  Is  shoimi  or  manifested  to  them. 
T[  That  fear  him.  That  reverence  or 
honor  him.  One  kind  of  fear  is  ihat 
which  a  servant  has  of  a  cruel  mas- 
ter, or  whicli  a  man  has  of  a  precipice, 
the  plague,  or  death.  This  is  not  the 
fear  which  we  ought  to  have  toward 
God.  It  is  the  fear  which  a  dutiful 
child  has  of  a  kind  and  virtuous  fa- 
ther— a  fear  of  injuring  his  feelings ; 
of  dishonoring  him  by  our  life ;  of  do- 
ing any  thing  which  he  would  disap- 
prove. It  is  on  those  who  have  such 
fear  of  God  that  his  mercy  descends. 
This  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord  which  is 
the  beginning  of  wisdom.  Psa.  cxi. 
10.  Job  xxviii.  28.  U  From  generation 
to  generation.  From  one  age  to  an- 
other—  that  is,  it  is  unceasing;  it 
continues  and  abounds.  But  it  means 
also  more  than  this.  It  means  that 
God's  mercy  will  descend  on  the  chil- 
dren and  children's  children  of  those 
that  fear  him  and  keep  his  command- 
ments. Ex.  XX.  6.  In  this  respect  it 
is  an  unspeakable  privilege  to  be  de- 
scended from  pious  parents ;  to  have 
been  the  subject  of  their  prayers,  and 
to  have  received  their  blessing.  It  is 
also  a  matter  of  vast  guilt  not  to  copy 
their  example  and  to  walk  in  their 
steps.  If  God  is  disposed  to  show  mer- 
cy to  thousands  of  generations,  how 
heavy  will  be  the  condemnation  if  the 
children  of  pious  parents  do  not  avail 
themselves  of  it  and  early  seek  his 
favor ! 

51.  Hath  showed  strength  with  his  arm. 
The  arra  is  the  symbol  of  strength. 
The  expression  in  this  and  the  subse- 
quent verses  has  no  particular  refer- 
ence to  his  mercy  to  Mary.  From  a 
contemplation  of  his  goodness  to  her., 
she  enlarges  her  views  to  a  contem- 
plation of  his  goodness  and  power  in 
general^  and  to  a  celebration  of  the 


18 


LUKE. 


52  He  "  liatli  put  down  the 
mighty  from  their  seats,  and  ex- 
alted them  of  low  degree. 

53  He  *  hath  filled  the  hungry 
with  good  things,  and  the  rich  he 
hath  sent  empty  away. 

a  Job  5. 11.    c.  18. 14.  S  1  Sam.  2.  5. 


praises  of  God  for  all  that  he  has  done 
to  all  men.  This  is  the  nature  of  true 
piety.  It  does  not  terminate  in  think- 
ing of  God's  mercy  toward  ourselves. 
It  thinks  of  others^  and  praises  God 
that  others  also  are  made  partakers  of 
his  mercy,  and  that  his  goodness  is 
manifested  to  all  his  works.  ^  He 
scattereth  the  proud.  He  hath  often 
done  it  in  time  of  battle  and  war. 
When  the  proud  Assyrian,  Egyptian, 
or  Babylonian  had  come  against  the 
people  of  God,  he  had  often  scattered 
them  and  driven  away  their  armies. 
H  In  the  imagination  of  their  hearts. 
Those  who  were  lifted  up  or  exalted 
in  their  own  view.  Those  who  thought 
themselves  to  be  superior  to  other  men. 

52.  Hath  put  down,  the  mighty.  The 
mighty  here  denotes  princes,  kings,  or 
conquerors.  See  Isa.  xiv.  12,  13,  14. 
^  Their  seats.  Their  tJirones^  or  the 
places  where  they  sat  in  pomp  and 
power.  If  Exalted  them.  Raised  them 
up,  or  placed  them  in  the  seats  of 
those  who  had  been  removed.  H  Low 
*  degree.  Low  or  liumble  birth  and  con- 
dition in  life.  This  probably  lias  ref- 
erence to  the  case  of  her  ancestor  Da- 
vid. Mary  was  celebrating  the  mer- 
cies of  God  to  herself  to  her  family^ 
and  of  course  to  her  ancestors.  It 
was  natural  to  allude  to  that  great 
event  in  their  history  when  Saul  was 
overcome  in  battle,  and  when  David 
was  taken  from  tlie  sheepfold  and 
placed  on  the  throne.  The  origin  of 
illustrious  families  is  often  obscure. 
Men  are  often  raised  by  industry,  tal- 
ent, and  the  favor  of  God,  from  very 
humble  stations — from  the  farm  or 
mechanic's  shop — to  places  of  great 
trust  in  the  Church  and  state.  They 
Avho  are  thus  elevated,  if  imbued  with 
right  feelings,  will  not  despise  their 
former  einployments  nor  their  for- 
mer companions,  nor  will  they  esteem 
their  parents  or  friends  the  less  because 
they  still  remain  in  the  same  rank  in 
life.  No  conduct  is  more  odious  and 
unchristian  than  to  be  ashamed  of  our 
birth  or  the  humble  circumstances  of 
our  friends. 


54  He  hath  holpen  his  servant 
Israel,  in  remembrance  of  his 
mercy ;  ^. 

55  As  he  spake  to  our  fathers, 
to  Abraham,  and  to  his  seed  for- 
ever. 

cPsa.9S.8.  fZGen.  17. 19.  Psa.  132. 11. 


53.  He  hath  filled  the  hungry  with  good 
things.  This  is  a  celebration  of  the 
general  mercy  of  God.  He  hath  daily 
fed  the  poor,  the  needy,  and  those 
who  came  to  l#m  with  humble  hearts. 
^  The  rich  he  hath  sent,  etc.  While  the 
poor  come  tt)  him  for  a  supply  of  their 
daily  wants,  the  rich  come  not  that 
their  necessities  should  be  supplied, 
but  come  with  lofty  hearts,  and  insa-  • 
tiable  desires  that  their  riches  may 

be  increased.  When  this  is  the  case, 
God  not  unfrequentl)^  not  only  witJi- 
Jiolds  what  they  ask,  but  he  takes  their 
riches  away  b}^  fire,  or  flood,  or  dis- 
ai)poiiitments,  and  sends  them  away 
emptj^  Prov.  xxiii.  5.  It  is  better  to 
be  poor  and  go  to  God  for  our  daily 
bread,  than  to  be  rich  and  forget  our 
dependence  on  him,  and  to  seek  only 
a  great  increase  of  our  property. 

54.  Hath  holpen.  Hath  helped  or  as- 
sisted. The  word  rendered  ''holpen" 
denotes,  properly,  to  take  hold  of  one, 
to  help  him  up  when  he  is  in  danger  of 
falling,  and  here  means  that  God  had 
succored  his  people  when  they  were 
feeble,  and  were  in  danger  of  falling 
or  being  overthrown,  i  His  servant 
Israel.  His  people  the  Israelites,  or 
those  who  truly  feared  him  and  kept 
his  commandments.  See  Isa.  xli.  8,  9. 
Hos.  xi.  1.  1  In  remembrance  of  his 
mercy.  Or  that  his  mercy  may  be  re- 
membered. 

55.  ui.s  he  spake  to  our  fathers,  etc. 
That  is,  he  has  dealt  mercifully  with 
the  children  of  Israel,  according  as  he 
promised  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 
The  promise  particularly  here  refer- 
red to  is  that  respecting  the  Messiah 
which  was  now  about  to  be  fulfilled ; 
but  there  is  no  doubt  that  there  was 
also  included  the  promises  respecting 
all  the  other  mercies  which  had  been 
conferred  on  the  children  of  Israel. 
See  Gen.  xxii.  17, 18.  ^Forever.  These 
words  are  to  be  referred  to  the  pre- 
ceding verse — "in  remembrance  of  his 
mar cy  forever,  as  he  spake,"  etc.  They 
denote  that  the  mercy  of  God  mani- 
fested to  his  people  should  be  had  iu 
everlasting  remembrance. 


CHAPTER  I. 


19 


56  And  Mary  abode  with  her 
about  three  months,  and  returned 
to  her  own  house. 

57  Now  Elisabeth's  full  time 
came  that  she  should  be  deliver- 
ed ;  and  she  brought  forth  a  son. 

58  And  her  neighbours  and  her 
cousins  heard  how  the  Lord  had 
showed  great  mercy  uj)on  her ; 
and  they  *  rejoiced  with  her. 

59  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  on 
the  eighth  day  they  came  to  cir- 
cumcise the  child ;  and  they  call- 
ed him  Zacharias,  after  the  name 
of  his  father. 

60  And  his  mother  answered  and 
said,  Not  so ;  but  he  shall  be  call- 
ed John. 

a  ver.  14. 


There  is  a  striking  similarity  be- 
tween this  song  of  praise  by  Mary 
and  that  spoken  by  Hannah.  1  Sam. 
ii.  2-10.  Tiiere  are  few  pieces  of  poetry 
— for  this  is  poetry,  and  almost  the 
only  poetry  in  the  New  Testament — 
more  beautiful  than  this.  It  is  the 
language  of  a  humble,  thankful,  pious 
female  heart  praising  God — 1st.  For 
his  mercy  to  her  (ver.  46^9) ;  2d.  For 
his  mercy  to  all  men — his  general  good- 
ness (ver.  50-53) ;  and,  3d.  His  special 
goodness  to  his  people  (ver.  54,  55). 

59.  On  the  eighth  day.  This  was  the 
day  on  which  it  was  required  to  cir- 
cumcise children.  Gen.  xxi.  4.  And 
they  called  him  Zacharias.  The  name 
of  the  child  was  commonly  given  at 
the  time  of  the  circumcision.  Gen. 
xxi.  3, 4.  The  name  commonly  given  to 
the  eldest  son  was  that  of  the  father. 

60.  Shall  he  called  John.  This  was 
the  name  which  the  angel  had  said 
should  be  given  to  him,  of  which 
Zacharias  had  probably  informed  Elis- 
abeth by  writing. 

61.  There  is  none  of  thy  kindred,  etc. 
The  Jewish  tribes  and  families  were 
kept  distinct.  To  do  this,  and  to 
avoid  confusion  in  their  genealogical 
tables,  they  probably  gave  only  those 
names  which  were  found  among  their 
ancestors.  Another  reason  for  this, 
common  to  all  people,  is  the  respect 
which  is  felt  for  honored  parents  and 
ancestors. 

63.  He  asked.  That  is,  by  signs.  T[  A 
writing-table.    The  table  denoted  by 


61  And  they  said  unto  her,  There 
is  none  of  thy  kindred  that  is  call- 
ed by  this  name. 

62  And  they  made  signs  to  his 
father  how  he  would  have  him 
called. 

63  And  he  asked  for  a  writing- 
table,  and  wrote,  saying.  His  name 
is  *  John.  And  they  marvelled  all. 

64  And  his  mouth  ^  was  opened 
immediately,  and  his  tongue  loosed^ 
and  he  spake,  and  i3raised  God. 

65  And  fear  came  on  all  that 
dwelt  round  about  them :  and  all 
these  ^  sayings  were  noised  abroad 
throughout  all  the  hill  country  of 
Judea ; 

66  And  all  they  that  heard  them 

b  ver.  13.  c  ver.  20.  1  or,  things. 

this  word  was  usually  made  of  wood 
and  covered  with  wax.  The  ancients 
used  to  write  on  such  tables,  as  they 
had  not  the  use  of  paper.  The  in- 
strument used  for  writing  was  an  iron 
pen  or  stile,  by  which  they  marked 
on  the  wax  which  covered  the  table. 
Sometimes  the  writing-table  was 
made  entirely  of  lead.  The  cut  on  the 
following  page  will  illustrate  this. 

64.  His  mouth  was  opened,  etc.  That 
is,  he  was  enabled  to  speak.  For  nine 
months  he  had  been  dumb,  and  it  is 
probable  that  they  supposed  that  he 
had  been  afflicted  with  a  paralytic  af- 
fection, and  that  he  would  not  recov- 
er. Hence  their  amazement  when  he 
spoke.  For  one  act  of  disbelief  all 
this  calamity  had  come  upon  him,  and 
it  had  not  come  without  effect.  With 
true  gratitude  he  offered  praise  to  God 
for  the  birth  of  a  son,  and  for  his  res- 
toration to  the  blessings  of  speech. 

65.  And  fear  came,  etc.  The  word 
fear  often  denotes  religious  reverence. 
The  remarkable  circumstances  attend- 
ing the  birth  of  John,  and  the*  fact 
that  Zacharias  was  suddenly  restored 
to  speech,  convinced  them  that  God 
was  there,  and  filled  their  minds  with 
awe  and  veneration. 

66.  What  manner  of  child,  etc.  Such 
were  the  remarkable  circumstances  of 
his  birth  that  they  apprehended  that 
he  would  be  distinguished  as  a  proph- 
et, or  that  great  events  would  result 
from  his  life.  ^  The  hand  of  the  Lord 
was  with  him.    The  word  hand  is  used 


20 


LUKE. 


laid  them  up  in  their  hearts,  say- 
ing, What  manner  of  child  shall 
this  be  ?    And  the  hand  *  of  the 
Lord  was  with  him-. 
67  And  his  father  Zacharias  was 

ac.  2. 19,  51.  6Psa.  80. 17. 


filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
prophesied,  saying, 

68  Blessed '  le  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel ;  for  he  hath  visited  and  re- 
deemed his  people. 


WRITING  TABLETS. — ANCIENT  GREEK. 


to  denote  aid^  protection^  favor.  We 
stretch  out  the  hand  to  aid  those 
whom  we  wish  to  help.  The  expres- 
sion here  means  that  .God  aided  him, 
protected  him,  or  showed  him  favor. 
Some  think  that  these  words  are  a 
part  of  the  speech  of  the  neighbors — 
"  What  manner  of  child  shall  this  be ! 
God  is  so  evidently  with  him !" 

67.  Filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  See 
ver.  15.  T[  And  prophesied.  The  word 
projjhesy  means — 1st.  To  foretell  fu- 
ture events.  2d.  To  celebrate  the 
praises  of  God  (see  1  Sam.  x.  5,  6 ;  1 
Kings  xviii.  29) ;  then  to,  3d.  Teach 
or  preach  the  Gospel,  etc..  See  Notes 
on  Rom.  xii.  6.  This  song  of  Zacha- 
rias partakes  of  all.  It  is  principally 
employed  in  the  praises  of  God,  but 
it  also  predicts  the  future  character 
and  preaching  of  John. 

68.  Blessed.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  3. 
II  Ilath  visited.  The  word  here  ren- 
dered visited  means  properly  to  look 
upon;  then  to  look  upon  in  order  to 


know  the  state  of  any  one;  then  to  visit 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding  those  who  need 
aid,  or  alleviating  misery.  Compare 
Matt.  XXV.  43.  In  this  sense  it  is  used 
here.  God  looked  upon  the  world — he 
saw  it  miserable — he  came  to  relieve 
it,  and  brought  salvation.  ^  And  re- 
deemed. That  is,  was  about  to  redeem, 
or  had  given  the  pledge  that  he  would 
redeem.  This  was  spoken  under  the 
belief  that  the  Messiah,  the  Redeemer, 
was  about  to  appear,  and  would  cer- 
tainly accomplish  his  work.  The  lit- 
eral translation  of  this  passage  is,  "He 
hath  made  a  ransom  for  his  people.'' 
A  ransom  was  the  price  paid  to  deliver 
a  captive  taken  in  war.  A  is  a  prison- 
er taken  in  war  by  B.  B  has  a  right 
to  detain  him  as  a  prisoner  by  the 
laws  of  war,  but  C  offers  B  a  price  if 
he  will  release  A  and  suffer  him  to  go 
at  liberty.  The  price  wliich  he  pa3^s, 
and  which  must  be  satisfactory  to  B — 
that  is,  be  a  reason  to  B  why  he  should 
release  him— is  called  a  price  or  ran- 


CH^TER  I. 


21 


69  And  hath  raised  up  an  horn 
of  salvation  for  us  in  the  house 
of  his  servant  David  ; 

70  As  he  spake  ^  by  the  mouth 
of  his  holy  prophets,  which  have 
been  since  the  world  began : 


71  That  we  should  be  saved*' 
from  our  enemies,  and  from  the 
hand  of  all  that  hate  us ; 

72  To  perform  the  mercy  prom- 
ised to  our  fathers,  and  to  ^  re- 
member his  holy  covenant, 


som.  Men  are  sinners.  They  are  bound 
over  to  just  punishment  by  the  law. 
The  law  is  holy,  and  God,  as  a  just 
governor,  must  see  that  the  law  is 
honored  and  the  wicked  jjunished; 
but  if  any  thing  can  be  done  which 
will  have  the  same  good  effect  as  the 
punishment  of  the  sinner,  or  which 
will  be  an  equivalent  for  it — that  is,  be 
of  equal  value  to  the  universe — God 
may  consistently  release  him.  If  he 
can  show  the  same  hatred  of  sin,  and 
deter  others  from  sinning,  and  secure 
the  purity  of  the  sinner,  the  sinner 
may  be  released.  Whatever  will  ac- 
complish this  is  called  a  ransom^  be- 
cause it  is,  in  the  eye  of  God,  a  suffi- 
cient reason  why  the  sinner  should 
not  be  punished;  it  is  an  equivalent 
for  his  sufferings,  and  God  is  satisfied. 
The  hlood  of  Jesus — that  is,  his  death  in 
the  place  of  sinners — constitutes  such 
a  ransom.  It  is  in  their  stead.  It  is 
for  them.  It  is  equivalent  to  their 
punishment.  It  is  not  itself  a  pwmsA- 
ment^  for  that  always  supposes  person- 
al crime,  but  it  is  what  God  is  pleased 
to  accept  in  the  place  of  the  eternal  suf- 
ferings of  the  sinner.  The  king  of  the 
Locrians  made  a  law  that  an  adulterer 
should  be  punished  with  the  loss  of 
his  eyes.  His  son  was  the  first  offend- 
er, and  the  father  decreed  that  his  son 
should  lose  one  eye,  and  he  Jiimself  ohq 
also.  This  was  the  ransom.  He  show- 
ed his  love,  his  regard  for  the  honor  of 
his  law,  and  the  determination  that 
the  guilty  should  not  escape.  So  God 
gave  his  Son  a  ransom  to  show  his 
love,  his  regard  to  justice,  and  his  will- 
ingness to  save  men ;  and  his  Son,  in 
his  death,  was  a  ransom.  He  is  often 
so  called  in  the  New  Testament.  Matt. 
XX.  28.  Mark  X.  45.  Titus  ii.  14.  Heb. 
ix.  12.  For  a  fuller  view  of  the  nature 
of  a  ransom,  see  Notes  on  Rom.  iii.  24, 
25. 

69.  And  hath  raised  up  a  horn.  A 
horn  is  a  symbol  of  sU-ength.  The  fig- 
ure is  taken  from  the  fact  that  in 
horned  animals  tlic  strength  lies  in 
the  horn.  Particularly  the  great  pow- 


er of  the  rhinoceros  or  unicorn  is  man- 
ifested by  the  use  of  a  single  horn  of 
great  strength,  placed  on  the  head 
near  the  end  of  the  nose.  When 
the  sacred  writers,  therefore,  speak 
of  great  strength,  they  often  use  the 
word  horn.  Psalm  cxlviii.  14.  Deut. 
xxxiii.  17.  Dan.  vii.  7,  8 ;  viii.  21.  The 
word  salvation,  connected  here  with 
the  word  horn,  means  that  this  strength, 
or  this  mighty  Redeemer,  was  able  to 
save.  It  is  possible  that  this  whole 
figure  may  be  taken  from  the  Jewish 
altar.  On  each  of  the  four  corners  of 
the  altar  there  was  an  eminence  or 
small  projection  called  a  horn.  To 
this  persons  might  flee  for  safety  when 
in  danger,  and  be  safe.  1  Kings  i.  50 ; 
ii.  28.  Compare  Notes  on  chap.  i.  11. 
So  the  Redeemer  may  'be  called  the 
"horn  of  salvation,"  because  those 
who  fiee  to  him  are  safe.  ^  In  the 
house.  In  the  family,  or  among  the 
descendants  of  David. 

70.  His  holy  prophets,  etc.  All  the 
prophets  are  said  to  have  referred  to 
the  Messiah,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world.  The  most  striking  of  these 
were  Jacob  (Gen.  xlix.  10) ;  Moses 
(Deut.  xviii.  15) ;  Isaiah  (ix.  6,  7;  liii.). 
II  Since  the  world  began.  This  is  not  to 
be  taken  literally,  for  there  were  no 
prophets  immediately  after  the  crea- 
tion. It  is  merely  a  general  expres- 
sion, designed  to  denote  that  all  the 
prophets  had  predicted  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah.  Compare  Notes  on 
Luke  xxiv.  27.  Rev.  xix.  10. 

71.  Saved  from  our  e7iemies.  The  en- 
emies of  nmn  are  his  sins,  his  carnal 
propensities,  his  lusts,  and  the  great 
adversary  Satan  and  his  angels,  who 
continually  seek  to  destroy  him. 
From  these  the  Mesfiah  came  to  save 
us.  Compare  Gen.  iii.  15.  Matt.  i.  21. 
T[  The  hand.  The  power ;  or  to  save 
us  from  them. 

72.  To  perform  the  mercy.  To  show 
the  mercy  promised.  The  expression 
in  the  original  is  "  to  make  mercy  with 
our  fathers — that  is,  to  show  kindness 
to  our  fathers ;  and  the  propriety  of  it 


22 


Lu: 


73  The  oath  «  which  he  sware  to 
our  father  Abraham, 

74  That  he  would  grant  unto  us, 
that  we,  being  delivered  out  of  the 
hand  of  our  enemies,  might  serve 
him  *  without  fear, 

75  In  holiness  and  righteousness 
before  him,  all  ^  the  days  of  our 
life. 

a  Gen.  22. 16, 17.  6  Rom.  6.  22. 

c  Tit.  2. 11, 12.  1  Pet.  1.14, 15.  <i  Rev.  2. 10. 


76  And  thou,  child,  shalt  be  call- 
ed The  Prophet  of  the  Highest,  for 
thou  shalt  go « before  the  face  of 
the  Lord,  to  prepare  his  ways ; 

77  To  give  knowledge  of  salva- 
tion unto  his  people  ^  by  the  re- 
mission /  of  their  sins, 

78  Through  the  tender  ^  mercy 
of  our  God ;  whereby  the  ^  day- 

e  Mai.  3. 1.  1  or, /or.  /  Acts  5.  31. 

2  or,  howds  of  the  mercy.  3  or,  sun-rising  :  or,  branch. 
Isa.  11.1.  Zech.3.8j  6. 12. 


is  founded  on  the  fact  that  mercy  to 
children  is  regarded  as  kindness  to 
the  parent.  Blessing  the  children  was 
blessing  the  nation;  was  fulfilling  the 
promises  made  to  the  fathers,  and 
showing  that  he  regarded  them  in 
merc}^.  1[  His  holy  covenant.  The  word 
covenant  means  compact  or  agreement. 
This  is  in  use  among  men.  It  implies 
equality  in  the  parties ;  freedom  from 
constraint ;  freedom  from  previous  ob- 
ligation to  do  the  thing  now  covenant- 
ed; and  freedom  from  obligation  to 
enter  into  a  compact,  unless  a  man 
chooses  so  to  do.  Such  a  transaction 
evidently  can  never  take  place  be- 
tween man  and  God,  for  they  are  not 
equal.  Man  is  not  at  liberty  to  decline 
what  God  proposes,  and  he  is  under 
obligation  to  do  all  that  God  com- 
mands. When  the  word  covenant^ 
therefore,  is  used  in  the  Bible,  it 
means  sometimes  a  cmnmand;  some- 
times a  promise;  sometimes  a  regular 
lavj — as  the  covenant  of  the  day  and 
night;  and  sometimes  the  way  in 
which  God  dispenses  mercy — that  is, 
by  the  Old  and  New  Covenants.  In 
the  place  before  us  it  means  the  prom- 
ise made  to  Abraliam,  as  the  following 
verses  clearly  show. 

73.  The  oath.  This  oath  is  recorded 
in  Gen.  xxii.  16, 17.  It  was  an  oath  in 

.  which  God  swore  by  himself  (because 
he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  Heb. 
vi.  13,  14)  that  he  would  surely  bless 
Abraham  and  his  posterity.  That 
promise  was  now  to  be  entirely  ful- 
filled by  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 

74.  Might  serve  ' him.  Might  obey, 
honor,  and  worship  him.  This  was 
regarded  as  a  favor.  This  was  what 
was  promised,  and  for  this  Zacharias 
praised  God.  *fl  Without  fear.  Fear 
of  death,  of  spiritual  enemies,  or  of 
external  foes.  In  the  sure  hope  of 
God's  eternal  favor  beyond  the  grave. 

75.  In  holiness^  etc.    In  piety  and 


strict  justice.  If  Before  him.  In  the 
presence  of  God.  Performed  as  in  his 
presence,  and  with  the  full  conscious- 
ness that  he  sees  the  heart.  The  holi- 
7iess  was  not  to  be  merely  external,  but 
spiritual,  internal,  pure,  such  as  God 
would  see  and  approve.  ^  All  the  days 
of  our  life.  To  death.  True  religion 
increases  and  expands  till  death. 

76.  A7id  thou,  child,  etc.  Zacharias 
predicts  in  this  and  the  following 
verses  the  dignity,  the  employment, 
and  the  success  of  John.  He  declares 
what  would  be  the  subject  of  his 
preaching,  and  what  his  success. 
If  Prophet  of  the  highest.  Prophet  of 
God;  a  prophet  appointed  by  God  to 
declare  his  will,  and  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
If  The  face  of  the  Lord.  The  Lord  Je- 
sus, the  Messiah  that  was  about  to 
appear.  To  go  before  the  face  of  one 
is  the  same  as  to  go  immediately  before 
one,  or  to  be  immediately  followed  by 
another.  ^  To  prepare  his  ways.  This 
is  taken  from  Isa.  xl.  3.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iii.  3,  and  on  Isa.  xl.  3. 

77.  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation. 
Knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation; 
that  it  was  provided,  and  that  the  au- 
thor of  salvation  was  about  to  appear. 
If  By  the  remission  of  their  sins.  The 
word  remission  means  pardon  or  for- 
giveness. It  implies  that  God  will 
treat  the  sinner  as  if  he  had  not  com- 
mitted the  sin.  The  idea  here  is,  that 
the  salvation  about  to  be  offered  was 
that  which  was  connected  with  the 
pardon  of  sin.  There  can  be  no  other. 
God  can  not  treat  men  as  his  friends 
unless  they  come  to  him  by  repent- 
ance and  obtain  forgiveness.  When 
that  is  obtained,  which  he  is  always 
disposed  to  grant,  they  can  be  treated 
with  kindness  and  mercy. 

78.  Whereby  the  day-spring,  etc.  The 
word  day-spring  means  the  morning 
light,  the  aurora,  the  rising  of  the  sun. 


A.D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


23 


spring  from  on  high  hath  visited 
us, 

79  To ''give  light  to  them  that 
sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow 
of  death,  to  guide  our  feet  into  the 
way  of  peace. 

80  And  the  child  grew,  and  wax- 

a  l9a.9.  2  ;  49.9. 

It  is  called  the  day- spring. /rom  on 
high  because  the  light  of  the  Gospel 
shines  forth  from  heaven.  God  is 
its  author,  and  through  his  mercy  it 
shines  on  men.  There  is  here,  doubt- 
less, a  reference  to  Isa.  Ix.  1, 2 ;  indeed, 
almost  the  very  words  of  that  place 
are  quoted.   Comp.  also  Rev.  xxii.  16. 

79.  To  give  light,  etc.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iv.  16.  if  To  guide  our  feet,  etc. 
The  figure  in  these  verses  is  taken 
from  travelers,  who,  being  overtaken 
by  night,  know  not  what  to  do,  and 
who  wait  patiently  for  the  morning 
light,  that  they  may  know  which  way 
to  go.  So  man  wandered.  So  he  be- 
came benighted.  So  he  sat  in  the 
shadow  of  death.  So  he  knew  not 
which  way  to  go  until  the  sun  of 
righteousness  arose,  and  then  the  light 
shone  brightly  on  his  way,  and  the 
road  was  open  to  the  promised  land 
of  rest — to  heaven. 

This  song  of  Zacharias  is  exceeding- 
ly beautiful.  It  expresses  with  ele- 
gance the  great  points  of  the  plan  of 
redemption,  and  the  mercy  of  God  in 
providing  that  plan.  That  mercy  is 
great.  It  is  worthy  of  praise — of  our 
highest,  loftiest  songs  of  thanksgiv- 
ing ;  for  we  were  in  the  shadow  of 
death — sinful,  wretched,  wandering — 
and  the  light  arose,  the  Gospel  came, 
and  men  may  rejoice  in  hope  of  eter- 
nal life. 

80.  Waxed  strong  in  spirit.  That  is, 
in  courage,  understanding,  and  pur- 
poses of  good,  fitting  him  for  his  fu- 
ture work.  The  word  wax  means  to 
increase,  to  grow,  from  an  old  Saxon 
word.  ^  In  the  deserts.  In  Hebron, 
and  in  the  hill  country  where  his  fa- 
ther resided.  He  dwelt  in  obscurity, 
and  was  not  known  publicly  by  the 
people.'  •[[  Until  the  day  of  his  shoicing. 
Until  he  entered  on  his  public  minis- 
try, as  recorded  in  Matt.  iii. — that  is, 
probably,  until  he  was  about  thirty 
years  of  age.  See  Luke  iii. 

CHAPTER  II. 
1.  In  those  days.  About  the  time  of 


ed  strong  in  spirit,  and  was  in  the 
deserts  till  the  day  of  his  showing 
unto  Israel. 

CHAPTER  II. 

AND  it  came  to  pass  in  those 
days  that  there  went  out  a 


the  birth  of  John  and  of  Christ.  1[  A 
decree.  A  law  commanding  a  thing 
to  be  done.  T[  Ccesar  Augustus.  This 
was  the  Roman  emperor.  His  first 
name  was  Octavianus.  He  was  the 
nephew  of  Julius  Caesar,  and  obtained 
the  empire  after  his  death.  He  took 
the  name  Augustus — i.  e.,  august,  or 
honorable  —  as  a  compliment  to  his 
own  greatness ;  and  /rom  him  the 
month  August,  which  was  before  call- 
ed Sextilis,  received  its  name.  ^  That 
all  the  world.  There  has  been  much 
difliculty  respecting  this  passage,  from 
the  fact  that  no  such  taxing  of  all  the 
world  is  mentioned  by  ancient  writers. 
It  should  have  been  rendered  the  whole 
land — that  is,  the  whole  land  of  Pales- 
tine. The  whole  land  is  mentioned  to 
show  that  it  was  not  Judea  only,  but 
that  it  included  also  Galilee,  the  place 
where  Joseph  and  Mary  dwelt.  That 
the  passage  refers  only  to  the  land  of 
Palestine,  and  not  to  the  whole  world, 
or  to  all  the  Roman  empire,  is  clear 
from  the  following  considerations : 
1st.  The  fact  that  no  such  taxing  is 
mentioned  as  pertaining  to  anj^  other 
country.  2d.  The  account  of  Luke 
demands  onlj^  that  it  should  be  un- 
derstood of  Palestine,  or  the  country 
where  the  Saviour  was  born.  3d.  The 
words  world  and  whole  world  are  not 
unfrequently  used  in  this  limited  sense 
as  confined  to  a  single  country.  See 
Matt.  iv.  8,  where  Satan  is  said  to  have 
shown  to  Christ  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  world,  that  is,  of  the  land  of  Ju- 
dea. See  also  Josh.  ii.  3.  Luke  iv.  25 
(Greek).  Luke  xxi.  26.  Acts  xi.  28. 
1[  Should  he  taxed.  Our  word  tax  means 
to  levy  and  raise  money  for  the  use  of 
the  government.  This  is  not  the  mean- 
ing of  the  original  word  here.  It  means 
rather  to  enroll,  or  take  a  list  of  the  cit- 
izens, with  their  employments,  the 
amount  of  their  property,  etc.,  equiv- 
alent to  what  was  meant  by  census. 
Judea  was  at  that  time  tributary  to 
Rome.  It  paid  taxes  to  the  Roman 
emperor;  and,  though  Herod  was  king, 
yet  he  held  his  appointment  under  the 


24 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  1. 


decree  from  Cesar  Augustus  that 
all  the  world  should  ^  be  taxed. 

2  (And  this  taxing  was  first  made 
when  Cyrenius  was  governor  of 
Syria.) 

1  or,  enrolled. 

Roman  emperor,  and  was  subject  in 
most  matters  to  him.  Farther,  as  this 
en7'ollment  was  merely  to  ascertain  the 
numbers  and  property  of  the  Jews,  it 
is  probable  that  they  were  very  will- 
ing to  be  enrolled  in  this  manner; 
and  hence  we  hear  that  they  went 
willingly,  without  tumult  —  contrary 
to  the  common  way  when  they  were 
to  be  taxed. 

2.  And  this  taxing  was  first  made^  etc. 
This  verse  has  given  as  much  perplex- 
ity, perhaps,  as  any  one  in  the  New 
Testament.  The  difficulty  consists  in 
the  fact  that  Cyrenius,  or  QuiriniuSy 
was  not  governor  of  Syria  until  twelve 
or  fifteen  years  after  the  birth  of  Je- 
sus. Jesus  was  born  during  the  reign 
of  Herod.  At  that  time  Varus  was 
president  of  Syria.  Herod  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Archelaus,  who  reigned 
eight  or  nine  years ;  and  after  he  was 
removed,  Judea  was  annexed  to  the 
province  of  Syria,  and  Cyrenius  was 
sent  as  the  governor.— Josephus,  Ant., 
b.  xvii.,  §  5.  The  difficulty  has  been 
to  reconcile  this  account  with  that  in 
Luke.  Various  attempts  have  been 
made  to  do  this.  The  one  that  seems 
most  satisfactory  is  that  proposed  by 
Dr.  Lardner.  According  to  his  view, 
the  passage  here  means,  '  This  was  the 
first  census  of  Cyrenius,  governor  of 
Syria."  It  is  called  the  jins^  to  distin- 
guish it  from  one  afterward  taken  by 
Cyrenius.  Acts  v.  37.  It  is  said  to  be 
the  census  taken  by  Cyrenius,  governor 
of  Syria;  not  that  he  was  then  govern- 
or, but  that  it  was  taken  by  him  who 
was  afterward  familiarly  known  as 
governor.  Cyrenius,  governor  of  Syria, 
was  the  name  by  which  the  man  was 
known  when  Luke  wrote  his  Gospel, 
and  it  was  not  improper  to  say  that 
the  taxing  was  made  by  Cyrenius,  the 
gover7ior  of  Syria,  though  he  might  not 
have  been  actually  governor  for  many 
years  afterward.  Thus  Hcrodian  says 
that  "to  Marcus  the  emperor  wgyq 
born  several  daughters  and  two  sons," 
though  several  of  those  children  were 
born  to  him  before  he  was  emperor. 
Thus  it  is  not  improper  to  say  tliat 
General  Washington  saved  Braddock's 


3  And  all  went  to  be  taxed,  ev- 
ery one  into  his  own  city. 

4  And  Joseph  also  went  up  from 
Galilee,  out  of  the  city  of  Nazareth, 
into  Judea,  unto  the  city  of  David, 


army,  or  was  engaged  in  the  old  French 
war,  though  he  was  not  actually  made 
General  till  many  years  afterward.  Ac- 
cording to  this,  Augustus  sent  Cyre- 
nius, an  active,  enterprising  man,  to 
take  the  census.  At  that  time  he  was 
a  Roman  senator.  Afterward  he  was 
made  governor  of  the  same  countrj^, 
and  received  the  title  which  Luke 
gives  him.  Syria.  The  region  of 
country  north  of  Palestine,  and  lying 
between  the  Mediterranean  and  the 
Euphrates.  STjria,  called  in  the  He- 
brew Ara^n,  from  a  son  of  Shem  (Gen. 
x.  22),  in  its  largest  acceptation  ex- 
tended from  the  Mediterranean  and 
the  River  Cydnus  to  the  Euphrates, 
and  from  Mount  Taurus  on  the  north 
to  Arabia  and  the  border  of  Egypt  on 
the  south.  It  was  divided  into  Syria 
Palestina,  including  Canaan  and  Phoe- 
nicia; Coele- Syria,  the  tract  of  country 
lying  between  two  ridges  of  Mount 
Lebanon  and  Upper  Syria.  The  last 
was  known  as  Syria  in  the  restricted 
sense,  or  as  the  term  was  commonly 
used. 

The  leading  features  in  the  physical 
aspect  of  Syria  consist  of  the  great 
mountainous  chains  of  Lebanon,  or 
Libanus  and  Anti-Libanus,  extending 
from  north  to  south,  and  the  great 
desert  lying  on  the  southeast  and  east. 
The  valleys  are  of  great  fertility,  and 
yiGld  abundance  of  grain,  vines,  mul- 
berries, tobacco,  olives,  excellent 
fruits,  as  oranges,  figs,  pistachios,  etc. 
The  climate  in  the  inhabited  parts  is 
exceedingly  fine.  Syria  is  inhabited 
by  various  descriptions  of  people,  but 
Turks  and  Greeks  form  the  basi§|^of 
the  population  in  the  cities.  The  only 
tribes  that  can  be  considered  as  pe- 
culiar to  Syria  are  the  tenants  of  the 
heights  of  Lebanon.  The  most  re- 
markable of  these  are  the  Druses  and 
Maronitcs.  The  general  language  is 
Arabic ;  the  soldiers  and  officers  of 
government  speak  Turkish.  Of  the 
old  Syriac  language  no  traces  now 
exist. 

4.  The  city  of  David.  Bethlehem, 
called  the  city  of  David  because  it 
was  the  place  of  his  birth.  See  Notes 


A.D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


25 


which  is  called  Bethlehem  (be- 
cause he  was  of  the  house  and  lin- 
eage of  David), 

5  To  be  taxed  with  Mary,  his 
espoused  wife,  being  great  with 
child. 


6  And  so  it  was  that  while  they 
were  there  the  days  were  accom- 
plished that  she  should  be  de- 
livered. 

7  And  she  *  brought  forth  her  first- 
born son,  and  wrapped  him  in 


on  Matt.  ii.  1.  If  Because  he  was  of  the 
house.  Of  the  family.  ^  And  lineage. 
The  lineage  denotes  that  he  was  de- 
scended from  David  as  his  father  or 
ancestor.  In  taking  a  Jewish  census, 
families  were  kept  distinct ;  hence  all 
went  to  the  place  where  their  family 
had  resided.  Joseph  was  of  the  fam- 
ily of  David,  and  hence  he  went  up  to 
the  city  of  David.  It  is  not  improb- 
able that  he  might  also  have  had  a 
small  paternal  estate  in  Bethlehem 
that  rendered  his  presence  there  more 
desirable. 

7.  Her  first  horn  son.  Whether  Mary 
had  any  other  children  or  not  has 
been  a  matter  of  controversy.  The 
obvious  meaning  of  the  Bible  is  that 
she  had ;  and  if  this  be  the  case,  the 
word  first-hoim  is  here  to  be  taken  in 
its  comm6n  signification.  1[  Swad- 
dling-clothes. When  a  child  among 
the  Hebrews  was  born,  it  was  wash- 
ed in  water,  rubbed  in  salt,  and  then 
wrapped  in  swaddling-clothes  ;  that 
is,  not  garments  regularly  made,  as 
with  us,  but  bands  or  blankets  that 
confined  the  limbs  closely.  Ezek. 
xvi.  4.  There  was  nothing  peculiar 
in  the  manner  in  which  the  infant 
Jesus  was  treated.  If  Laid  him  in  a 
The  word  rendered  '4nn" 


in  this  verse  means  simply  a  place  of 
halting,  a  lodging-place ;  in  modern 
terms,  a  khan  or  caravanserai. — Rob- 
inson's Bib.  Res.  in  Palest.,  iii.,  431.' 
The  word  rendered  manger"  means 
simply  a  crib  or  place  where  cattle 
were  fed.  "Inns,"  in  our  sense  of  the 
term,  were  anciently  unknown  in  the 
East,  and  now  they  are  not  common. 
Hospitality  was  generally  practiced, 
so  that  a  traveler  had  little  difficulty 
in  obtaining  shelter  and  food  when 
necessary.  As  traveling  became  more 
frequent,  however,  khans  or  caravan- 
serais were  erected  for  public  use — 
large  structures  where  the  traveler 
might  freely  repair  and  find  lodging 
for  himself  and  his  beast,  he  himself 
providing  food  and  forage.  Many  such 
khans  were  placed  at  regular  intervals 
in  Persia.  To  such  a  place  it  was, 
though  already  crowded,  that  Joseph 
and  Mary  resorted  at  Bethlehem.  In- 
stead of  finding  a  place  in  the  "inn," 
or  the  part  of  the  caravanserai  where 
the  travelers  themselves  found  a  place 
of  repose,  they  were  obliged  to  be  con- 
tented in  one  of  the  stalls  or  recesses 
appropriated  to  the  beasts  on  which 
they  rode. 

The  following  description  of  an 
Eastern  inn  or  caravanserai,  by  Dr. 


EASTERN  INN  OR  CARAVAN SEKAI. 

II.— B 


26 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  1. 


swaddling-clothes,  and  laid  him 
in  a  manger  ;  because  there  was 
no  room  for  them  in  the  inn. 
8  And  there  were  in  the  same 


Kitto,  with  the  cut  on  the  preceding 
page,  taken  from  "  The  Treasury  of  Bi- 
ble Knowledge,"  will  well  illustrate 
this  passage :  "  It  presents  an  external 
appearance  which  suggests  to  a  Euro- 
pean traveler  the  idea  of  a  fortress,  be- 
ing an  extensive  square  pile  of  strong 
and  lofty  walls,  mostly  of  brick  upon 
a  basement  of  stone,  with  a  grand  arch- 
way entrance.  This  leads  ....  to  a 
large  open  area,  with  a  well  in  the 
middle,  and  surrounded  on  three  or 
four  sides  with  a  kind  of  piazza  raised 
upon  a  platform  three  or  four  feet 
high,  in  the  wall  behind  which  are 
small  doors  leading  to  the  cells  or  ob- 
long chambers  which  form  the  lodg- 
ings. The  cell,  with  the  space  on 
the  platform  in  front  of  it,  forms  the 
domain  of  each  individual  traveler, 
where  he  is  completely  secluded,  as 
the  apparent  piazza  is  not  open,  but 
is  composed  of  the  front  arches  of 
each  compartment.  There  is,  howev- 
er, in  the  centre  of  one  or  more  of  the 
sides  a  large  arched  hall  quite  open  in 
front.  .  .  .  The  cells  are  completely  un- 
furnished, and  have  generally  no  light 
but  from  the  door,  and  the  traveler  is 
generally  seen  in  the  recess  in  front  of 
his  apartment  except  during  the  heat 
of  the  day.  .  .  .  Many  of  these  caravan- 
serais have  no  stables,  the  cattle  of 
the  travelers  being  accommodated  in 
the  open  area ;  but  in  the  more  com- 
I)lete  establishments  .  .  .  there  are  .  .  . 
spacious  stables,  formed  of  covered 
avenues  extending  between  the  back 
wall  of  the  lodging  apartments  and 
the  outer  wall  of  the  whole  building, 
the  entrance  being  at  one  or  more  of 
the  corners  of  the  inner  quadrangle. 
The  stable  is  on  the  same  level  with 
the  court,  and  thus  below  the  level 
of  the  tenements  which  stand  on  the 
raised  platform.  Nevertheless,  this 
platform  is  allowed  to  project  behind 
into  the  stable,  so  as  to  form  a  bench. 
...  It  also  often  happens  that  not 
only  this  bench  exists  in  the  stable, 
forming  a  more  or  less  narrow  plat- 
form along  its  extent,  but  also  recess- 
es corresponding  to  these  in  front  of 
the  cells  toward  the  open  area,  and 
formed,  in  fact,  by  the  side-walls  of 


coimtry  shepherds  abiding  in  the 
field,  keeping  watch  ^  over  their 
flock  by  night. 
9  And,  lo,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 

1  or,  the  night-watches. 


these  cells  being  allowed  to  project 
behind  to  the  boundary  of  the  plat- 
form. These,  though  small  and  shal- 
low, form  convenient  retreats  for  serv- 
ants and  muleteers  in  bad  weather. 
.  .  .  Such  a  recess  we  conceive  that 
Joseph  and  Mary  occupied,  with  their 
ass  or  mule — if  they  had  one,  as  they 
perhaps  had — tethered  in  front.  ...  It 
might  be  rendered  quite  private  by  a 
cloth  being  stretched  across  the  low- 
er part." 

It  may  be  remarked  that  the  fact 
that  Joseph  and  Mary  were  in  that 
place,  and  under  a  necessity  of  taking 
up  their  lodgings  there,  was  in  itself 
no  proof  of  povert}^ ;  it  was  a  simple 
matter  of  necessity  —  there  was  no 
room  at  the  inn.  Yet  it  is  worthy  of 
our  consideration  that  Jesus  was  born 
poor.  He  did  not  inherit  a  princely 
estate.  He  was  not  cradled,  as  many 
are,  in  a  palace.  He  had  no  rich  friends. 
He  had  virtuous,  pious  parents,  of 
more  value  to  a  child  than  many  rich- 
es. And  in  this  we  are  shown  that  it 
is  no  dishonor  to  be  poor.  Happy  is 
that  child  who,  whether  his  parents 
be  rich  or  poor,  has  pious  father  and 
mother.  It  is  no  matter  if  he  has  not 
as  much  wealth,  as  line  clothes,  or  as 
splendid  a  house  as  another.  It  is 
enough  for  him  to  be  as  Jesus  was, 
and  God  will  bless  him.  1  No  room 
at  the  inn.  Many  people  assembled  to 
be  enrolled^  and  the  tavern  was  filled 
before  Joseph  and  Mary  arrived. 

8.  The  same  country.  Round  about 
Bethlehem.  1[  Shepherds.  Men  who 
tended  llocks  of  sheep.  •[[  Abiding  in 
the  field.  Remaining  out  of  doors,  un- 
der the  open  sky,  with  their  flocks. 
This  was  commonly  done.  The  cli- 
mate was  mild,  and,  to  keep  their 
flocks  from  straying,  they  spent  the 
night  with  them.  It  is  also  a  fact 
that  the  Jews  sent  out  their  flocks 
into  the  mountainous  and  desert  re- 
gions during  the  summer  months,  and 
took  them  up  in  the  latter  part  of 
October  or  the  first  of  November, 
when  the  cold  weather  commenced. 
While  away  in  these  deserts  and 
mountainous  regions,  it  was  proper 
that  there  should  be  some  one  to  at- 


A.D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


27 


came  upon  them,  and  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  shone  round  about  them ; 
and  they  were  sore  afraid. 

10  And  the  angel  said  unto  them, 
Fear  not :  for,  behold,  I  bring  you 
good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which 
shall  be  to  all  people. 

11  For  unto  you  *  is  born  this 
day,  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Sa- 
viour, which  is  Christ  the  Lord. 

a  Isa.  9.  6. 


tend  them  to  keep  them  from  stray- 
hig,  and  from  the  ravages  of  wolves 
and  other  wild  beasts.  It  is  probable 
from  this  that  our  Saviour  was  born 
before  the  25th  of  December,  or  be- 
fore what  we  call  Christmas.  At  that 
time  it  is  cold,  and  especially  in  the 
high  and  mountainous  regions  about 
Bethlehem.  But  the  exact  time  of 
his  birth  is  unknown ;  there  is  no  way 
to  ascertain  it.  By  different  learned 
men  it  has  been  fixed  at  each  month 
in  the  year.  Nor  is  it  of  consequence 
to  know  the  time ;  if  it  were,  God 
would  have  preserved  the  record  of 
it.  Matters  of  moment  are  clearly  re- 
vealed ;  those  which  he  regards  as  of 
no  importance  are  concealed.  T[  Keep- 
ing watch^  etc.  More  literally,  "tend- 
ing their  flocks  hy  turns  through  the 
night  watches." 

9.  The  glory  of  the  Lord.  This  is  the 
same  as  a  great  glorj^ — that  is,  a  splen- 
did appearance  or  light.  The  word 
glory  is  often  the  same  as  light.  1  Cor. 
XV.  41.  Luke  ix.  31.  Acts  xxii.  11.  The 
words  Lord  and  God  are  often  used  to 
denote  greatness  or  intensity.  Thus, 
trees  of  Ood  mean  great  trees ;  hills  of 
God.,  high  or  lofty  hills,  etc.  So  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  here  means  an  ex- 
ceedingly great  or  bright  luminous 
appearance — perhaps  not  unlike  what 
Paul  saw  on  the  way  to  Damascus. 

12.  This  shall  he  a  sign^  etc.  The  ev- 
idence by  which  you  shall  know  the 
child  is  that  you  will  find  him  wrap- 
ped in  swaddling-clothes  and  lying  in 
a  manger. 

14.  Glory  to  God.  Praise  be  to  God, 
or  honor  be  to  God.  That  is,  the 
l)raise  of  redeeming  man  is  due  to 
God.  The  plan  of  redemption  will 
bring  glory  to  God,  and  is  designed 
to  express  his  glory.  This  it  does  by 
evincing  his  love  to  men,  his  mercy, 
his  condescension,  and  his  regard  to 
the  honor  of  his  law  and  the  stability 


12  And  this  sJiall  he  a  sign  unto 
you :  Ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrap- 
ped in  swaddling-clothes,  lying  in 
a  manger. 

13  And  suddenly  there  was  with 
the  angel  ^  a  multitude  of  the  heav- 
enly host,  praising  God,  and  saying, 

14  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  to- 
ward men. 

6  Psa.  103.  20,  21.    1  Pet.  1.12.  c  Isa.  57. 19. 

of  his  own  government.  It  is  the 
highest  expression  of  his  love  and 
mercy.  Nowhere,  so  far  as  we  can  see, 
could  his  glory  be  more  strikingly  ex- 
hibited than  in  giving  his  only-begot- 
ten Son  to  die  for  men.  T[  In  the  high- 
est. This  is  callable  of  several  mean- 
ings :  1st.  In  the  highest  strains,  or 
in  the  highest  possible  manner.  2d. 
Among  the  highest — that  is,  among 
the  angels  of  God;  indicating  that 
they  felt  a  deep  interest  in  this  work, 
and  were  called  on  to  praise  God  for 
the  redemption  of  man.  3d.  In  the 
highest  heavens — indicating  that  the 
praise  of  redemption  should  not  be 
confined  to  the  earth,  but  should 
spread  throughout  the  universe.  4th. 
The  words  "God  in  the  highest"  may 
be  equivalent  to  the  most  high  God, 
and  be  the  same  as  saying,  "Let  the 
most  high  God  be  praised  for  his  love 
and  mercy  to  men."  Which  of  these 
meanings  is  the  true  one  it  is  difiicult 
to  determine ;  but  in  this  they  all 
agree,  that  high  praise  is  to  be  given 
to  God  for  his  love  in  redeeming  men. 
O  that  not  only  angels,  but  men,  would 
join  universally  in  this  song  of  praise ! 
11  On  earth  peace.  That  is,  the  Gospel 
will  bring  peace.  The  Saviour  was 
predicted  as  the  Prince  of  peace.  Isa. 
ix.  6.  The  world  is  at  war  with  God ; 
sinners  are  at  enmity  against  their 
Maker  and  against  each  other.  There 
is  no  peace  to  the  wicked.  But  Jesus 
came  to  make  peace ;  and  this  he  did, 
1st.  By  reconciling  the  world  to  God 
by  his  atonement.  2d.  By  bringing  the 
sinner  to  a  state  of  peace  with  his 
Maker;  inducing  him  to  lay  down  the 
weapons  of  rebellion  and  to  submit 
his  soul  to  God,  thus  giving  him  the 
peace  which  passeth  all  understand- 
ing. 3d.  By  diff^using  in  the  heart  uni- 
versal good  will  to  men — disposing  men 
to  lay  aside  their  diff'erences,  to  love 
one  another,  to  seek  each  other's  wel- 


28 


Lu; 


KE. 


[A.D.  1. 


15  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the 
angels  were  gone  away  from  them 
into  heaven,  the  ^  shepherds  said 
one  to  another,  Let  us  now  go  even 
unto  Bethlehem,  and  see  this  thing 
which  is  come  to  pass,  which  the 
Lord  hath  made  known  unto  us. 

16  And  they  came  with  haste, 
and  found  Mary  and  Joseph,  and 
the  babe  lying  in  a  manger. 

1  The  men,  the  shepherds. 


fare,  and  to  banish  envy,  malice,  pride, 
lust,  passion,  and  covetousness — in  all 
ages  the  most  fruitful  causes  of  diifer- 
ence  among  men.  And,  4th.  By  diffus- 
ing the  principles  of  universal  peace 
among  nations.  If  the  Gospel  of  Je- 
sus should  universally  prevail,  there 
would  be  an  end  of  war.  In  the  days 
of  the  millennium  there  will  be  uni- 
versal peace ;  all  the  causes  of  war 
will  have  ceased ;  men  will  love  each 
other  and  do  justly ;  all  nations  will 
be  brought  under  the  influence  of  the 
Gospel.  O  how  should  each  one  toil 
and  pray  that  the  great  object  of  the 
Gospel  should  be  universally  accom- 
plished, and  the  world  be  filled  with 
peace  !  ^  Good  will  toioard  men.  The 
gift  of  the  Saviour  is  an  expression  of 
good  will  or  love  to  men,  and  therefore 
God  is  to  be  praised.  The  work  of 
redemption  is  uniformly  represented 
as  the  fruit  of  the  love  of  God.  John 
iii.  16.  Eph.v.  2.  1  John  iv.  10.  Rev. 
i.  5.  No  words  can  express  the  great- 
ness of  that  love.  It  can  only  be  meas- 
ured by  the  misery^  helplessness^  and 
danger  of  man ;  by  the  extent  of  his 
sufierings  here  and  in  the  world  of 
woe  if  he  had  not  been  saved ;  by  the 
condescension,  sufferings,  and  death 
of  Jesus  ;  and  by  the  eternal  honor 
and  happiness  to  which  he  will  raise 
his  people.  All  these  are  beyond  our 
full  comi)rehension.  .Yet  how  little 
does  man  feel  it !  and  how  many  turn 
away  from  the  highest  love  of  God, 
and  treat  the  expression  of  that  love 
with  contempt !  Surely,  if  God  so 
loved  us  jirst^  we  ought  also  to  love 
him.   1  John  iv.  19. 

16.  U7ito  Bethlehem.  The  city  of  Da- 
vid, where  the  angel  had  told  them 
they  would  find  the  Saviour.  These 
shepherds  appear  to  have  been  i)ious 
men.  They  were  waiting  for  the  com- 
ing of  the  Messiah.  On  the  first  inti- 
mation that  he  had  actually  appeared 


17  And  when  they  had  seen  it, 
they  made  known  abroad  the  say- 
ing which  was  told  them  concern- 
ing this  child. 

18  And  all  they  that  heard  it 
wondered  at  those  things  which 
were  told  them  by  the  shepherds. 

19  But  Mary  kept  all  these 
things  and  pondered  them  in  her 
heart. 


they  went  with  haste  to  find  him.  So 
all  men  should  without  delay  seek 
the  Saviour.  When  told  of  him  by 
the  servants  of  God,  they  should,  like 
these  shepherds,  forsake  all,  and  give 
no  rest  to  their  eyes  until  they  have 
found  him.  We  may  always  find  him. 
We  need  not  travel  to  Bethlehem. 
We  have  only  to  cast  our  eyes  to 
heaven ;  to  look  to  him  and  to  be- 
lieve on  him,  and  we  shall  find  him 
ever  near  to  us,  and  forever  ow  Sa- 
viour and  friend. 

17.  JVhen  they  had  seen  it.  When 
they  had  satisfied  themselves  of  the 
truth  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
and  had  ascertained  that  they  could 
not  have  been  mistaken  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  angels.  There  was 
evidence  enough  to  satisfy  them  that 
what  the  angels  said  was  true,  or  they 
would  not  have  gone  to  Bethlehem. 
Having  seen  the  child  themselves, 
they  had  now  evidence  that  would 
satisfy  others ;  and  accordingly  they 
became  the  first  preachers  of  the  Gos- 
2^el,  and  went  and  proclaimed  to  oth- 
ers that  the  Messiah  had  come.  One 
of  the  first  duties  of  those  who  are 
newly  converted  to  God,  and  a  duty 
in  which  they  delight,  is  to  proclaim 
to  others  what  they  have  seen  and 
felt.  It  should  be  done  in  a  proper 
way  and  at  the  proper  time ;  but  noth- 
ing can  or  should  prevent  a  Christian 
recently  converted  from  telling  his 
feelings  and  views  to  others — to  his 
friends,  to  his  parents,  to  his  broth- 
ers, and  to  his  old  companions.  And 
it  may  be  remarked  that  often  more 
good  may  be  done  then  than  during 
any  other  period  of  their  life.  Entreat- 
ies'^ then  make  an  impression ;  nor  can 
a  sinner  well  resist  the  appeals  made 
to  him  by  one  who  was  just  now  with 
him  in  the  way  to  ruin,  but  who  now 
treads  the  way  to  heaven. 

19.  3fary  kejjt  all  these  things.  All 


A.D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II.  # 


29 


20  And  the  shepherds  returned, 
glorifying  and  praising  God  for 
all  the  things  that  they  had  heard 
and  seen,  as  it  was  told  unto  them. 

21  And  when  eight  days  were  ac- 
complished ^  for  the  circumcising 
of  the  child,  his  name  was  called 
JESUS,  which  was  so  named  of 
the  angel  *  before  he  was  conceived 
in  the  womb. 

a  Lev.  12.3.  5  Matt.  1.21.  c.1.31. 


that  happened,  and  all  that  was  said 
respecting  her  child.  She  remembered 
what  the  angel  had  said  to  her ;  what 
had  happened  to  Elisabeth  and  to  the 
shepherds — all  the  extraordinary  cir- 
cumstances which  had  attended  the 
birth  of  her  son.  Here  is  a  delicate 
and  beautiful  expression  of  the  feel- 
ings of  a  mother.  A  mother  forgets 
none  of  those  things  which  occur  re^ 
specting  her  children.  Every  thing 
they  do  or  suffer — every  thing  that  is 
said  of  them,  is  treasured  up  in  her 
mind ;  and  often,  often,  she  thinks 
of  those  things,  and  anxiously  seeks 
what  they  may  indicate  respecting  the 
future  character  and  welfare  of  her 
child.  ^,Fondered.  Weighed.  This 
is  the  original  meaning  of  the  word 
weighed.  She  kept  them ;  she  revolved 
them  ;  she  weighed  them  in  her  mind, 
giving  to  each  circumstance  its  just 
importance,  and  anxiously  seeking 
what  it  might  indicate  respecting  her 
child.  If  In  her  heart.  In  her  mind. 
She  thought  of  these  things  often  and 
anxiousl}^ 

20.  The  shepherds  returned.  To  their 
flocks.  ^  Glorifying  J  etc.  Giving  hon- 
or to  God,  and  celebrating  his  praises. 

21.  UigJit  days^  etc.  This  was  the 
regular  time  for  performing  the  rite 
of  circumcision.  Gen.  xvii.  13.  ^  Call- 
ed Jesus.   See  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  21. 

23.  Days  of  her  purification.  Among 
the  Hebrews  a  mother  was  required 
to  remain  at  home  for  about  forty 
days  after  the  birth  of  a  male  child 
and  about  eighty  for  a  female,  and 
during  that  time  she  was  reckoned 
as  impure— -ilidX  is,  she  was  not  per- 
mitted to  go  to  the  Temple  or  to  en- 
gage in  religious  services  with  the 
congregation.  Lev.  xii.  3,  4.  1[  To  Je- 
rusalem. The  place  where  the  Tem- 
l^le  was,  and  where  the  ordinances  of 
religion  were  celebrated.  1|  To  pre- 
sent him  to  the  Lord.    Every  first-born 


22  And  when  *  the  days  of  her 
purification,  according  to  the  law 
of  Moses,  were  accomplished,  they 
brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  to  pre- 
sent Mm  to  the  Lord. 

23  (As  it  is  written  in  the  law  of 
the  Lord,  Every  ^  male  that  open- 
eth  the  womb  shall  be  called  holy 
to  the  Lord) ; 

24  And  to  offer  a  sacrifice  ac- 

c  Lev.  12.  2, etc.  Ex.  13. 12  ;  22.  29.   Num.8. 17. 

male  child  among  the  Jews  was  re- 

tarded  as  holy  to  the  Lord.  Exod.  xiii. 
.  By  their  being  holy  unto  the  Lord 
was  meant  that  unto  them  belonged 
the  office  of  priests.  It  was  theirs  to 
be  set  apart  to  the  service  of  God — to 
offer  sacrifice,  and  to  perform  the  du- 
ties of  religion.  It  is  probable  that 
at  first  the  duties  of  religion  devolved 
on  the  father^  and  that,  when  he  be- 
came infirm  or  died,  that  duty  de- 
volved on  the  eldest  sou ;  and  it  is 
still  manifestly  proper  that  where  the 
father  is  infirm  or  has  deceased,  the 
duty  of  conducting '  family  worship 
should  be  performed '  by  the  eldest 
son.  Afterward  God  chose  the  tribe  of 
Levi  in  the  place  of  the  eldest  sons,  to 
serve  him  in  the  sanctuary.  Num.  viii. 
13-18.  Yet  still  it  was  proper  to  pre- 
sent the  child  to  God,  and  it  was  re- 
quired that  it  should  be  done  with  an 
offering. 

33.  As  it  is  written^  etc.  Exod.  xiii.  2. 

24.  And  to  offer  a  sacrifice^  etc.  Those 
who  were  able  on  such  an  occasion 
were  required  to  offer  a  lamb  for  a 
burnt-offering,  and  a  pigeon  or  a  tur- 
tle-dove for  a  sin-offering.  If  not  able 
to  bring  a  lamb,  then  they  were  per- 
mitted to  bring  two  turtle-doves  or 
two  young  pigeons.  Lev.  xii.  6,  8. 
*1[  Turtle-doves.  Doves  distinguished 
for  having  a  plaintive  and  tender 
voice.  By  Mary's  making  this  offer- 
ing ■she  showed  her  poverty ;  and  our 
Saviour,  by  coming  in  a  state  of  pov- 
erty, has  shown  that  it  is  not  dishon- 
orable to  be  poor.  No  station  is  dis- 
honorable where  God  places  us.  He 
knows  what  is  best  for  us,  and  he  oft- 
en makes  a  state  of  poverty  an  occa- 
sion of  the  highest  blessings.  If  with 
poverty  he  grants  us,  as  is  often  the 
case,  peace,  contentment,  and  relig- 
ion, it  is  worth  far  more  than  all  the 
jewels^  of  Golconda  or  the  gold  of 
Mexico.  If  it  be  asked  why,  since  the 


30  #  LUKE.  [A.D.I. 


cording  to  that  which  is  said  in 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  A  pair  of  tur- 
tle-doves, or  two  young  pigeons. 

25  And,  behold,  there  was  a  man 
in  Jerusalem  whose  name  was  Sim- 
eon; and  the  same  man  was  just 
and  ^  devout,  waiting  for  the  con- 
solation *  of  Israel :  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  upon  him. 

26  And  it  was  revealed  unto  him 

a  Mar.  15. 43.    ver.  38.      .  b  Isa.  40. 1. 


Saviour  was  pure  from  any  moral  de- 
filement in  his  conception  and  birth, 
it  was  necessary  to  offer  such  a  sacri- 
fice ;  why  was  it  necessary  that  he 
should  be  circumcised,  since  he  had 
no  sin,  it  may  be  answered  —  1st. 
That  it  was  proper  to  fulfill  all  riglit- 
eousness,  and  to  show  obedience  to 
the  law.  Matt.  iii.  15.  2d.  It  was  nec- 
essary for  the  future  usefulness  of 
Christ.  Unless  he  had  been  circum- 
cised, he  could  not  have  been  admit- 
ted to  any  synagogue  or  to  the  Tem- 
ple. He  would  liave  had  no  access  to 
the  people,  and  could  not  have  been 
regarded  as  the  Messiah.  Both  he  and 
Mary,  therefore,  yielded  obedience  to 
the  laws  of  the  land,  and  thus  set  us 
an  example  that  we  should  walk  in 
their  steps.  Compare  Notes  on  Matt, 
iii.  15. 

25.  Whose  name  was  Simeon.  Some 
have  supposed  that  this  Simeon  was 
a  son  of  the  famous  Ilillel^  a  distin- 
guished teacher  in  Jerusalem,  and 
president  of  the  Sanhedrim ;  but  noth- 
ing is  certainly  known  of  him  but  what 
is  here  related.  He  was  an  aged  man, 
of  distinguished  piety  and  reputation, 
and  was  anxiously  expecting  the  com- 
ing of  the  Messiah.  Such  an  old  age  is 
peculiarly  honorable.  No  spectacle  is 
more  sublime  than  an  old  man  of  pi- 
ety and  high  character  looking  for  the 
appearing  of  the  Lord,  and  patiently 
waiting  for  the  time  to  come  when  lie 
may  be  blessed  witli  the  sight  of  his 
Redeemer,  t  Jy^^t-  Rigliteous  before 
God  and  man;  approved  by  God  as  a 
rigliteous  man,  and  discharging  faith- 
fully his  duty  to  man.  ^  Devout.  This 
word  means  a  religious  man^  or  a  pi- 
ous man.  The  original  expresses  the 
idea  of  good  reputation^  well  received,  or 
of  higli  standing  among  the  people. 
T[  Waiting  for  the  co7isolation  of  Israel. 
That  is,  waiting  for  the  Messiah^  who 
is  called  the  consolation  of  Israel  iJecause  i 


by  the  Holy  Ghost  that  he  should 
not  see  death  before  he  had  seen 
the  Lord's  Christ. 

27  And  he  came  by  the  Spirit 
into  the  temple :  and  when  the 
parents  brought  in  the  child  Je- 
sus, to  do  for  him  after  the  cus- 
tom of  the  law, 

28  Then  took  he  him  up  in  his 
arms,  and  blessed  God,  and  said, 

cPsa.89.48.   Heb.  11.5. 


he  would  give  comfort  to  them  by  his 
appearing.  This  term  was  often  ap- 
plied to  the  Messiah  before  he  actual- 
ly appeared.  It  was  common  to  swear, 
also,  b}^  "  the  consolation  of  Israel"^ — 
that  is,  by  the  Messiah  about  to  come. 
See  Lightfoot  on  this  place.  1[  The 
Holy  Ghost,  etc.  He  was  a  holy  man, 
and  was  divinely  inspired  respecting 
the  Messiah  about  to  appear. 

26.  And  it  was  revealed  unto  ?iim.  In 
what  way  this  was  done  we  are  not 
informed.  Sometimes  a  revelation 
was  made  by  a  dream,  at  others  by 
a  voice,  and  at  others  by  silent  sug- 
gestion. All  we  know  of  this  is  that 
it  was  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  If  Not  see 
death.  Should  not  die.  To  see  death, 
and  to  taste  of  death,  was  a  common 
way  among  the  Hebrews  of  express- 
ing death  itself.  Compare  Psa.  Ixxxix. 
48.  H  The  Lord's  Christ.  Rather  the 
Lord's  Anointed.  The  word  Christ 
means  anointed^  and  it  would  have 
been  better  to  use  that  word  here. 
To  an  aged  man  who  had  been  long 
waiting  for  the  Messiah,  how  grate- 
ful must  have  been  this  revelation — 
this  solemn  assurance  that  the  Mes- 
siah was  near !  But  this  revelation  is 
now  given  to  every  man,  that  he  need 
not  taste  of  death  till,  by  the  eye  of 
faith,  he  may  see  the  Christ  of  God. 
He  is  off'ered  freely.  He  has  come. 
He  waits  to  manifest  himself  to  the 
world,  and  he  is  not  willing  that  any 
should  die  forever.  To  us  also  it  will 
be  as  great  a  privilege  in  our  dying 
hours  to  have  seen  Christ  by  faith  as 
it  was  to  Simeon.  It  will  be  the  only 
thing  that  can  support  us  then — the 
only  thing  that  will  enable  us  to  de- 
part in  peace. 

27.  By  the  Spirit.  By  the  direction 
of  the  Spirit.  ^  Into  the  Temple.  Into 
that  part  of  the  Temple  where  the 
public  worship  was  chiefly  performed 
— into  the  court  of  the  women.  Sec 


A.D.  1.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


31 


29  Lord,  now  "  lettest  thou  thy 
servant  depart  in  peace,  *  accord- 
ing to  thy  word ; 

30  For  mine  eyes  have  seen  *  thy 
salvation, 

31  Which  thou  hast  prepared  be- 
fore the  face  of  all  people : 

32  A  light  to  lighten  the  ^  Gen- 

a  Gen.  46.  30. 

b  Isa.  57.  2.    Rev.  14. 13. 


Notes  on  M^^t.  xxi.  12.  ^  The  custom 
of  the  law.  That  is,  to  make  an  offer- 
ing for  purification,  and  to  present 
him  to  God. 

28.  Blessed  God,  Thanked  or  praised 
God. 

29.  Now  lettest.  Now  thou  dost  let 
or  permit.  This  word  is  in  the  indic- 
ative mood,  and  signifies  that  God  was 
permitting  him  to  die  in  peace,  by  hav- 
ing relieved  his  anxieties,  allayed  his 
fears,  fulfilled  the  promises,  and  hav- 
ing, by  the  appearing  of  the  Messiah, 
removed  every  reason  why  he  should 
live  any  longer,  and  every  wish  to  live. 

Depart.  Die.  ^  According  to  thy 
word.  Thy  promise  made  by  revela- 
tion. God  never  disappoints.  To 
many  it  might  have  appeared  improb- 
able, when  such  a  promise  was  made 
to  an  old  man,  that  it  should  be  ful- 
filled. But  God  fulfills  all  his  word, 
keeps  all  his  promises,  and  never 
disappoints  those  who  trust  in  him. 

30.  Thy  salvation.  Him  who  is  to 
procure  salvation  for  his  people ;  or, 
the  Saviour. 

31.  Before  the  face  of  all  people.  Whom 
thou  hast  provided  for  all  people,  or 
whom  thou  dost  design  to  reveal  to  all 
people. 

32.  A  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles. 
This  is  in  accordance  with  the  proph 
ecies  in  the  Old  Testament.  Isa.  xlix. 
ix.6,7.  Psa.  xcviii.  3.  Mal.iv.2.  The 
Gentiles  are  represented  as  sitting  in 
darkness  —  that  is,  in  ignorance  and 
sin.  Christ  is  a  light  to  them,  as  by 
him  they  will  be  made  acquainted 
with  the  character  of  the  true  God, 
his  law,  and  the  plan  of  redemption. 
As  the  darkness  rolls  away  when  the 
sun  arises,  so  ignorance  and  error  flee 
away  when  Jesus  gives  light  to  the 
mind.  Nations  shall  come  to  his  light, 
and  kings  to  the  brightness  of  his  ris- 
ing. Isa.  Ix.  3.  ^  And  the  glory ^  etc. 
The  first  offer  of  salvation  was  made 
to  the  J ews.  John  iv.  22.  Luke  xxiv. 
47.  J  esus  was  born  among  the  J  ews ; 


tiles,  and  the  glory  of  thy  people 
Israel. 

33  And  Joseph  and  his  mother 
marvelled  at  those  things  which 
were  spoken  of  him. 

34  And  Simeon  blessed  them, 
and  said  unto  Mary  his  mother, 
Behold,  this  cMld  is  set  for  the 

c  Isa.  52. 10.    c.  3.  6.    Acts  4. 12. 

d  Isa.  42.  6  ;  49.  6 ;  60. 3.    Acts  13. 47, 48. 

to  them  had  been  given  the  prophe- 
cies respecting  him,  and  his  first  min- 
istry was  among  them.  Hence  he  was 
their  glory,  their  honor,  their  light. 
But  it  is  a  subject  of  special  grati- 
tude to  us  that  the  Saviour  was  given 
also  for  the  Gentiles ;  for,  1.  We  are 
Gentiles,  and  if  he  had  not  come  we 
should  have  been  shut  out  from  the 
blessings  of  redemption.  2.  It  is  he 
only  that  now 

Can  make  our  dying  bed 
Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are, 
While  on  his  breast  we  lean  our  head, 
And  breathe  our  life  out  sweetly  there." 
Thus  our  departure  may  be  like  that 
of  Simeon.  Thus  we  may  die  in  peace. 
Thus  it  will  be  a  blessing  to  die. .  But, 
3.  In  order  to  do  this,  our  life  must  be 
like  that  of  Simeon.  We  must  wait 
for  the  consolation  of  Israel.  We  must 
look  for  his  coming.  We  must  be  holy, 
harmless,  undefiled,  loving  the  Saviour. 
Then  death  to  us,  like  death  to  Sim- 
eon, Avillhave  no  terror;  we  shall  de- 
part in  peace,  and  in  heaven  see  the 
salvation  of  God.  2  Peter  iii.  11, 12. 
But,  4.  Children,  as  well  as  the  hoary- 
headed  Simeon,  may  look  for  the  com- 
ing of  Christ.  They  too  must  die; 
and  their  death  will  be  happy  only  as 
they  depend  on  the  Lord  Jesus,  and 
are  prepared  to  meet  him. 

34.  Simeon  blessed  them.  Joseph  and 
Mary.  On  them  he  sought  the  bless- 
ing of  God.  II  Is  set.  Is  appointed 
or  constituted  for  that,  or  such  will 
be  the  efi'ect  of  his  coming.  ^  The 
fall.  The  word  fall  here  denotes  mis- 
ery^ suffering^  disappointment^  or  ruin. 
There  is  a  plain  reference  to  the  pas- 
sage where  it  is  said  that  he  should 
be  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  of- 
fence. Isa.  viii.  14, 15.  Many  expect- 
ed a  temporal  prince,  and  in  this  they 
were  disappointed.  They  loved  dark- 
ness rather  than  light,  and  rejected 
him,  mid  fell  unto  destruction.  Many 
that  were  proud  were  brought  low  b}^ 
his  preaching.  ThQjfell  from  the  vain 


32 


LUKE. 


LA.D.  1. 


fall  ^  and  rising  again  of  many  in 
Israel ;  and  for  a  sign  wliich  shall 
be  spoken  ^  against ; 

35  (Yea,  a  sword  shall  pierce 
through  thy  own  soul  also ;)  that 

the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may 
be  revealed. 

86  And  there  was  one  Anna,  a 
prophetess,  the  daughter  of  Pha- 

a  Isa.  8. 14.  Rom.  9.  32,  33.  1  Cor.  1 .  23,  24.  2  Cor. 
2.16.   IPet.  2.  7,8.        6  Acts  28.  22.        c  Jno.  19.  25. 

and  giddy  height  of  their  own  self- 
righteousness,  and  were  humbled  be- 
fore God,  and  then,  through  him,  rose 
again  to  a  better  righteousness  and  to 
better  hopes.  The  nation  also  reject- 
ed him  and  put  him  to  death,  and,  as 
a  judgment, /e?Z  into  the  hands  of  the 
Romans.  Thgusands  were  led  into 
captivity,  and  thousands  perished. 
The  nation  rushed  into  ruin,  th*e  Tem- 
ple was  destroyed,  and  the  people  were 
scattered  into  all  the  nations.  See 
Rom.  ix.  32,  33.  1  Pet.  ii.  8.  1  Cor.  i. 
23,  24.   ^  And  rising  again.   The  word 

again' '  is  not  expressed  in  the  Greek. 
It  seems  to  be  supposed,  in  our  trans- 
lation, that  the  same  persons  would  fall 
and  rise  again ;  but  this  is  not  the 
meaning  of  the  passage.  It  denotes 
that  many  would  be  ruined  by  his 
coming,  and  that  many  otJiers  would 
be  made  happy  or  be  saved.  Many  of 
the  i)oor  and  humble,  that  were  will- 
ing to  receive  him,  would  obtain  par- 
don of  sin  and  peace — would  rise  from 
their  sins  and  sorrows  here,  and  final- 
ly ascend  to  eternal  life.  T[  And  for  a 
sign,  etc.  The  word  sign  here  denotes 
a  conspicuous  or  distinguished  ob- 
ject, and  the  Lord  Jesus  was  such  an 
object  of  contempt  and  rejection  by 
all  the  people.  He  was  despised,  and 
his  religion  has  been  the  common 
mark  or  sign  for  all  the  wicked,  the 
l)rofligate,  and  the  profane,  to  curse, 
and  ridicule,  and  oppose.  Compare 
Isa.  viii.  18,  and  Acts  xxviii.  22.  Never 
was  a  prophecy  more  exactly  fulfilled 
than  this.  Thousands  have  rejected 
the  Gospel  and  fallen  into  ruin ;  thou- 
sands are  still  falling  of  those  who  are 
ashamed  of  Jesus ;  thousands  blas- 
pheme him,  deny  him,  speak  all  man- 
ner of  evil  against  him,  and  would 
crucify  him  again  if  he  were  in  their 
hands  ;  but  thousands  also  by  him  are 
renewed,  justified,  and  raised  up  to  life 
and  peace. 

35.  YcUj  a  swo7%  etc.    The  suffer- 


nuel,  of  the  tribe  of  Aser ;  she  was 
of  a  great  age,  and  had  lived  w^ith 
an  husband  seven  years  from  her 
virginity ; 

37  And  she  was  a  widow  of  about 
fourscore  and  four  years,  which 
departed  not  from  the  temple,  but 
served  God  with  fastings  and 
prayers  knight  and  day. 

Judg.5.15,16.    1  Cor.  11. 19. 
 e  Acts  26.  7.    1  Tim.  5^.  

ings  and  death  of  thy  Son  shall  deep- 
ly afllict  thy  soul.  And  if  Mary  had 
not  been  thus  forewarned  and  sus- 
tained by  strong  faith,  she  could  not 
have  borne  the  trials  w^hich  came 
upon  her  Son ;  but  God  prepared  her 
for  it,  and  the  holy  mother  of  the  dy- 
ing Saviour  was  sustained.  ^  That 
the  thoughts,  etc.  This  is  connected 
with  the  preceding  verse:  "He  shall 
be  a  sign,  a  conspicuous  object  to  be 
spoken  against,  that  the  thoughts  of 
many  hearts  may  be  made  manifest" 
— that  is,  that  they  might  show  how 
much  they  hated  holiness.  Nothing 
so  brings  out  the  feelings  of  sinners  as 
to  tell  them  of  Jesus  Christ.  Many 
treat  him  with  silent  contempt ;  many 
are  ready  to  gnash  their  teeth  ;  many 
curse  him ;  all  show  how  much  by 
nature  the  heart  is  opposed  to  relig- 
ion, and  thus  are  reall}^,  in  spite  of 
themselves,  fulfilling  the  Scriptures 
and  the  prophecies.  So  true  is  it  that 
"none  can  say  that  Jesus  is  Lord  but 
by  the  Holy  Ghost."   1  Cor.  xii.  3. 

36.  Of  t?ie  tribe  of  Aser.  The  tribe 
of  Aser,  or  Asher,  dwelt  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  land  5f  Canaan.  Why 
Anna  was  called  a  prophetess  is  not 
known.  It  might  be  because  she  had 
been  the  wife  of  a  prophet,  or  be- 
cause she  was  employed  in  celebrating 
the  praises  of  God  (compare  1  Chron. 
xxv.  1,  2,  4.  1  Sam.  x.  5),  or  because 
she  herself  had  foretold  future  events, 
being  inspired. 

37;  And  she  was  a  widow  of  about  four-  - 
score  and  four  years.  That  is,  she  was 
about  eighty-four  years  of  age.  It  does 
not  mean  that  she  had  been  a  widmo 
for  that  long  time.  If  Fastings  and 
prayers.  Constant  religious  service. 
Spending  her  time  in  prayer,  and  in 
all  the  ordinances  of  religion.  1  Night 
and  day.  Continually — that  is,  at  tlic 
usual  times  of  public  worship  and  in 
private.  When  it  is  said  that  she 
departed  not  from  the  Temple,  it  is 


A.D.  l.J 


CHAPTER  II. 


33 


38  And  she,  coming  in  that  in- 
stant, gave  thanks  likewise  unto 
the  Lord,  and  spake  of  him  to  all 
them  that « looked  for  redemption 
in  ^  Jerusalem. 

39  And  when  they  had  perform- 
ed all  things  according  to  the  law 
of  the  Lord,  they  returned  into 
Galilee,  to  their  own  city  Nazareth. 

40  And  the  child  grew,  and 
waxed  strong  in  spirit,  filled  ^  with 
wisdom ; j^d  the  grace  of  God 
was  upoi^Hm. 

a  ver.  25.       1  or,  Israel.       b  Isa.  11.  2, 3.  52. 


meant  that  she  was  constant  and  reg- 
ular in  all  the  public  services  at  the 
Temple,  or  was  never  absent  from 
those  services.  God  blesses  those  who 
wait  at  his  temple  gates. 

39.  They  returned  into  Galilee.  Not 
immediately,  but  after  a  time.  Luke 
has  omitted  the  flight  into  Egypt  re- 
corded by  Matthew ;  but  he  has  not 
denied  it,  nor  are  his  words  to  be  press- 
ed as  if  he  meant  to  affirm  that  they 
went  immediately  to  Nazareth.  A  par- 
allel case  we  have  in  the  life  of  Paul. 
When  he  was  converted  it  is  said  that 
he  came  to  Jerusalem,  as  if  he  had 
gone  there  immediately  after  his  con- 
version (Acts  ix.  26) ;  yet  we  learn  in 
another  place  that  this  was  after  an 
interval  of  three  years.  Gal.  i.  17, 18. 
In  the  case  before  us  there  is  no  im- 
probability in  supposing  that  they  re- 
turned to  Bethlehem,  then  went  to 
Egypt,  and  then  to  Galilee. 

40.  Strong  in  spirit.  In  mind,  intel- 
lect, understanding.  Jesus  liad  a  hu- 
man soul,  and  that  soul  was  subject  to 
all  the  proper  laws  of  a  human  spirit. 
It  therefore  increased  in  knowledge, 
strength,  and  character.  Nor  is  it  any 
more  inconsistent  with  his  being  God 
to  say  that  his  soul  expanded,  than  to 
say  that  his  body  grew.  1[  Filled  with 
toisdom.  Eminent  for  wisdom  when 
a  child — that  is,  exhibiting  an  extra- 
ordinary understanding,  and  vme  to 
IJee  from  every  thing  sinful  and  evil. 
^  And  the  grace  of  Ood^  etc.  The  word 
grace  in  the  New  Testament  common- 
ly means  unmerited  favor  shown  to 
sinners.  Here  it  means  no  moi^fcan 
favor.  God  showed  him  favor ^  oin^s 
pleased  with  him  and  blessed  him. 

It  is  remarkable  that  this  is  all  that 
is  recorded  of  the  infancy  of  Jesus ; 
B  2 


41  Now  his  parents  went  to  Je- 
rusalem every  year  at  the  feast  of 
the  passover. 

42  And  when  he  was  twelve 
years  old,  they  went  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem, after  the  custom  of  the  feast. 

43  And  when  they  hac^feilfiled 
the  days,  as  they  returned,  the 
child  Jesus  tarried  behind  in  Je- 
rusalem ;  and  Joseph  and  his  moth- 
er knew  not  of  it. 

4:4:  But  they,  supposing  him  to 
have  been  in  the  company,  went 

c  Ex.  23. 15.   Deut.  16. 1. 


and  this,  with  the  short  account  that 
follows  of  his  going  to  Jerusalem,  is 
all  that  we  know  of  him  for  thirty 
years  of  his  life.  The  design  of  the 
evangelists  was  to  give  an  account  of 
his  public  mi7iistry,  and  not  his  private 
life.  Hence  they  say  little  of  him  in 
regard  to  his  first  years.  Wliat  they 
do  say,  however,  corresponds  entirely 
with  what  we  might  expect.  He  was 
wise,  pure,  pleasing  God,  and  deeply 
skilled  in  the  knowledge  of  the  divine 
law.  He  set  a  lovely  example  for  all 
children ;  was  subject  to  his  parents, 
and  increased  in  favor  with  God  and 
man. 

42.  Twelve  years  old.  All  males  among 
the  Hebrews  were  required  to  appear 
three  times  a  year  before  God,  to  at- 
tend on  the  ordinances  of  religion  in 
the  Temple,  and  it  is  probable  that 
this  was  the  age  at  which  they  first 
went  up  to  Jerusalem.  Exod.  xxiii. 
14-17.  Deut.  xvi.  16.  If  To  Jerusalem. 
Where  the  feasts  of  the  Jews  were  all 
held.  This  was  a  journey  from  Naz- 
areth of  about  seventy  miles.  ^  After 
the  custom  of  the  feast.  According  to 
the  usual  manner  of  the  feast. 

43.  Had  fulfilled  the  days.  The  days 
of  the  Passover.  These  were  eight 
days  in  all — one  day  for  killing  the 
paschal  lamb,  and  seven  days  for  the 
observance  of  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread.  Exod.  xii.  15.  Lev.  xxiii.  5,  6. 

44.  Supposi7ig  him  to  have  been  iri  the 
company.  It  may  seem  very  remark- 
able that  parents  should  not  have  been 
more  attentive  to  their  only  son,  and 
that  they  should  not  have  been  as- 
sured of  his  presence  with  them  when 
they  left  J erusalem ;  but  the  difficulty 
may  be  explained  by  the  following* 
considerations:  1.  In  going  to  these 


34 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  8. 


a  day's  journey ;  and  they  songlit 
him  among  their  kinsfolk  and 
among  their  acquaintance. 

45  And  when  they  found  him 
not,  they  turned  back  again  to 
Jerusalem,  seeking  him. 

4MALjQd  it  came  to  pass,  that  after 
three  days  they  found  him  in  the 
temple,  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the 
doctors,  both  hearing  them  and 
asking  them  questions. 

47  And  all  that  heard  him  were 

a  Psa.  119.  99.  Matt.  7.  28.  Mar.  1.  22.  c.  4.  22, 32. 
Jno.7. 15,46. 


great  feasts,  families  and  neighbors 
would  join  together,  and  form  a  large 
collection.  •  2.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  Jesus  was  with  them  when  they 
were  about  to  start  from  Jerusalem 
and  were  making  preparations.  See- 
ing him  then,  they  might  have  been 
certain  as  to  his  presence.  3.  A  part 
of  the  company  might  have  left  be- 
fore the  others,  and  Joseph  and  Marj^ 
may  have  supposed  that  he  was  with 
them,  until  they  overtook  them  at 
night  and  ascertained  their  mistake. 
•[[  Kinsfolk.  Kelatives.  H  Acquaint- 
ances. Neighbors  who  had  gone  up 
with  them  in  the  same  company  to 
Jerusalem. 

46.  After  three  days.  This  means, 
probably,  on  the  third  day  after  they 
had  left  Jerusalem — that  is,  the  first 
day  they  went  toward  Galilee,  on  the 
second  they  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
and  on  the  third  they  found  him. 
Compare  Matt,  xxvii.  63.  Mark  viii. 
31.  H  /n  the  Temple.  In  the  court  of 
the  Temple,  for  Jesus,  not  being  a  Le- 
vitical  priest,  could  not  enter  into  the 
Temple  itself.  See  Matt.  xxi.  12.  ^  In 
the  midst  of  the  doctors.  The  teachers., 
the  Rabbins^  who  were  the  instructors 
of  the  people  in  matters  of  religion. 
^  Askifig  them  questions.  Proposing 
questions  to  them  respecting  the  law 
and  the  prophets.  There  is  no  reason 
to  suppose  that  this  was  for  the  pur- 
pose of  perplexing  or  confounding 
them.  The  questions  were  doubtless 
proposed  in  a  respectful  manner,  and 
the  answers  listened  to  with  proper 
deference  to  their  age  and  rank.  Je- 
sus was  a  child,  and  religion  does  not 
teach  a  child  to  be  rude  or  uncivil, 
even  though  he  may  really  know  much 
more  than  more  aged  persons.  Re- 
ligion teaches  all,  and  especially  the 


astonished  at  his  understanding « 
and  answers. 

48  And  when  they  saw  him,  they 
were  amazed :  and  his  mother  said 
unto  him.  Son,  why  hast  thou  thus 
dealt  with  us  ?  behold,  thy  father 
and  I  have  sought  thee  sorrow- 
ing. 

49  And  he  said  unto  them,  How 
is  it  that  ye  sought  me  ?  wist  ye 
not  that  I  must  be  about  ^  my  Fa- 
ther's business  ? 

b  Jno.5.17;  9.^^ 


young,  to  treat  others  with  respect, 
to  show  them  the  honor  that  is  due, 
to  venerate  age,  and  to  speak  kindly 
to  all.  1  Pet.  ii.  17;  iii.  8, 9.  Exod.  xx. 
12.  Matt,  xxiii.  3.  Rom.  xiii.  7. 

48.  Why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us? 
Why  hast  thou  given  us  all  this  trouble 
and  anxiety,  in  going  so  far  and  return- 
ing with  so  much  solicitude  ?  Thy  fa- 
ther. Joseph  was  not  the  real  father 
of  Jesus,  but  he  was  legally  so ;  and  as 
the  secret  of  his  birth  was  not  com- 
monly known,  he  was  called  his  fa- 
ther. Mary,  in  accordance  with  that 
usage,  also  called  him  so.  H  Sorrow- 
hig.  Anxious,  lest  in  the  multitude 
he  might  not  be  found,  or  lest  some 
accident  might  have  happened  to  him. 

49.  How  is  it,  etc.  Why  have  ye 
sought  me  with  so  much  anxiety? 
Mary  should  have  known  that  the 
Son  of  God  was  safe ;  that  his  heav- 
enly Father  would  take  care  of  him, 
and  that  he  could  do  nothing  amiss. 
1[  Wist  ye  not.  Know  ye  not.  You 
had  reason  to  know.  You  knew  my 
design  in  coming  into  the  world,  and 
that  design  was  supei'ior  to  the  duty 
of  obeying  earthly  parents,  and  tJiey 
should  be  willing  always  to  give  me 
up  to  the  proper  business  for  which 
I  live.  ^  My  Father'^ s  business.  Some 
think  that  this  should  be  translated 
"in  my  Father's  house" — that  is,  in 
the  Temple.  Jesus  remindeci  them 
here  that  he  came  down  from  heaven ; 
that  he  had  a  higher  Father  than  an 
earthly  parent ;  and  that,  even  in  ear- 
ly life,  it  was  j^roper  that  he  should 
be  jnga^ed  in  the  work  for  which  he 
caHv  He  did  not  enter,  indeed,  upon 
\\[sJmblicwor\<.  for  eighteen  years  after 
this ;  yet  still  the  work  of  God  was 
Ids  work,  and  always,  even  in  child- 
hood, it  was  proper  for  him  to  be  en- 


A.D.  26.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


35 


50  And  they  understood- not  the 
saying  which  he  spake  unto  them. 

51  And  he  went  down  with  them 
and  came  to  Nazareth,  and  was 
subject  unto  them :  but  his  moth- 
er kept  *  all  these  sayings  in  her 
heart. 

52  And  Jesus  increased  *  in  wis- 

a  Dan.  7.  28.    ver.  19.  b  1  Sam.  2.  26.    ver.  40. 

gaged  in  the  great  business  for  which 
he  came  down  from  heaven. 

50.  They  understood  not^  etc.  It  is 
remarkable  that  they  did  not  under- 
stand Jesus  in  this,  but  it  shows  how 
slow  persons  are  to  believe.  Even  his 
parents,  after  all  that  had  taken  place, 
did  not  seem  to  comprehend  that  he 
was  to  be  the  Saviour  of  men,  or  if 
they  did,  they  understood  it  in  a  very 
imperfect  manner. 

51.  Went  down  with  them.  Down 
from  J erusalem,  which  was  in  a  high, 
mountainous  region.  T[  Was  subject 
unto  them.  Performed  the  duty  of  a 
faithful  and  obedient  child,  and  not 
improbably  was  engaged  in  the  trade 
of  Joseph — that  of  a  carpenter.  Ev- 
ery Jew  was  required  to  learn  some 
trade,  and  there  is  every  reason  to 
think  that  our  Saviour  followed  that 
of  his  reputed  father.  And  from  this 
we  learn — 1.  That  obedience  to  par- 
ents is  a  duty.  Jesus  has  set  an  ex- 
ample in  this  that  all  children  should 
follow.  Though  he  was  the  Son  of 
God,  and  on  proper  occasions  was  en- 
gaged in  the  great  work  of  redemp- 
tion, yet  he  was  also  the  son  of  Mary^ 
and  he.loved  and  obeyed  his  mother, 
and  was  subject  to  her.  2.  It  is  no 
dishonor  to  be  a  mechanic,  or  to  be 
brought  up  in  an  obscure  employ- 
ment. Jesus  has  conferred  honor  on 
virtuous  industry,  and  no  man  should 
be  ashamed  of  industrious  parents, 
though  poor,  or  of  a  condition  of  life 
that  is  far  from  ease  and  affluence. 
Industry  is  honorable,  and  virtuous 
poverty  should  not  be  regarded  as  a 
matter  of  reproach.  The  only  thing 
to  be  ashamed  of,  in  regard  to  this 
matter,  is  when  men  are  idle,  or  when 
children  are  too  proud  to  hear  or 
speak  of  the  occupation  of  their  par- 
ents, or  to  follow  the  same  occupation. 

52.  In  favor  with  Ood.  That  is,  in 
proportion  to  his  advance  in  wisdom. 
This  does  not  imply  that  he  ever  lacked 
the  favor  of  God,  but  that  God  regard- 
ed him  with  favor  in  proportion  as  he 


dom  and  stature,  ^  and  in  favour 
with  God  and  man. 

CHAPTER  III. 

NOW  in  the  fifteenth  year  of 
the  reign  of  Tiberius  Cesar, 
Pontius  Pilate  being  governor  of 
Judea,  and  Herod  being  tetrarch 

1  or,  age. 

showed  an  understanding  and  spirit 
like  his  own.  Happy  are  those  chil- 
dren who  imitate  the  example  of  Je- 
sus— who  are  obedient  to  parents — 
who  increase  in  wisdom — who  are  so- 
ber, temperate,  and  industrious,  and 
who  thus  increase  in  favor  with  God 
and  men. 

CHAPTER  HI. 
1.  Now  in  the  fifteenth  year.  This  was 
the  thirteenth  year  of  his  being  sole 
emperor.  He  was  two  years  joint  em- 
peror with  Augustus,  and  Luke  reck- 
ons from  the  time  when  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  share  the  empire  with  Au- 
gustus Caesar.  See  Lardner's  Credi- 
bility, vol.  i.  ^  Tiberius  Ccesar.  Tibe- 
rius succeeded  Augustus  in  the  em- 
pire, and  began  his  sole  reign  Aug.  19, 
A.D.  14.  He  was  a  most  infamous 
character — a  scourge  to  the  Roman 
people.  He  reigned  twenty -three 
years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Caius 
Caligula^  whom  he  appointed  his  suc- 
cessor on  account  of  his  notorious 
wickedness,  and  that  he  might  be,  as 
he  expressed  it,  a  serpent  to  the  Ro- 
mans. 1[  Pontius  Pilate.  Herod  the 
Great  left  his  kingdom  to  three  sons. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii.  22.  To  Arche- 
laus  he  left  Judea.  Archelaus  reigned 
nine  years,  when,  on  account  of  his 
crimes,  he  was  banished  into  Vienne, 
and  Judea  was  made  a  Roman  prov- 
ince, and  placed  entirely  under  Roman 
governors  or  Procurators^  and  became 
completely  tributary  to  Rome.  Pon- 
tius Pilate  was  the  fifth  governor  that 
had  been  sent,  and  of  course  had  been 
in  Judea  but  a  short  time.  See  the 
chronological  table  at  the  end  of  the 
volume.  ^  Herod  being  tetrarch  of  Gal- 
ilee. This  was  Herod  Antipas,  son  of 
Herod  the  Great,  to  whom  Galilee  had 
been  left  as  his  part  of  his  father's 
kingdom.  The  word  tetrarch  proper- 
ly denotes  one  who  presides  over  a 
fourth  part  of  a  country  or  province ; 
but  it  also  came  to  be  a  general  title, 
denoting  one  who  reigned  over  any 
part — a  third,  a  half,  etc.  In  this  case 


36 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  26, 


of  Galilee,  and  his  brother  Philip 
tetrarch  of  Iturea,  and  of  the  re- 
gion of  Trachonitis,  and  Lysanias 
the  tetrarch  of  Abilene, 

2  Annas  "  and  Caiaphas  being 
the  high-priests,  the  word  of  God 
came  unto  John,  the  son  of  Zach- 
arias,  in  the  wilderness. 

3  And  ^  he  came  into  all  the  coun- 
try about  Jordan,  preaching  the 
baptism  of  repentance  ^  for  the  re- 
mission of  sins ; 

4  As  it  is  written  in  the  book  of 
the  words  of  Esaias  the  prophet,  ^ 
saying,  The  voice  of  one  crying 

a  Jno.  11.49,51;  18. 13.  Acts  4.  6. 
Matt.  3.1.  Mar.  1.4.         cel. 77.  <flsa.40.3. 


Herod  had  a  third  of  the  dominioDS 
of  his  father,  but  h^was  called  te- 
trarch. It  was  this  Herod  who  im- 
prisoned John  the  Baptist,  and  to 
whom  our  Saviour,  when  arraigned, 
was  sent  by  Pilate.  ^  A7id  his  hrotJier 
Philip  tetrarch  of  Iturea.  Iturea  was 
so  called  from  Jetur^  one  of  the  sons 
of  Ishmael.  Gen.  xxv.  15.  1  Chron.  i. 
31.  It  was  situated  on  the  east  side 
of  the  Jordan,  and  was  taken  from  the 
descendants  of  Jetur  by  the  tribes  of 
Reuben  and  Gad  and  the  half  tribe  of 
Manasseh.  1  Chron.  v.  19.  ^  Region  of 
Trachonitis.  This  region  was  also  on 
the  east  of  the  Jordan,  and  extended 
northward  to  the  district  of  Damas- 
cus and  eastward  to  the  deserts  of 
Arabia.  It  was  bounded  on  the  west 
by  Gaulonitis  and  south  by  the  city 
of  Bostra.  Philip  had  obtained  this 
region  from  the  Romans  on  condition 
that  he  would  extirpate  the  robbers. 
H  Lysanias  the  tetrarch  of  Abilene. 
Abilene  was  so  called  from  Abila,  its 
chief  city.  It  was  situated  in  Syria, 
northwest  of  Damascus  and  southeast 
of  Mount  Lebanon,  and  was  adjacent 
to  Galilee. 

2.  Annas  and  Caiaphas  being  high- 
priests.  There  was,  properly  speak- 
ing, but  one  high-priest  of  the  Jews  ; 
5^et  the  oiarne  of  high-priest  continued 
to  be  given  to  those  who  had  been  in 
that  office,  and  especially  when  they 
still  possessed  some  civil  office  after 
they  had  left  the  high-priesthood.  In 
this  case  it  appears  that  Caiaphas  was 
high-priest,  and  Annas  7iad  been,  but 
had  been  dismissed  from  the  office. 
It  is  highly  probable  that  he  still  held 


in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye  the 
way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight, 

5  Every  valley  shall  be  filled,  and 
every  mountain  and  hill  shall  be 
brought  low ;  and  the  crooked 
shall  be  made  straight,  and  the 
rough  ways  shall  he  made  smooth ; 

6  And  ^  all  flesh  shall  see  the  sal- 
vation of  God. 

7  Then  said  he  to  the  multitude 
that  came  forth  to  be  baptized  of 
him,  O  generation  of  vipers !  who 
hath  warned  you  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come  ? 

e  Psa.  98.  2.  Isa.  40.  5 ;  49.  6 ;  52. 10.  Rom.  10. 12, 18. 
/  Matt.  3.  7. 


an  office  under  the  Romans,  and  was 
perhaps  president  of  the  Sanhedrim. 
He  is  mentioned  before  Caiaphas  be- 
cause he  was  father-in-law  to  Caia- 
phas, and  probably  was  the  eldest,  and 
had  been  longest  in  office.  Instances 
similar  to  this  may  be  found  in  Jo- 
sephus. 

There  is  one  remark  to  be  made 
here  about  the  manner  in  which  the 
Gospels  are  written.  They  have  ev- 
ery mark  of  openness  and  honesty. 
An  impostor  does  not  mention  names, 
and  times,  and  places  particularly.  If 
he  did,  it  would  be  easy  to  ascertain 
that  he  was  an  impostor.  But  the  sa- 
cred writers  describe  objects  and  men 
as  if  they  were  perfectly  familiar  with 
them.  They  never  appear  to  be  guard- 
ing themselves.  They  speak  of  things 
most  minutely.  If,  therefore,  they  had 
been  impostors,  it  would  have  been 
easy  to  detect  them.  If,  for  example, 
John  did  7iot  begin  to  preach  in  the 
fifteenth  year  or  Tiberius — if  Philip 
was  not  tetrarch  of  Iturea — if  Pontius 
Pilate  was  not  governor  of  Judea, 
how  easy  would  it  have  been  to  de- 
tect them  in  falsehood !  Yet  it  was 
never  done.  Nay,  we  have  evidence 
of  that  age,  in  Josephus,  that  these 
descriptions  are  strictly  true ;  and, 
consequently,  the  Gospels  must  have 
been  written  by  men  who  were  per- 
sonally acquainted  with  what  they 
Avrote,  who  were  not  impostors,  and 
who  were  holiest  men.  If  they  were 
ho7iest,  then  the  Christian  religion  is 
true. 

3-9.  On  the  baptism  of  John,  see 
Notes  on  Matt.  iii. 


A.D.  26.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


37 


8  Bring  forth,  therefore,  fruits^ 
worthy  of  repentance ;  and  begin 
not  to  say  within  yourselves.  We 
have  Abraham  to  mir  fa!3ier :  for  I 
say  unto  you,  that  God  is  able  of 
these  stones  to  raise  up  children 
unto  Abraham. 

9  And  now  also  the  axe  is  laid 
unto  the  root  of  the  trees :  every 
tree,  therefore,  which  bringeth  not 
forth  good  fruit  is  hewn  down  and 
cast  into  the  fire. 

10  And  the  people  asked  him, 
saying.  What  shall  we  do,  then  ? 

1  or,  meet  for.  a  Matt.  7. 19.    c.  13.  7,9. 

JC.1L41.    2  Cor.  8. 14.  lJno.3.17. 


10.  What  shall  we  do.,  then?  John 
had  told  them  to  bring  forth  fruits 
appropriate  to  repentance,  or  to  lead 
a  life  which  showed  that  their  repent- 
ance was  genuine.  They  very  prop- 
erly, therefore,  aslied  how  it  should 
be  done,  or  what  would  he  such  a  life. 

11.  He  that  hath  two  coats,  etc.  Or, 
in  other  words,  aid  the  poor  accord- 
ing to  your  ability;  be  benevolent, 
and  you  will  thus  show  that  your  re- 
pentance is  genuine.  It  is  remark- 
able that  one  of  the  first  demands  of 
religion  is  to  do  good,  and  it  is  in 
this  way  tliat  it  may  be  shown  that  the 
repentance  is  not  feigned.  For,  1st. 
The  nature  of  religion  is  to  do  good. 
2d.  This  requires  self-denial,  and  none 
will  deny  themselves  who  are  not  at- 
tached to  God.  And,  3d.  This  is  to 
imitate  Jesus  Christ,  who,  though  he 
was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  became 
poor.  ^  Coats.  See  Notes  on  Matt. 
V.  40.  ^  Meat.  Provision  of  any  kind. 

12.  The  publicans.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  V.  47.  There  is  reason  to  think 
that  the  pitUicans  or  tax-gatherers  were 
peculiarly  oppressive  and  hard  in  their 
dealings  with  the  people ;  and  that,  as 
they  had  every  opportunity  of  exact- 
ing more  than  they  ought,  so  they 
often  did  it,  and  thus  enriched  them- 
selves. "The  evidence  of  repentance 
in  them  would  be  to  break  off  their 
sins  in  this  respect,  and  to  deal  justly. 

13.  Exact.  Demand,  or  take,  no 
more.  *1[  Than  that  which  is  appointed. 
That  is,  by  the  government.  John 
does  not  condemn  the  office,  or  say 
that  the  employment  should  be  for- 
saken. Though  it  was  hated  by  the 
people  —  though  often  abused  and 


11  He  answereth  and  saith  unto 
them,  He  ^  that  hath  two  coats,  let 
him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none ; 
and  he  that  hath  meat,  let  him  do 
likewise. 

12  Then  came  also  publicans* 
to  be  baptized,  and  said  unto  him, 
Master,  what  shall  we  do  ? 

13  And  he  said  unto  them.  Ex- 
act ^  no  more  than  that  which  is 
appointed  you. 

14  And  the  soldiers  likewise  de- 
manded of  him,  saying.  And  what 
shall  we  do  ?    And  he  said  unto 

c  Matt.  21.32.  c.  7.  29. 
cic.  19.8.    1  Cor.  6. 10. 


therefore  unpopular — yet  the  office  it- 
self was  not  dishonorable.  If  there  is 
a  government,  it  must  be  supported ; 
and  of  course  there  must  be  men 
whose  duty  it  is  to  collect  taxes,  as 
the  means  of  the  proper  support  of 
the  government;  and  as  such  a  sup- 
port of  the  government  is  necessary, 
so  the  people  should  pay  cheerfully 
the  just  apportionment  of  their  rul- 
ers, and  regard  favorably  those  who 
are  authorized  to  collect  it.  See  Ro- 
mans xiii.  1-6. 

14.  The  soldiers  likewise.  It  seems 
that  they  also  came  to  his  baptism. 
Whether  these  were  Jews  or  Romans 
IKi  not  be  ascertained.  It  is  not  im- 
probable that,  as  Judea  was  a  Roman 
province,  they  were  Jews  or  Jewish 
proselytes  in  the  service  of  Herod  An- 
tipas  or  Philip,  and  so  were  really  in 
the  Roman  service.  ^  -Do  violence,  etc. 
Do  not  take  the  property  of  any  by 
unlawful  force,  or  do  not  use  unjust 
force  against  the  person  or  property 
of  any  individual.  It  is  probable 
that  many  of  them  were  opi)ressive, 
or  prone  to  violence,  rapine,  or  theft, 
and  burdensome-  even  in  times  of 
peace  to  the  inhabitants.  If  Neither 
accuse  any  falsely.  It  is  probable  that 
when  they  wished  the  property  of  oth- 
ers and  could  not  obtain  it  by  vio- 
lence, or  when  there  was  no  pretext 
for  violence,  they  often  attempted  the 
same  thing  in  another  way,  and  falsely 
accused  the  persons  of  crime.  The 
word  rendered  falsely  accused  is  the 
one  from  whicli  our  word  sycophant  is 
derived.  The  proper  meaning  of  the 
word  sycophant  was  this  :  There  was  a 
law  in  Athens  which  prohibited  the 


38 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  27. 


them,  ^  Do  violence  to  no  man, 
neither  accuse  any  *  falsely;  and 
be'  content  with  your  ^  wages. 

15  And  as  the  people  were  ^  in 
expectation,  and  all  men  ^  mused 
in  their  hearts  of  John,  whether 
he  were  the  Christ  or  not ; 

16  John  answered,  saying  unto 
them  all,  I  indeed  baptize  you  with 
water;  but  one  mightier  than  I 
cometh,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes 
I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose :  he 
shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  with  fire : 

17  Whose  fan  *  is  in  his  hand,  and 

or,  put  no  man  in  fear.  a  Ex,  23. 1.   Lev.  19. 11. 

b  1  Tim.  6.  8.  2  or,  allowance.  3  or,  suspense. 

4  or,  reasoned  ;  or,  debated.  b  Jer.  15.  7. 

importation  of  figs.  The  sycophant 
(literally  the  man  who  made  figs  to  ap- 
pear., or  who  showed  them)  was  one 
who  made  complaint  to  the  magistrate 
of  persons  who  had  imported  figs  con- 
trary to  law,  or  who  was  an  informer  ; 
and  then  the  word  came  to  be  used 
in  a  general  sense  to  denote  any  com- 
plainer — a  calumniator — an  accuser — 
an  informer.  As  such  persons  were 
usually  cringing  and  fawning,  and 
looked  for  a  reward,  the  word  came 
to  be  used  also  to  denote  a  fawner  or 
flatterer.  It  is  always  used  in  a  bad 
sense.  It  is  correctly  rendered  hem 
*'do  not  accuse  any  falsely."  1[™ 
content.,  etc.  Do  not  murmur  or  com- 
plain, or  take  unlawful  means  to  in- 
crease your  wages.  ^  Wages.  This 
word  means  not  only  the  money  which 
was  paid  them,  but  also  their  rations 
or  daily  allowance  of  food.  By  this 
they  were  to  show  that  their  repent- 
ance was  genuine ;  that  it  had  a  prac- 
tical influence ;  that  it  produced  a  real 
reformation  of  life ;  and  it  is  clear  that 
no  other  repentance  would  be  genuine. 
Every  profession  ofrepentance  which 
is  not  attended  with  a  change  of  life  is 
mere  hypocrisy.  It  may  farther  be  re- 
marked that  John  did  not  condemn 
their  profession,  or  say  that  it  was  un- 
lawful to  be  a  soldier,  or  that  they 
must  abandon  the  business  in  order 
to  be  true  penitents.  It  was  possible 
to  be  a  good  man,  and  y^i  a  soldier. 
What  was  required  was  that  in  their 
j)rofession  they  should  show  that  they 
were  really  u})right,  and  did  not  com- 
mit the  crimes  which  were  often  prac- 
ticed in  that  calling.    It  is  lawful  to 


he  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor, 
and  will  gather  the  wheat  into  his 
garner ;  but  the  ^  chaff  he  will  burn 
^  with  fire  "unquenchable. 

18  And  many  other  things,  in  his 
exhortation,  preached  he  unto  the 
people. 

19  But /Herod  the  tetrarch,  be- 
ing reproved  by  him  for  Herodias 
his  brother  Philip's  wife,  and  for 
all  the  evils  which  Herod  had 
done, 

20  Added  yet  this  above  all,  that 
he  shut  up  John  in  prison. 

31  Now  when  all  the  people  were 

c  Mic.  4. 12.    Matt.  13. 30.  d  Psa.  1.4. 

cPsa.  21.9.  Mar.  9.  44, 48. 
/  Matt.  14.  3.    Mar.  6. 17. 

defend  one's  self,  one's  family,  or  one's 
country,  and  hence  it  is  lawful  to  be  a 
soldier.  Man  every  where,  in  all  pro- 
fessions, should  be  a  Christian,  and 
then  he  will  do  honor  to  his  profes- 
sion, and  his  profession,  if  it  is  not  a 
direct  violation  of  the  law  of  God,  will 
be  honorable. 

15.  Li  expectation.  Expecting  the 
Messiah.  Marg.  suspense.  That  is, 
they  were  not  certain  whether  John 
was  not  himself  the  Messiah.  They 
confidently  expected  his  appearing,  and 
their  minds  were  in  suspense.,  or  they 
were  in  a  state  of  doubt  whether  he 
had  not  already  come,  and  whether 
John  was  not  the  Messiah.  ^  Mused 
in  their  hearts  of  John.  Thought  of  his 
character,  his  preaching,  and  his  suc- 
cess, and  anxiously  incfuired  whether 
he  did  not  do  the  things  which  were 
expected  of  the  Messiah. 

16-18.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  11, 
12. 

19,  20.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xiv.  1-13. 
Added  this  above  all.  To  all  his  former 
crimes  he  added  this;  not  implying 
that  this  was  the  worst  of  his  acts,  but 
that  this  was  one  of  his  deeds,  of  like 
character  as  the  others.  The  event 
here  mentioned  did  not  take  place  un- 
til some  time  after  this,  but  it  is  men- 
tioned here  to  show  what  was  the  end 
of  John's  preaching,  or  to  fill  out  the 
account  concerning  him. 

21,  22.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  13-17. 
Jesus  being  baptized;  or,  Jesus  having 
been  baptized.  This  took  place  after 
the  baptism,  and  not  during  its  ad- 
ministration. Matt.  iii.  16.  1  Praying. 
This  circumstance  is  omitted  by  the 


A.D.  27.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


39 


baptized,  it «  came  to  pass  that  Je- 
sus also  being  baptized,  and  pray- 
ing, the  heaven  was  opened, 

22  And  the  Holy  Ghost  descend- 
ed in  a  bodily  shape  like  a  dove 
upon  him ;  and  a  voice  came  from 
heaven,  which  said.  Thou  art  my 
beloved  Son ;  in  thee  I  am  well 
pleased. 

23  And  Jesus  himself  began  to 
be  about  thirty  years  of  age,  be- 
ing (as  was  supposed)  the  son* 
of  Joseph,  which  was  the  son  of 
Heli, 

24  Which  was  the  son  of  Matthat, 
which  was  the  son  of  Levi,  which 
was  the  sonf  of  Melchi,  which  was 
the  son  of  Janna,  which  was  the  son 
of  Joseph, 

25  Which  was  the  son  of  Matta- 
thias,  which  was  the  son  of  Amos, 
which  was  the  son  of  Naum,  which 
was  the  son  of  Esli,  which  was  the 
son  of  Nagge, 

26  Which  was  the  son  of  Maath, 
w^hich  was  the  son  of  Mattathias, 
which  was  the  son  of  Semei,  which 
was  the  son  of  Joseph,  which  was 
the  son  of  Juda, 

27  Which  was  the  son  of  Joanna, 
which  was  the  son  of  Rhesa,  which 

a  Matt.  3. 13,  etc.  Jno,  1.  32,  etc. 
6  Matt.  13.55.    Jno.  6. 42. 


other  evangelists ;  and  it  shows,  1st. 
That  Jesus  was  in  the  habit  of  prayer. 
2d.  That  it  is  proper  to  offer  up  spe- 
cial prayer  at  the  administration  of 
the  ordinances  of  religion.  3d.  That 
it  is  possible  to  pray  in  the  midst  of 
a  great  multitude,  yet  in  secret.  The 
prayer  consisted,  doubtless,  in  lifting 
up  the  heart  silently  to  God.  So  we 
may  do  it  any  where — about  our  daily 
toil — in  the  midst  of  multitudes,  and 
thus  may  pray  always. 

22.  In  a  bodily  shape.  This  was  a 
real  visible  appearance,  and  was  doubt- 
less seen  by  the  people.  The  dove  is 
an  emblem  of  purity  andharmlessness, 
and  the  form  of  the  dove  was  assumed 
on  this  occasion  to  signify,  probably, 
that  the  spirit  with  which  Jesus  would 
be  endowed  would  be  one  of  purity 
and  innocence.  The  Holy  Spirit^  when 
he  assumes  a  visible  form,  assumes 


was  the  son  of  Zorobabel,  which 
was  the  son  of  Salathiel,  which  was 
the  son  of  Neri, 

28  Which  was  the  son  of  Melchi, 
which  was  the  son  of  Addi,  which 
was  the  son  of  Cosam,  which  was 
the  son  of  Elmodam,  which  was  the 
son  of  Er, 

29  Which  was  the  son  of  Jose, 
which  was  the  son  of  Eliezer,  which 
was  the  son  of  Jorim,  which  was 
the  son  of  Matthat,  which  was  tJie 
son  of  Levi, 

30  Which  was  the  son  of  Simeon, 
which  was  tJie  son  of  Juda,  which 
was  the  son  of  Joseph,  which  was 
the  son  of  Jonan,  which  was  the  son 
of  Eliakim, 

31  Which  was  the  son  of  Melea, 
which  was  the  son  of  Menan,  which 
was  the  son  of  Mattatha,  which  was 
the  son  of  Nathan,  which  was  the 
son  of  David, 

32  Which  was  the  son  of  Jesse,'^ 
which  was  the  son  of  Obed,  which 
was  the  son  of  Booz,  which  was  the 
son  of  Salmon,  which  was  the  son 
of  Naasson, 

33  Which  was  the  son  of  Amina- 
dab,  which  was  the  son  of  Aram, 
which  was  the  son  of  Esrom,  which 

cZech.12.12.    2  Sam.  5. 14. 
d  Ruth  4. 18,  22. 

that  which  will  be  emblematic  of  the 
thing  to  be  represented.  Thus  he  as- 
sumed the  form  of  tongues^  to  signify 
the  miraculous  powers  of  language 
with  which  the  apostles  would  be  en- 
dowed ;  the  appearance  of  jire^  to  de- 
note their  power,  etc.  Acts  ii.  3. 

23.  Jesus  began  to  be,  etc.  This  was 
the  age  on  which  the  priests  entered 
on  their  office.  Num.  iv.  3,47;  but  it 
is  not  evident  that  Jesus  had  any  ref- 
erence to  that  in  delaying  his  work  to 
his  thirtieth  year.  He  was  not  sub- 
jected to  the  Levitical  law  in  regard 
to  the  priesthood,  and  it  does  not  ap- 
pear that  prophets  and  teachers  did 
not  commence  their  work  before  that 
age.  T[  As  was  supposed.  As  was  com- 
monly thought,  or  perhaps  being  le- 
gally reckoned  as  his  son. 

24-38.  See,  on  this  genealogy,  the 
Notes  on  Matt.  i.  1-10. 


40 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  28. 


was  ti^e  son  of  Phares,  wliicli  was 
the  son  of  Juda, 

34  Which  was  the  son  of  Jacob, 
which  was  ths  son  of  Isaac,  which 
was  the  sm  of  Abraham,  *  which 
was  the  son  of  Thara,  which  was 
the  son  of  Nachor, 

35  Which  was  tJie  son  of  Saruch, 
which  was  the  son  of  Ragau,  which 
was  the  son  of  Phalec,  which  was 
the  son  of  Heber,  which  was  the  son 
of  Sala, 

36  Which  was  the  son  of  Cainan, 
which  was  the  son  of  Arphaxad,^ 
which  was  the  son  of  Sem,  which 
was  the  son  of  Noe,  which  was  the 
sm  of  Lamech,^ 

37  Which  was  the  son  of  Mathu- 
sala,  which  was  the  sm  of  Enoch, 
which  was  the  son  of  Jared,  which 
was  the  sm  of  Maleleel,  which  was 
the  sm  of  Cainan, 

38  Which  was  the  sm  of  Ehos, 
which  was  the  sm  of  Seth,  which 
was  the  sm  of  Adam,  which  was 
the  sm  of  God.'^ 

CHAPTER  lY. 

AND  ^  Jesus,  being  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  returned  from 
Jordan,  and  was  led  by  the  Spirit 
into  the  wilderness, 

2  Being  forty  days  tempted  of 
the  devil.  And  ^  in  those  days  he 
did  eat  nothing :  and  when  they 
were  ended  he  afterward  hun- 
gered. 

3  And  the  devil  said  unto  him. 
If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  com- 

a  Gen.  11.24-26.  J  Gen.  11.12.  c  Gen.  5. 

Gen.  1.26;  2.  7.    Isa.  64.  8.    1  Cor.  15. 45,47. 
e  Matt.  4. 1,  etc.    Mar.  1. 12,  etc.   ver.  14. 
/"Ex.  34.  28.    1  Kin.  19. 8. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1-14.  On  the  temptation  of  Jesus, 
see  Notes  on  Matt.  iv.  1-11. 

2.  Being  forty  dayn  tempted.  That  is, 
through  forty  days  he  was  tried  in  va- 
rious ways  by  the  devil.  The  tempt- 
ations, however,  which  are  recorded 
])y  Matthew  and  Luke  did  not  take 
place  until  the  forty  days  wetQ  finished. 
Sec  Matt.  iv.  2, 3.  ■[[  lie  did  eat  nothing. 


mand  this  stone  that  it  be  made 
bread. 

4  And  Jesus  answered  him,  say- 
ing. It  s  is  written,  that  man  shall 
not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  ev- 
ery word  of  God. 

5  And  the  devil^  taking  him  up 
into  a  high  mountain,  showed  unto 
him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
in  a  moment  of  time. 

6  And  the  devil  said  unto  him, 
All  this  power  will  I  give  thee,  and 
the  glory  of  them :  for  ^  that  is  de- 
livered unto  me ;  and  to  whomso- 
ever I  will  I  give  it. 

7  If  thou,  therefore,  wilt  ^  wor- 
ship me,  all  shall  be  tlttne. 

8  And  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  him.  Get  thee  behind  me,  Sa- 
tan :  for  *  it  is  written.  Thou  shalt 
worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
him  only  shalt  thou  serve. 

9  And  he  brought  him  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  set  him  on  a  pinnacle 
of  the  temple,  and  said  unto  him, 
If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God,  cast 
thyself  down  from  hence : 

10  For  it  is  written.  He  j  shall 
give  his  angels  charge  over  thee,, 
to  keep  thee ; 

11  And  in  their  hands  they  shall 
bear  thee  up,  lest  at  any  time  thou 
dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone. 

12  And  Jesus,  answering,  said 
unto  him.  It  is  said,  Thou  ^  shalt 
not  tempt  the  Lord  thy  God. 

13  And  when  the  devil  had  end- 
ed all  the  ^  temptation,  he  depart- 
ed from  him  for  a  season. 

g  Deut.  8. 3.  h  Jno.  12.  31  ;  14. 30.   Eph.  2.  2. 

Rev.  13.  2,  7.  1  or,  fall  down  before  me. 

i  Deut.  6. 13  ;  10.  20.  j  Psa.  91. 11. 

^Deut.  6. 16.  ^Heb.4. 15. 


He  was  sustained  by  the  power  of  God  , 
during  this  season  of  extraordinary 
fasting. 

13.  l)eparted  for  a  season.  For  a  time. 
From  this  it  appears  that  our  Saviour 
was  afterward  subjected  to  tempta- 
tions by  Satan,  but  no  particular 
temptations  are  recorded  after  this. 
From  John  xiv.  30,  it  seems  that  the 
devil  tried  or  tempted  him  in  the  ag- 


A.D.  28.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


41 


14  And  Jesus  «  returned  in  the 
power  of  the  Spirit  into  Galilee: 
and  there  went  out  a  fame  of 
him  through  all  the  region  round 
about. 

15  And  he  taught  in  their  syna- 
gogues, being  glorified  of  all. 

a  Jno.  4. 43.  Acts  10.  37.  h  Matt.  2.  23. 

ony  in  Gethsemane.  Compare  Notes 
on  Heb.  xii.  4.  It  is  more  than  prob- 
able, also,  that  Satan  did  much  to  ex- 
cite the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  to 
endeavor  to  entangle  him^  and  the 
priests  and  rulers  to  oppose  him ;  yet 
out  of  all  his  temptations  God  deliv- 
ered him  ;  and  so  he  will  make  a  way 
to  escape  for  all  that  are  tempted,  and 
will  not  suffer  them  to  be  tempted 
above  that  which  they  are  able  to 
bear.  1  Cor.  x.  13. 

14.  In  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  By 
the  influence  or  direction  of  the  Spirit. 
^  A  fame.  A  report.  See  Matt.  iv.  24. 

15.  Glorified  of  all.  Praised  by  all ; 
or,  all  were  pleased  with  his  instruc- 
tions, and  admired  his  wisdom. 

16.  A7id^  as  his  custom  was,  he  went, 
etc.  From  this  it  appears  that  the 
Saviour  regularly  attended  the  serv- 
ice of  the  synagogue.  In  that  service 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament 
were  read,  prayers  were  offered,  and 
the  Word  of  God  was  explained.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  iv.  23.  There  was  great 
corruption  in  doctrine  and  practice  at 
that  time,  but  Christ  did  not  on  that 
account  keep  away  from  the  place  of 
public  worship.  From  this  we  may 
learn — 1st.  That  it  is  our  duty  regular- 
ly to  attend  public  worship.  2d.  That 
it  is  better  to  attend  a  place  of  wor- 
ship which  is  not  entirely  pure,  or 
where  just  such  doctrines  are  not  de- 
livered as  we  would  wish,  than  not  at- 
tend at  all.  It  is  of  vast  importance 
that  the  public  worship  of  God  should 
be  maintained ;  and  it  is  our  duty  to 
assist  in  maintaining  it,  to  show  by 
our  example  that  we  love  it,  and  to 
win  others  also  to  love  it.  See  Heb. 
X.  25.  At  the  same  time,  this  remark 
should  not  be  construed  as  enjoining 
it  as  our  duty  to  attend  where  the 
trm  God  is  not  worshipped,  or  where 
he  is  worshipped  by  pagan  rites  and 
pagan  prayers.  If,  therefore,  the  Uni- 
tarian does  not  worship  the  true  God, 
and  if  the  Roman  Catholic  worships 
God  in  a  manner  forbidden,  and  offers 
homage  to  the  creatures  of  God,  thus 


16  And  he  came  to  Nazareth,^ 
where  he  had  been  brought  up  : 
and,  as  his  custom  was,  he  went 
into  the  synagogue  on  the  sab- 
bath-day,  and  stood  up  for  to 
read. 

17  And  there  was  delivered  unto 

c  Matt.  13.54.   Jno.  18.20.   Acts  13. 14 ;  17.  2. 

being  guilty  of  idolatry,  it  can  not  be 
a  duty  to  attend  on  such  a  place  of 
worship.  ^  The  synagogue.  See  Matt, 
iv.  23.  ^  Stood  up  for  to  read.  The 
books  of  Moses  were  so  divided  that 
they  could  be  read  through  in  the 
synagogues  once  in  a  year.  To  these 
were  added  portions  out  of  the  proph- 
ets, so  that  no  small  part  of  them  was 
read  also  once  a  year.  It  is  not  known 
whether  our  Saviour  read  the  lesson 
which  was  the  regular  one  for  that 
day,  though  it  might  seem  probable 
that  he  would  not  depart  from  the 
usual  custom.  Yet,  as  the  eyes  of  all 
were  fixed  on  him ;  as  he  deliberately 
looked  out  a  place ;  and  as  the  people 
were  evidently  surprised  at  what  he 
did,  it  seems  to  be  intimated  that  he 
selected  a  lesson  which  was  not  the 
regular  one  for  that  day.  The  same 
ceremonies  in  regard  to  conducting 
public  worship  which  are  here  de^ 
scribed  are  observed  at  Jerusalem  by 
the  Jews  at  the  present  time.  Pro- 
fessor Hackett  (Illustrations  of  Script- 
ure, p.  232)  says :  "  I  attended  the  Jew- 
ish worship  at  Jerusalem,  and  was 
struck  with  the  accordance  of  the  cer- 
emonies with  those  mentioned  in  the 
New  Testament.  The  sacred  roll  was^ 
brought  from  the  chest  or  closet  where* 
it  was  kept ;  it  was  handed  by  an  at- 
tendant to  the  reader ;  a  portion  of  it 
was  rehearsed ;  the  congregation  rose 
and  stood  while  it  was  read,  whereas 
the  speaker,  as  well  as  the  othera# 
present,  sat  during  the  delivery  of 
the  address  which  formed  a  part  of 
the  service." 

17.  They^e  was  delivered  unto  him.  By 
the  minister  of  the  synagogue,  or  the 
keeper  of  the  sacred  books.  They 
were  kept  in  an  ark  or  chest,  not  far 
from  the  pulpit,  and  the  minister  gave 
them  to  whomsoever  he  chose,  to  read 
them  publicly.  H  The  book.  The  vol- 
ume contained  the  prophecy  of  Isa- 
iah. It  would  seem,  from  this,  that 
the  books  were  kept  separate,  and  not 
united  into  one  as  with  us.  ^  When 
he  had  opened,  the  book.  Literally,  when 


42 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  28. 


Mm  the  book  of  tlie  prophet  Esaias.   And  when  he  had  opened 


he  had  uni^oUed  the  book.  Books, 
among  the  ancients,  were  written  on 
parchments  or  vellum — that  is,  skins 
of  beasts,  and  were  rolled  together  on 
two  rollers,  beginning  at  each  end,  so 
that  while  reading  they  rolled  off  from 
one  to  the  other.  Different  forms  of 
books  were  indeed  used,  but  this  was 
the  most  common.  When  used,  the 
reader  unrolled  the  MS.  as  far  as  the 
place  which  he  wished  to  find,  and 
kept  before  him  just  so  much  as  he 
would  read,  thus : 


When  the  roller  was  done  with,  it 
was  carefully  deposited  in  a  case.  The 
following  cut  shows  the  end  of  the 
roll  in  its  place,  and  also  the  inkstand 
or  bottle,  with  the  cover  thrown  off, 
and  the  reed  pen  or  stjie : 


Another  form  of  the  scroll,  and  also 
a  collection  of  sheets  in  the  shape  of 
a  modern  book,  secured,  as  above  de- 
scribed, with  rings  and  rods,  are  rep- 
resented as  follows : 


H  TJie  place  where  it  was  written,  ^sa. 
lxi.1,2. 


18.  The  Spi7'it  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me. 
Or,  I  speak  b}^  divine  appointment.  I 
am  divinely  inspired  to  speak.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  passage  in 
Isaiah  had  a  principal  reference  to  the 
Messiah.  Our  Saviour  directly  applies 
it  to  himself,  and  it  is  not  easily  appli- 
cable to  any  other  jDrophet.  Its  fi7'st 
application  might  have  been  to  the 
restoration  of  the  Jews  from  Babylon ; 
but  the  language  of  prophecy  is  often 
applicable  to  two  similar  events,  and 
the  secondary  event  is  often  the  most 
important.  In  this  case  the  prophet 
uses  most  striking  poetic  images  to 
depict  the  return  from  Babylon,  but 
the  same  images  also  describe  the 
appropriate  work  of  the  Son  of  God. 
^  Hath  anointed  me.  Anciently  kings 
and  prophets  and  the  high-priest  were 
set  apart  to  their  work  by  anointing 
with  oil.  1  Kings  xix.  15, 16.  Exod. 
xxix.  7.  1  Sam.  ix.  16,  etc.  This  oil 
or  ointment  was  made  of  various  sub- 
stances, and  it  was  forbidden  to  imi- 
tate it.  Exod.  XXX.  34-38.  Hence  those 
who  were  set  apart  to  the  work  of  God 
as  king,  prophet,  or  priest,  were  called 
the  Lord's  anointed.  1  Sam.  xvi.  6. 
Psa.  Ixxxiv.  9.  Isa.  xlv.  1.  Hence  the 
Son  of  God  is  called  the  3Iessiah^  a 
Hebrew  word  signifying  the  Anointed^ 
or  the  Christy  a  Greek  word  signifying 
the  same  thing.  And  by  his  being 
anointed  is  not  meant  that  he  was  lit- 
erally anointed,  for  he  was  never  set 
apart  in  that  manner,  but  that  God  had 
set  him  apart  for  this  work ;  that  he  had 
constituted  or  appointed  him  to  be 
the  prophet,  priest,  and  king  of  his 
peoi)le.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  i.l.  IF  To 
preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor.  The  En- 
glish word  gospel  is  derived  from  two 
words — God  or  good^  and  spell^  an  old 
Saxon  word  meaning  history^  relation^ 
narration^  word,  or  sj)eech,  and  the  word 
therefore  means  a  good  communication 
or  message.  Tliis  corresponds  exactly 
with  the  meaning  of  the  Greek  word 
— a  good  ov  joy  fid  message — glad  tidings. 
By  the  poor  are  meant  all  those  who 
are  destitute  of  the  comforts  of  this 
life,  and  who  therefore  may  be  more 
readily  disposed  to  seek  treasures  in 
heaven ;  all  those  who  are  sensible  of 
their  sins,  or  arc  poor  in  spirit  (Matt. 
V.  3) ;  and  all  the  miserable  and  the  af- 
llictcd.  Isa.  Iviii.  7.  Our  Saviour  o^avo 
it  as  one  proof  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah, or  was  from  God,  that  he  preach- 


A.D.  28.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


43 


the  book,  he  found  the  place  where 
it  was  written, 

18  The  «  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  me,  because  he  hath  anoint- 
ed me  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
jDoor ;  he  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the 
broken-hearted,  *  to  preach  deliv- 
erance to  the  captives,  and  recov- 
ering of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set 
at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,^ 

al8a.61.1.  6  2Chr.34.  27.  Psa.  34. 18  ;  51.  17 ; 
147.  3.    Isa.  57. 15.  c  Psa.  146.  8.    Isa.  29. 18. 

ed  to  the  poor.  Matt.  xi.  5.  The  Phar- 
isees and  Sadducees  despised  the  poor ; 
ancient  philosophers  neglected  them ; 
but  the  Gospel  seeks  to  bless  them — 
to  give  comfort  where  it  is  felt  to  be 
needed,  and  where  it  will  be  received 
with  gratitude.  Riches  fill  the  mind 
with  pride,  with  self-complacency,  and 
with  a  feeling  that  the  Gospel  is  not 
needed.  The  poor  feel  their  need  of 
some  sources  of  comfort  that  the 
world  can  not  give,  and  accordingly 
our  Saviour  met  with  his  greatest  suc- 
cess among  the  poor ;  and  there  also, 
since^  the  Gospel  has  shed  its  richest 
blessings  and  its  purest  joys.  It  is 
also  one  proof  that  the  Gospel  is  true. 
If  it  had  been  of  mm,  it  would  have 
sought  the  rich  and  mighty;  but  it 
pours  contempt  on  all  human  great- 
ness, and  seeks,  like  God,  to  do  good 
to  those  whom  the  world  overlooks 
or  despises.  See  Notes  on  1  Cor.  i.  26. 
If  To  heal  the  broken-hearted.  To  con- 
sole those  who  are  deeply  afflicted,  or 
whose  hearts  are  broken  by  external 
calamities  or  by  a  sense  of  their  sin- 
fulness. 1  Deliverance  to  the  captives. 
This  is  a  figure  originally  applicable 
to  those  who  were  in  captivity  in 
Babylon.  They  were  miserable.  To 
grant  deliverance  to  them  and  restore 
them  to  their  country — to  grant  de- 
liverance to  those  who  are  in  prison 
and  restore  them  to  their  families — to 
give  liberty  to  the  slave  Und  restore 
him  to  freedom,  was  to  confer  the 
highest  benefit  and  impart  the  richest 
favor.  In  this  manner  the  Gospel  im- 
parts favor.  It  does  not,  indeed,  lit- 
erally open  the  doors  of  prisons,  but 
it  releases  the  mind  captive  under  sin  ; 
it  gives  comfort  to  the  prisoner,  and 
it  will  finally  open  all  prison  doors 
and  break  off  all  the  chains  of  slavery, 
and,  by  preventing  crime,  prevent  also 
the  sufferings  that  arc  the  consequence 
of  crime.    1  Sight  to  the  blind.  This 


19  To  preach  the  acceptable  year 
'  of  the  Lord. 

20  And  he  closed  the  book,  and 
he  gave  it  again  to  the  minister, 
and  sat  down.  And  the  eyes  of  all 
them  that  were  in  the  synagogue 
were  fastened  on  him. 

21  And  he  began  to  say  unto 
them.  This  day  is  this  scripture 
fulfilled  in  your  ears. 

Isa.  42.  3.    Matt.  12.20. 
e  Isa.  61.  2;  63.4. 

was  often  literally  fulfilled.  Matt.  xi. 
5.  John  ix.  11.  Matt.  ix.  30,  etc.  1[  To 

set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised.  The 
word  bruised.,  here,  evidently  has  the 
same  general  signification  as  broken- 
hearted or  the  contrite.  It  means  those 
who  are  pressed  down  hy  great  calam- 
ity, or  whose  hearts  are  pressed  or 
bruised  by  the  consciousness  of  sin. 
To  set  them  at  liberty  is  the  same  as 
to  free  them  from  this  pressure,  or  to 
give  them  consolation. 

19.  To  preach  the  acceptable  year  of 
the  Lord.  The  time  when  God  is  will- 
ing to  accept  of  men,  or  to  receive  sin- 
ners coming  to  him.  The  Gospel  as- 
sures us  that  the  guilty  may  return, 
and  that  God  will  graciously  receive 
them.  There  is,  perhaps,  here,  an  al- 
lusion to  the  year  of  Jubilee — the  fif- 
tieth year,  when  the  trumpet  was 
blown,  and  through  the  whole  land 
proclamation  was  made  of  the  liberty 
of  Hebrew  slaves,  of  the  remission  of 
debts,  and  of  the  restoration  of  pos- 
sessions to  their  original  families. 
Lev.  XXV.  8-13.  The  phrase  "the  ac- 
ceptable year"  means  the  time  when 
it  would  be  acceptable  to  God  to  pro- 
claim such  a  message,  or  agreeable  to 
him — to  wit,  under  the  Gospel. 

20.  And  he  closed  the  book.  That  is, 
he  rolled  it  up  again.  See  Notes  on 
verse  17.  If  And  he  gave  it  again  to  the 
minister.  That  is,  to  the  one  in  the 
synagogue  who  had  charge  of  the 
books.  The  word  means  servant,  and 
the  office  was  not  much  unlike  that 
of  a  sexton  now.  It  was  his  duty, 
among  other  things,  to  take  charge 
of  the  books,  to  hand  them  to  the 
reader  of  the  law,  and  then  return 
them  to  their  place.  If  And  sat  down. 
This  was  usual  in  speaking  in  their 
synagogues.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  1. 
^  Were  fastened  on  him.  Were  intently 
fixed  on  him,  waiting  to  see  what  ex- 
planation he  would  give  of  the  words. 


44 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  28. 


22  And  all  bare  Mm  witness,  and 
wondered  at  the  gracious  "  words 
which  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth. 
And  they  said,  Is  ^  not  this  Jo- 
seph's son? 

23  And  he  said  unto  them.  Ye 
will  surely  say  unto  me  this  prov- 
erb. Physician,  heal  thyself:  what- 

a  Psa.  45.  2.  Isa.  50. 4.  Matt.  13.  54.  Mar.  6.  2.  c.  2. 47. 
b  Jno.  6. 42. 


21.  This  scripture.  This  writing^  or 
this  part  of  the  Scriptures.  H  Ful- 
filled. It  is  coming  to  pass ;  the  thing 
originally  intended  by  it  is  about  to  be 
accomplished.  ^  In  your  ears.  In  your 
hear'my ;  or  you  hcar^  in  my  preach- 
ing, the  fulfillment  of  this  prophecy. 
It  is  probable  that  he  said  mucli  more 
than  is  here  recorded,  but  Luke  has 
preserved  only  the  substance  of  his  dis- 
course. This  was  the  amount  or  sum 
of  his  sermon,  or  his  explanation  of 
the  passage,  that  it  was  now  receiving 
its  accomplishment. 

22.  All  bare  him  witness.  All  were 
witnesses  of  the  power  and  truth  of 
what  he  said.  Their  reason  and  con- 
science approved  of  it,  and  they  were 
constrained  to  admit  the  force  and 
propriety  of  it,  and  on  this  account 
they  wondered.  T[  Theij  wondered. 
They  were  struck  with  the  truth  and 
force  of  his  words ;  and  especially 
when  they  remembered  that  he  was 
a  native  of  their  own  place,  and  that 
they  had  been  long  acquainted  with 
him,  and  that  he  should  now  claim  to 
be  the  Messiah,  and  give  so  much  evi- 
dence that  he  was  the  Christ.  ^  The 
(jracious  words.  The  words  of  grace  or 
favor ;  the  kind,  affectionate,  and  ten- 
der exposition  of  tlie  words,  and  ex- 
planation of  the  design  of  his  coming, 
and  the  nature  of  the  plan  of  redemp- 
tion. It  was  so  diff'erent  from  the 
harsh  and  unfeeling  mode  of  the  Phar- 
isees; so  different  from  all  their  ex- 
pectations respecting  the  Messiah, 
who  they  supposed  was  to  be  a  prince 
and  a  bloody  conqueror,  that  they 
were  filled  with  astonishment  and 
awe. 

23.  Physician^  heal  thyself.  This 
proverb  was  probably  in  common  use 
at  tliat  time.  The  meaning  is  this : 
Suppose  that  a  man  should  attempt 
to  heal  another  when  he  was  himself 
diseased  in  the  same  manner;  it  would 
be  natural  to  ask  him^ns^  to  cure  him- 
self, and  thus  to  render  it  manifest 


soever  we  have  heard  done  in 
Capernaum,  *  do  also  here  in  thy 
country. 

24  And  he  said.  Verily  I  say  unto 
you.  No  ^  prophet  is  accepted  in 
his  own  country. 

25  But  I  tell  you  of  a  truth.  Many 
^  widows  were  in  Israel  in  the  days 

c  Matt.  4. 13;  11.  23,  etc. 

ci  Matt.  13.  57.  Jno.  4. 44.  cl  Kin.  17.  9. 

that  he  was  w^orthy  of  confidence. 
The  connection  of  this  proverb,  here, 
is  this:  "You  profess  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah. You  have  wrought  miracles  at 
Capernaum.  You  profess  to  be  able 
to  deliver  us  from  our  maladies,  our 
sins,  our  afflictions.  Show  that  you 
have  the  power,  that  you  are  worthy 
of  our  confidence,  by  working  mira- 
cles here^  as  you  profess  to  have  done 
at  Capernaum."  It  does  not  refer, 
therefore,  to  any  purification  of  his 
own,  or  imply  any  reflection  on  him 
for  setting  up  to  teach  them.  It  was 
only,  a  demand  that  he  would  show 
the  proper  evidence  by  miracles  why 
they  should  trust  in  him,  and  he  pro- 
ceeds to  show  them  why  he  would 
not  give  them  this  evidence.  What- 
soever we  have  heard  done.  Whatsoever 
we  have  heard  that  thou  hast  done. 
It  would  seem,  from  this,  tliat  Christ 
had  before  this  wrought  miracles  in 
Capernaum,  though  the  evangelist  has 
not  recorded  them.  ^  In  Capernaum. 
Capernaum  was  on  the  northwest  cor- 
ner of  the  Sea  of  Tiberias,  and  was  not 
far  from  Nazareth.  It  is  not  improb- 
able that  some  of  those  who  then  heard 
him  might  have  been  present  and  wit- 
nessed some  of  his  miracles  at  Caper- 
naum.   See  Notes  on  Matt.  iv.  13. 

24.  No  prophet  is  accepted.  Has  lien- 
or, or  is  acknowledged  as  a  prophet. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xiii.  57. 

25.  Of  a  truth.  Truly,  and  therefore 
worthy  of  your  credit.  He  calls  at- 
tention to  •two  cases  where  ack^ioiol- 
edged  prophets  had  so  little  honor  in 
their  own  nation  that  they  bestowed 
their  favors  on  foreigners.  So,  says 
he,  such  is  the  want  of  faith  in  my 
own  country,  that  I  shall  work  no 
miracles  here,  but  shall  give  the  evi- 
dence of  my  divine  mission  to  others. 
T[  In  Israel.  In  the  land  of  Israel,  or 
Judea.  It  was  therefore  the  more  re- 
markable, since  there  were  so  many  iu 
his  own  countiy  whom  he  might  have 
helped,  that  the  prophet  should  have 


A.D.  28.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


45 


of  Elias,  when  tlie  lieaven  was  sliut 
up  ^  three  years  and  six  months, 
when  great  famine  was  through- 
out all  the  land ; 

26  But  unto  none  of  them  was 
Elias  sent,  save  unto  Sarepta,  a  city 
of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that  was 
a  widow. 

27  And  *  many  lepers  were  in 

a  James  5. 17. 


gone  to  a  heathen  city  and  aided  a 
poor  widow  there.  If  The  days  of 
Mias.  The  days  of  Elijah.  See  the 
account  of  this  in  1  Kings  xvii.  8-24. 

Three  years  and  six  moyiths.  From 
1  Kings  xviii.'l,  45,  it  would  seem  that 
the  rain  fell  on  the  third  year — that  is, 
at  the  end  of  the  third  year  after  the 
rain  had  ceased  to  fall  at  the  usual 
time.  There  were  two  seasons  of  the 
year  when  rains  fell  in  Judea — in  Oc- 
tober and  April,  called  the  early  and 
latter  rain ;  consequently  there  was  an 
interval  between  them  of  six  months. 
To  the  three  years,  therefore,  when 
rain  was  withheld  at  the  usual  times,  are 
to  be  added  the  previous  six  months, 
when  tto  rain  fell  as  a  matter  of  course, 
and  consequently  three  years  a?id  six 
mo7iths  elapsed  without  rain.  ^  A 
great  famine.  A  great  want  of  food, 
from  long-continued  and  distressing 
drought. 

26.  Save  unto  Sarepta.  Sarepta  was 
a  town  between  Tyre  and  Sidon,  near 
the  Mediterranean  Sea.  It  was  not  a 
Jewish  city,  butpi  Sidonian,  and  there- 
fore a  Ge7itile  town.  The  word  ' '  save' ' 
in  this  verse  does  not  express  the 
meaning  of  the  original.  It  would 
seem  to  imply  that  the  city  was  Jew- 
ish. The  meaning  of  the  verse  is  this : 
"He  was  sent  to  none  of  the  widows 
in  Israel.  He  was  not  sent  except  to 
Sarepta,  to  a  woman  that  was  a  Sido- 
nian.'''' Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and 
the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  232-236)  regards 
Sarepta  as  the  modern  Sarafend.  He 
says  that  the  ruins  have  been  frequent- 
ly dug  over  for  stone  to  build  the  bar- 
racks at  Beirout,  and  that  the  broken 
columns,  marble  slabs,  sarcophagi,  and 
other  ruins  indicate  that  it  was  once 
a  flourishing  city.J||^  large  town  was 
built  there  in  the  time^of  the  Crusades. 
The  cut  on  the  following  page  will  il- 
lustrate the  present  appearance  of  Sa- 
repta, or  Sarafend. 

27.  Many  lepers.  For  an  account  of 


Israel  in  the  time  of  Eliseus  the 
prophet,  and  none  of  them  was 
cleansed  saving  Naaman  the  Syr- 
ian. 

28  And  all  they  in  the  syna- 
gogue, when  they  heard  these 
things,  were  filled  with  wrath, 

29  And  rose  up,  and  thrust  him 
out  of  the  city,  and  led  him  unto 

h  2  Kin.  6. 14. 


the  leprosy,  see  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  1. 
H  Time  of  Eliseus.  Time  of  Elisha. 
The  word  Eliseus  is  the  Greek  way  of 
writing  the  word  Elisha,  as  Elias  is  of 
Elijah.  H  Saving  Naaman  the  Syrian. 
The  account  of  his  cure  is  contained 
in  2  Kings  v. 

28.  Filled  ivith  wrath.  They  were 
enraged,  probably,  for  the  following 
reasons  :  1st.  They  saw  that  the  cases 
applied  to  themselves,  because  they 
would  not  receive  the  miraculous  ev- 
idences of  his  mission.  2d.  That  he 
would  direct  his  attention  to  others, 
and  not  to  them.  3d.  That  the  Gen- 
tiles were  objects  of  compassion  with 
God,  and  that  God  often  showed  more 
favor  to  a  single  Gentile  than  to  mul- 
titudes of  Jews  in  the  same  circum- 
stances. 4th.  That  they  might  be  worse 
than  the  Gentiles.  And,  5th.  That  it 
was  a  part  of  his  design  to  preach  the 
Gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  and  not  con- 
fine his  labors  to  them  only.  On  these 
accounts  their  favor  was  soon  turned 
to  wrath,  and  the  whole  transaction 
shows  us — 1st.  That  popular  applause 
is  of  little  value.  2d.  That  the  slight- 
est circumstances  may  soon  turn  the 
warmest  professed  friendship  to  ha- 
tred. And,  3d.  That  men  are  exceed- 
ingly unreasonable  in  being  unwilling 
to  hear  the  truth  and  profit  by  it. 

29.  The  brow  of  the  hill  whereon,  etc. 
The  region  in  which  Nazareth  was  is 
hilly,  though  Nazareth  was  situated 
between  two  hills,  or  in  a  vale  among 
mountains.  The  place  to  which  they 
led  the  Saviour  is  still  shown,  and  is 
called  the  Ifount  of  Precipitation.  It 
is  at  a  short  distance  to  the  south  of 
Nazareth.  See  Notes  on  Matthew  ii. 
23.  ^  Cast  him  down.  This  was  the 
eflfect  of  a  popular  tumult.  They  had 
no  legal  right  to  take  life  on  any  oc- 
casion, and  least  of  all  in  this  furious 
and  irregular  manner.  The  whole 
transaction  shows — 1st.  That  the  char- 
acter given  of  the  Galileans  elsewhere 


A.D.  28.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


47 


the  brow  ^  of  tlie  liill  whereon  their 
city  was  built,  that  they  might  cast 
him  down  *  headlong. 

30  But  he,  passing  ^  through  the 
midst  of  them,  went  his  way, 

31  And  came  down  to  Caper- 
naum, a  city  of  Galilee,  and  taught 
them  on  the  sabbath-days. 

32  And  they  were  astonished  at 
his  doctrine ;  for  his  word  was 
with  power. 

33  And  in  the  synagogue  there 
was  a  man  which  had  a  spirit  of 
an  unclean  devil,  and  cried  out 
with  a  loud  voice, 

34  Saying,  ^  Let  us  alone ;  what  * 
have  we  to  do  with  thee,  thou  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou  come  to  de- 
stroy us?  I know  thee  who  thou 
art ;  the  s  Holy  One  of  God. 

35  And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  say- 
ing. Hold  thy  peace,  and  come  out 
of  him.  And  when  the  devil  had 
thrown  him  in  the  midst,  he  came 
out  of  him,  and  hurt  him  not. 

36  And  they  were  all  amazed, 
and  spake  among  themselves,  say- 
ing, What  a  word  is  this  !  for  with 
authority  and  power  he  command- 
eth  the  unclean  spirits,  and  ^  they 
come  out. 

37  And  the  faifle  of  him  went 
out  into  every  place  of  the  coun- 
try round  about. 

1  or,  edge.     a  Psa.  37. 14, 32, 33.     b  Jno.  8.  59  ;  10. 39. 
cJer.  23.  29.  Matt.  7.  28,  29.  Tit.  2. 15.  Heb.4. 12. 
cl  Mar.  1.  23.      2  or,  away.      e  Jas.  2. 19.     /  ver.  41. 
<7Psa.  16. 10.  Dan.  9.  24.  c.  1.35.  Acts  3.  14. 

as  being  peculiarly  wicked  was  a  just 
one.  2d.  To  what  extremities  the  wick- 
edness of  the  heart  will  lead  men  when 
it  is  acted  out.  And,  3d.  That  men  are 
opposed  to  the  truth,  and  that  they 
would  do  any  thing^  if  not  restrained, 
to  manifest  their  opposition. 

30.  Passing  through  the  midst  of  them., 
icent  his  way.  This  escape  was  very 
remarkable.  It  is  remarkable  that  he 
should  escape  out  of  their  hands  when 
their  very  object  was  to  <lestroy  him, 
and  that  he  should  escape  in  so  peace- 
ful a  manner,  without  violence  or  con- 
flict. A  similar  case  is  recorded  in 
John  viii.  59.  There  are  but  two  ways 
of  accounting  for  this :  1st.  That  other 


38  And  he  arose  out  of  the 
synagogue,  and  entered  into  Si- 
mon's house.  And '  Simon's  wife's 
mother  was  taken  with  a  great 
fever ;  and  they  besought  him  for 
her. 

39  And  he  stood  over  her,  and 
rebuked  the  fever,  and  it  left  her ; 
and  immediately  she  arose  and 
ministered  unto  them. 

40  Now  when  the  sun  was  set- 
ting, all  they  that  had  any  sick 
with  divers  diseases  brought  them 
unto  him  ;  and  he  laid  his  hands 
on  every  one  of  them,  and  healed 
them. 

41  And  devils  also  came  out  of 
many,  crying  out,  and  saying.  Thou 
art  Christ  the  Son  of  God.  And 
he,  rebuking  them.,  suffered  them 
not  2  to  speak ;  for  they  knew  that 
he  was  Christ. 

42  And  when  it  was  day,  he  de- 
parted, and  went  into  a  desert 
place :  and  the  people  sought  him, 
and  came  unto  him,  and  stayed 
him,  that  he  should  not  dejjart 
from  them. 

43  And  he  said  unto  them,  I 
must  preach  the  kingdom  of  God 
to  other  cities  also ;  for  therefore-^' 
am  I  sent. 

44  And  he  preached  in  the  syn- 
agogues of  Galilee. 

k  1  Pet.  3.  22.         i  Matt.  8. 14,  etc.  Mar.  1.  29,  etc. 

3  or,  to  say  that  they  knew  him  to  be  Christ, 
j  Mar.  1.38. 


JVazareneSy  who  had  not  been  present 
in  the  synagogue,  heard  what  was  do- 
ing and  came  to  rescue  him,  and  in 
the  contest  that  rose  between  the  two 
parties  Jesus  silently  escaped.  2d. 
More  probably  that  Jesus  by  divine 
power,  by  the  force  of  a  word  or  look, 
stilled  their  passions,  arrested  their 
purposes,  and  passed  silently  through 
them.  That  he  had  such  a  power  over 
the  spirits  of  men  we  learn  from  the 
occurrence  in  Gethsemane,  when  he 
said,  "I  am  he,  and  they  went  back- 
ward and  fell  to  the  ground."  John 
xviii.  6. 

31-44.  See  this  explained  in  the 
Notes  on  Mark  i.  21-39.  , 


48 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


CHAPTER  V. 

AND  "  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as 
the  people  pressed  upon  him 
to  hear  the  word  of  God,  he  stood 
by  the  lake  of  Gemiesaret, 
2  And  saw  two  ships  standing 

a  Matt.  4. 18,  etc.   Mar.  1. 16,  etc. 

CHAPTER  V. 
1.  The  people  py^essed  upon  Mm.  Mul- 
titudes came  to  hear.  There  were 
times  in  the  life  of  our  Saviour  when 
thousands  were  anxious  to  hear  him, 
and  when  many,  as  we  have  no  reason 
to  doubt,  became  his  true  followers. 
Indeed,  it  is  not  possible  to  tell  what 
might  have  been  his  success,  had  not 
the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  and  those 
wlio  were  in  ofl3.ce,  opposed  him,  and 
taken  measures  to  draw  the  people 
away  from  liis  ministry ;  for  the  com- 
mo7i people  heard  Jiim  gladly.  Mark  xii. 
37.  H  The  Lake  of  Oemiesaret.  Called 
also  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  the  Sea  of 
Tiberias.  "Gennesaret  was  the  more 
ancient  name  of  the  lake,  taken  from 
a  small  territory  or  plain  of  tliat  name 
on  its  western  borders.  See  Num. 
xxxiv.  11.  Josh.  xix.  35,  where,  after 
the  Hebrew  orthography,  it  is  called 
Chinnereth." — Oweyi.  The  plain  ly- 
ing between  Capernaum  and  Tiberias 
is  said  by  Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and 
the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  536)  to  be  a  little 
longer  than  thirty,  and  not  quite  twen- 
t}^  furlongs  in  breadth.  It  is  described 
by  Josephus  as  being,  in  his  time,  uni- 
versally fertile.  "Its  nature  is  won- 
derful as  well  as  its  beauty.  Its  soil 
is  so  fruitful  that  all  sorts  of  trees  can 
grow  upon  it,  and  the  inhabitants  ac- 
cordingly plant  all  sorts  of  trees  there ; 
for  the  temperature  of  the  air  is  so 
well  mixed  that  it  agrees  very  well 
with  those  several  sorts  ;  particularly 
walnuts,  which  require  the  coldest  air, 
flourish  there  in  vast  plenty.  One 
may  call  this  the  ambition  of  Nature 
where  it  forces  those  plants  which  are 
naturally  enemies  to  one  another  to 
agree  together.  It  is  a  happy  con- 
junction of  the  seasons,  as  if  every 
one  laid  claim  to  this  country ;  for  it 
not  only  nourishes  difl[erent  sorts  of 
autumnal  fruits  beyond  men's  expect- 
ations, but  preserves  them  a  great 
while.  It  supplies  men  with  the  prin- 
cipal fruits  ;  with  grapes  and  ligs  con- 
tinually during  ton  months  of  the  year, 
and  the  rest  of  the  fruits,  as  they  be- 
come ripe,  through  the  whole  year;  | 


by  the  lake ;  but  the  fishermen 
were  gone  out  of  them,  and  were 
washing  their  nets. 

3  And  he  entered  into  one  of 
the  ships,  which  was  Simon's,  and 
prayed  him  that  he  would  thrust 


for,  besides  the  good  temperature  of 
the  air,  it  is  also  watered  from  a  most 
fertile  fountain."  Dr.  Thomson  de- 
scribes it  now  as  "pre-eminently  fruit- 
ful in  thorns."  This  was  the  region 
of  the  early  toils  of  our  Redeemer. 
Here  he  performed  some  of  his  first 
and  most  amazing  miracles ;  here  he 
selected  his  disciples;  and  here,  on 
the  shores  of  this  little  and  retired 
lake,  among  people  of  povert}^  and  in- 
ured to  the  privations  of  fishermen, 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  religion 
which  is  yet  to  spread  through  all  the 
world,  and  which  has  already  blessed 
millions  of  guilty  and  miserable  men, 
and  translated  them  to  heaven. 

2.  Two  ships.  The  ships  used  on  so 
small  a  lake  were  probably  no  more 
than  fishing-boats  without  decks,  and 
easily  drawn  up  on  the  beach.  Jose- 
phus says  there  were  two  hundred  and 
thirty  of  them  on  the  lake,  attended 
by  four  or  five  men  each.  That  they 
were  small  is  also  clear  from  the  ac- 
count commonly  given  of  them.  A 
single  large  draught  of  fishes  endan- 
gered them  and  came  near  sinking 
them.  ^  Standing  by  the  lake.  An- 
chored by  the  lake,  or  drawn  up  upon 
the  beach. 

3.  WhicJi  was  Simooi^s.  Simon  Pe- 
ter's. ^Prayedhim.  Asked  him.  ^He 
sat  dow7i.  This  was  the  common  pos- 
ture of  Jewish  teachers.  They  seldom 
or  never  spoke  to  the  people  standmg. 
Compare  Matt.  v.  1.  It  may  be  some- 
what diflftcult  to  conceive  why  Jesus 
should  go  into  a  boat  and  put  oflT  from 
the  shore  in  order  to  speak  to  the 
multitude ;  but  it  is  probable  that 
this  was  a  small  bay  or  cove,  and  that 
when  he  was  in  the  boat,  the  people 
on  the  shore  stood  round  him  in  the 
form  of  an  amphitheatre.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  the  lake  was  still; 
that  scarcely  a  breeze  passed  over  it ; 
that  all  was  silence  on  the  shore,  and 
that  there  was  nothing  to  disturb  his 
voice.  In  such  a  situation  he  could 
be  heard  by  multitudes ;  and  no  spec- 
tacle could  be  more  sublime  than  that 
of  the  Son  of  God — the  Redeemer  of 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  v.. 


49 


out  a  little  from  the  land.  And  he 
sat  down,  and  taught  the  j)eople 
out  of  the  ship. 

4  Now  when  he  had  left  speak- 
ing, he  said  unto  Simon,  Launch 
out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down 
your  nets  for  a  draught. 

And  Simon,  answ^ering,  said 
unto  him,  Master,  we  have  toiled 

a  Jno.  21.  6. 


the  world— thus  speaking  from  the 
bosom  of  a  placid  lake — the  emblem 
of  the  peaceful  influence  of  his  own 
doctrines — to  the  poor,  the  ignorant, 
and  the  attentive  multitudes  assem- 
bled on  the  shore.  Oh  how  much  more 
effect  may  we  suppose  the  Gospel 
would  have  in  such  circumstances, 
than  when  proclaimed  among  the 
proud,  the  gay,  the  honored,  even 
when  assembled  in  the  most  splendid 
edifice  that  wealth  and  art  could  finish ! 

4.  Launch  out.  Go  out  with  your  ves- 
sels. 1[  Into  the  deep.  Into  the  sea ;  at 
a  distance  from  the  shore.  If  For  a 
draught.  A  draught  of  fish ;  or  let 
down  your  nets  for  the  taldng  of  fish. 

5.  blaster.  This  is  the  first  time  that 
the  word  here  translated  Master  oc- 
curs in  the  New  Testament,  and  it  is 
used  only  by  Luke.  The  other  evan- 
gelists call  him  Rabbi,  or  Lord.  The 
word  here  used  means  apre/ec^,  or  one 
IDlaced  over  others,  and  hence  it  comes 
to  mean  teacher  or  guide.  1[  At  thy 
word.  At  thy  command.  .  Though  it 
seemed  so  improbable  that  fhey  would 
take  any  thing  after  having  in  vain 
toiled  all  night,  yet  he  was  willing  to 
trust  the  word  of  Jesus  and  make  the 
trial.  This  was  a  remarkable  instance 
of  faith.  Peter,  as  it  appears,  knew 
little  then  of  Jesus.  He  was  not  then 
a  chosen  apostle.  J esus  came  to  these 
fishermen  almost  a  stranger  and  un- 
known, and  yet  at  his  command  Peter 
resolved  to  make  another  trial,  and  go 
once  more  out  into  the  deep.  Oh,  \iall 
would  as  readily  obey  him,  all  would 
be  in  like  manner  blessed.  If  sinners 
would  thus  obey  him,  they  would  find 
all  his  promises  sure.  He  never  dis- 
appoints. He  asks  only  that  we  have 
confidence  in  him,  and  he  will  give  to 
us  every  needful  blessing. 

6.  Their  net  brake.    Or  their  net  be- 
gan to  break,  or  was  about  to  break. 
This  is  all  that  is  implied  in  the  Greek 
word.    If  their  nets  had  actually  bro- 
il.—C 


all  the  night  and  have  taken  noth- 
ing ;  *  nevertheless,  at  thy  word  I 
will  let  down  the  net. 

6  And  when  they  had  this  done, 
they  inclosed  a  great  multitude  of 
fishes :  and  their  net  brake. 

7  And  they  beckoned  unto  their 
partners,  which  were  in  the  other 
ship,  that  they  should  come  and 

6  Psa.  127. 1,2.  Ezek.37. 11,12.   cEcc.  11.6.  Gal.  6. 9. 

ken^  as  our  English  word  ^eems  to  sup- 
pose, the  fish  would  have  escaped ;  but 
no  more  is  meant  than  that  there  was 
such  a  multitude  of  fishes  that  their 
net  was  on  the  point  of  being  rent 
asunder. 

7.  They  beckoiied.  They  gave  signs. 
Perhaps  they  were  at  a  considerable 
distance,  so  that  they  could  not  be 
easily  heard.  Their  partners.  James 
and  John.  See  verse  10.  The  follow- 
ing remarks  of  J)r.  Thomson  (The 
Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  ii.,  p.  80,  81) 
will  furnish  a  good  illustration  of  this 
passage.  After  describing  the  mode 
of  fishing  with  the  "hand-net"  and  the 
"  drag-net,"  he  adds :  "Again,  there  is 
the  bag-net  and  basket-net,  of  various 
kinds,  which  are  so  constructed  and 
worked  as  to  inclose  the  fish  out  in 
deep  water.  I  have  seen  them  of  al- 
most every  conceivable  size  and  pat- 
tern. It  Avas  with  some  one  of  this 
sort,  I  suppose,  that  Simon  had  toiled 
all  night  without  catching  any  thing, 
but  which,  when  let  down  at  the  com- 
mand of  Jesus,  inclosed  so  great  a 
multitude  that  the  net  brake,  and 
they  filled  two  ships  witl^the  fish  un- 
til they  began  to  sink.  Peter  here 
speaks  of  toiling  all  night ;  and  there 
are  certain  kinds  of  fishing  always 
carried  on  at  night.  It  is  a  beautiful 
sight.  With  blazing  torch  the  boat 
glides  over  the  flashing  sea,  and  the 
men  stand  gazing  keenly  into  it  until 
their  prey  is  sighted,  when,  quick  as 
lightning,  they  fling  their  net  or  fly 
their  spear;  and  often  you  see  the 
tired  fishermen  come  sullenly  into 
harbor  in  the  morning,  having  toiled 
all  night  in  vain.  Indeed,  every  kind 
of  fishing  is  uncertain.  A  dozen  times 
the  angler  jerks  out  a  naked  hook ; 
the  hand-net  closes  down  on  nothing; 
the  drag-net  brings  in  only  we#ds ;  the 
bag  comes  up  empty.  And  then,  again, 
every  throw  is  successful — every  net 
is  full ;  and  frequently  without  any 


50 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


help  "  tliem.  And  they  came,  and 
filled  both  the  ships,  so  that  they 
began  to  sink. 

8  When  Simon  Peter  saw  it^  he 
fell  down  *  at  Jesus'  knees,  saying. 
Depart  from  me ;  for  I  am  a  sin- 
ful man,  O  Lord. 

9  For  he  was  astonished,  and 
all  that  were  with  him,  at  the 
draught  of  the  fishes  ^  which  they 
had  taken ; 

10  And  so  wa8  also  James  and 
John,  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  which 
were  partners  with  Simon.  And 
Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not ; 
from  henceforth  thou  shalt  catch 
men. 

11  And  when  they  had  brought 
their  ships  to  land,  they  forsook'^ 
all  and  followed  him. 

a  Ex.  23.5.    Gal.  6.  2.    Pi^v.  18.24. 

iJudelS.  22.    2  Sain.  6.  9.    1  Kings  17. 18,    Isa.  6.  5. 

cPsa.8.6,8.  Matt.  4.  20;  19.  27.  Phil.  3.  7,8. 


other  apparent  reason  than  that  of 
throwing  it  on  the  right  side  of  the 
ship  instead  of  tlie  left,  as  it  liappened 
to  the  disciples  here  at  Tiberias." 

8.  Wlien  /Simon  Peter  saw  it.  Saw  the 
great  amount  of  fishes ;  the  remarka- 
ble success  of  letting  down  the  net. 
^  Ife  fell  down  at  Jesun's  knees.  This 
was  a  common  posture  of  suj^plication. 
He  had  no  doubt  now  of  the  power 
and  knowledge  of  Jesus.  In  amaze- 
ment, wonder,  and  gratitude,  and  not 
doubting  that  he  was  in  the  presence 
of  .some  dif  ine  being,  he  prostrated 
himself  to  the  earth,  trembling  and 
afraid.  So  should  sinful  men  always 
throw  themselves  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
at  the  proofs  of  his  power;  so  should 
they  humble  themselves  before  him 
at  the  manifestations  of  his  goodness. 
^  Depart  from,  me.  This  is  an  expres- 
sion of  Peter's  humility,  and  of  his 
consciousness  of  his  unworthiness. 
It  was  not  from  want  of  love  to  Je- 
sus ;  it  did  not  show  that  he  would 
not  be  pleased  with  his  favor  and 
presence ;  but  it  was  the  result  of  be- 
ing convinced  that  Jesus  was  a  mes- 
senger from  God — a  high  and  holy  be- 
ing; and  he  felt  that  he  was  unworthy 
to  be  ill  his  presence.  In  his  deep 
consciousness  of  sin,  therefore,  he  re- 
quested that  Jesus  would  depart  from 
him  and  liis  little  vessel.  Peter's  feel- 


12  And  ^  it  came  to  pass,  when 
he  was  in  a  certain  city,  behold,  a 
man  full  of  leprosy;  who,  seeing 
Jesus,  fell  on  his  face,  and  besought 
him,  saying.  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou 
canst  make  me  clean. 

13  And  he  put  forth  Ms  hand, 
and  touched  him,  saying,  I  will ; 
be  f  thou  clean.  And  immedi- 
ately the  leprosy  departed  from 
him. 

14  And  he  charged  him  to  tell 
no  man ;  but  go  and  show  thyself 
to  the  priest,  and  ofi'er  for  thy 
cleansing,  according  as  Moses  com- 
manded, 9  for  a  testimony  unto 
them. 

15  But  so  much  the  more  went 
there  a  fame  abroad  of  him :  and 
great  multitudes  came  together,  to 

e  Matt.  8.  2,  etc.    Mar.  1. 40,  etc. 

/  2  Kin.  5. 10, 14.  (7  Lev.  14. 4,  etc. 

h  Matt.  4.  25.    Mar.  3.  7.    Jno.  6.  2. 


ing  was  not  unnatural,  though  it  w^as 
not  proper  to  request  Jesus  to  leave 
him.  It  was  an  involuntary,  sudden 
request,  and  arose  from  ignorance  of 
the  character  of  Jesus.  We  are  not 
worthy  to  be  with  him,  to  be  reckon- 
ed among  his  friends,  or  to  dwell  in 
heaven  with  him ;  but  he  came  to  seek 
tlie  lost  and  to  save  the  impure.  He. 
graciously  condescends  to  dwell  with 
those  who. are  humble  and  contrite, 
though  they  are  conscious  that  they 
are  not  worthy  of  his  presence ;  and 
we  may  therefore  come  boldly  to  him, 
and  ask  him  to  receive  us  to  his  home 
— to  an  eternal  dwelling  with  him  in 
the  heavens. 

10.  Fear  not.  He  calmed  their  fears. 
With  mildness  and  tenderness  he  still- 
ed all  their,  troubled  feelings,  and  to 
their  surprise  announced  that  hence- 
forward they  sliould  be  appointed  as 
heralds  of  salvation.  1[  From  hence- 
forth. Hereafter.  ^  Shalt  catch  men. 
Thou  Shalt  be  a  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  thy  business  shall  be  to  win 
men  to  the  truth  that  tliey  may  be 
saved. 

11.  Forsook  all.  It  was  not  much 
that  they  left — a  couple  of  small  boats 
and  their  nets  ;  but  it  was  all  they 
had,  even  all  their  living.  But  this 
showed  their  love  of  Jesus,  and  their 
willingness  to  deny  themselves,  as 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


51 


hear,  and  to  be  healed  by  him  of 
their  infirmities. 

16  And  he  withdrew  himself 
into  the  wilderness  and  prayed. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass  on  a  cer- 
tain day,  as  he  was  teaching,  that  * 
there  were  Pharisees  and  doctors 
of  the  law  sitting  by,  which  were 
come  out  of  every  town  of  Galilee, 
and  Judea,  and  Jerusalem;  and 
the  power  of  the  Lord  was  present 
to  heal  them. 

18  And,  behold,  men  brought  in 
a  bed  a  man  which  was  taken  with 
a  palsy ;  and  they  sought  means  to 
bring  him  in,  and  to  lay  Mm  be- 
fore him. 

19  And  when  they  could  not  find 
by  what  way  they  might  bring  him 
in  because  of  the  multitude,  they 
went  upon  the  house-top,  and  let 
him  down  through  the  tiling,  with 
Ms  couch,  into  the  midst  before 
Jesus. 

20  And  w^hen  he  saw  their  faith, 
he  said  unto  him,  Man,  thy  sins 
are  forgiven  thee. 

21  Ajii  the  scribes  and  the  Phar- 
isees lflPaili0  reason,  saying.  Who 
is  this  wliicn  speaketh  blasphe- 
mies ?  Who  can  forgive  ^  sins  but 
God  alone  ? 

22  But  when  Jesus  perceived 

a  Matt.  14.  23.  Mar.  6. 46.  h  Jno.  3.  21. 

c  Matt.  9.  2,  etc.  Mar.  2.  3,  etc. 

d  Psa.  32.  6 ;  103.  3  ;  130. 4.   Isa.  1. 18  ;  43.  25. 


really  as  if  they  had  forsaken  palaces 
and  gold.  All  that  Jesus  asks  is  that 
we  should  leave  all  we  have  for  him ; 
that  we  should  love  him  more  than  we 
do  whatever  friends  or  property  we 
may  possess,  and  be  willing  to  give 
them  all  up  when  he  requires  it. 

12-16.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  2-4. 

17-26.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  ix.  1-7. 

17.  On  a  certain  day.  The  time  and 
place  are  not  particularly  mentioned 
here,  but  from  Matt.  ix.  1,  it  seems  it 
was  at  Capernaum. 

19.  The  tiling.  Sec  Notes  on  Matt, 
ix.  1-7. 

27-32.  Sec  Notes  on  Matt.  ix.  9-13. 
29.  31ade  him  a  yreat  feast.  This  cir- 


their  thoughts,  he,  answering,  said 
unto  them.  What  reason  ye  in  your 
hearts  ? 

23  Whether  is  easier  to  say.  Thy 
sins  be  forgiven  thee,  or  to  say. 
Rise  up  and  walk  ? 

24  But  that  ye  may  know  that 
the  Son  of  man  hath  power  upon 
earth  to  forgive  sins  (he  said  unto 
the  sick  of  the  palsy),  I  say  unto 
thee.  Arise,  and '  take  up  thy  couch, 
and  go  unto  thine  house. 

25  And  immediately  he  rose  up 
before  them,  and  took  up  that 
whereon  he  lay,  and  departed  to 
his  own  house,  glorifying  God. 

26  And  they  were  all  amazed, 
and-^  they  glorified  God,  and  ^  were 
filled  with  fear,  saying,  We  have 
seen  strange  things  to-day. 

27  And  *  after  these  things  he 
went  forth,  and  saw  a  publican, 
named  Levi,  sitting  at  the  receipt 
of  custom :  and  he  said  unto  him, 
Follow  me. 

28  And  he  left  all,  rose  up,  and 
followed  him. 

29  And  Levi  made  him  a  great 
feast  in  his  own  house :  and  *  there 
was  a  great  company  of  publicans 
and  of  others  that  sat  down  with 
them. 

30  But  their  scribes  and  Phari- 

c  Jno  5.8,12.  /Acts  4.  21.  Gal.  1.24. 

^  ver.  8.  h  Matt.  9. 9,  etc.  Mar.  2. 13. 

i  c.  15.  l,etc. 


cumstance  Matthew^  or  im,  as  he  is 
here  called,  has  omitted  in  his  own 
gospel.  This  fact  shows  how  little 
inclined  the  evangelists  are  to  say 
any  thing  in  favor  of  themselves  or  to 
praise  themselves.  True  religion  does 
not  seek  to  commend  itself,  or  to  speak 
of  what  it  does,  even  when  it  is  done 
for  the  Son  of  God.  It  seeks  retircr 
ment ;  it  d?ilights  rather  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  doing  well  than  in  its 
being  known ;  and  it  leaves  its  good 
deeds  to  be  spoken  of,  if  spoken  of  at 
all,  by  others.  This  is  agreeable  to 
the  direction  of  Solomon  (Prov.  xxvii. 
2) :  "Let  another  man  raise  thee,  and 
not  thine  own  mouth."  This  feast  was  . 
made  expressly  for  our  Lord,  and  was 


52 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


sees  murmured  against  his  disci- 
ples, saying,  Why  do  ye  eat  and 
drink  with  publicans  and  sin- 
ners ? 

31  And  Jesus,  answering,  said 
unto  them.  They  that  are  whole 
need  not  a  physician ;  «  but  they 
that  are  sick. 

32  I  came  not  to  call  the  right- 
eous, but  sinners  *  to  repentance. 

33  And  they  said  unto  him.  Why 
do  the  disciples  of  John  fast  often, 
and  make  prayers,  and  likewise 
the  disciples  of  the  Pharisees ;  but 
thine  eat  and  drink  ? 

34  And  he  said  unto  them,  Can 
ye  make  the  children  of  the  bride- 
chamber  fast  while  the  bridegroom 
is  with  them  ? 

35  But  the  days  will  come  when 
the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken 
away  from  them,  and  then  shall 
they  fast  in  those  days. 

a  Jer.  8.  22. 

6  Lu.  15.  7, 10.  1  Cor.  6. 9-11.  1  Tim.  1.15.  2  Pet.  3.%. 
c  c.  7.  34, 35.  d  Isa.  22.  m 

attended  by  many  publicans,  probably 
men  of  wicked  character ;  and  it  is 
not  improbable  that  Matthew  got 
them  together  for  the  purpose  of 
bringing  them  into  contact  with  our 
Lord  to  do  them  good.  Our  Saviour 
did  not  refuse  to  go,  and  to  go,  too,  at 
the  risk  of  being  accused  of  being  a 
gluttonous  man  and  a  wine-bibber,  a 
friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.  Matt, 
xi.  19.  But  his  motives  were  pure.  In 
the  thing  itself  there  was  no  harm.-  It 
afforded  an  opportunity  of  doing  good, 
and  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that 
the  opportunity  was  improved  by  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Happy  would  it  be  if  all 
the  great  feasts  that  are  made  were 
made  in  honor  of  our  Lord ;  happy  if 
he  would  be  a  welcome  guest  there ; 
and  happy  if  ministers  and  pious  peo- 
ple who  attend  them  demeaned  them- 
selves as  the  Lord  Jesus  did,  and  they 
were  always  made  the  means  of  ad- 
vancing his  kingdom.  But,  alas !  there 
are  few  places  where  our  Lord  would 
be  so  unwelcome  as  at  great  feasts,  and 
few  places  that  serve  so  much  to  ren- 
der the  mind  gross,  dissii)ated,  and  ir- 
religious. 

33-39.  See  this  passage  illustrated 
in  the  Notes  on  Matt.  ix.  14-17. 


36  And  ^  he  spake  also  a  parable 
unto  them :  No  man  putteth  a  piece 
of  a  new  garment  upon  an  old ;  if 
otherwise,  then  both  the  new  mak- 
eth  a  rent,  and  the  piece  that  was 
taken  out  of  the  new  agreeth  not 
f  with  the  old. 

37  And  no  man  putteth  new  wine 
into  old  bottles ;  else  the  new  wine 
will  burst  the  bottles  and  be  spill- 
ed, and  the  bottles  shall  perish. 

38  But  new  wine  must  be  put 
into  new  bottles,  and  both  are  pre- 
served. 

39  No  man,  also,  having  drunk 
old  ^^m^,  straightway  desireth  new; 
for  lie  saith,  The  old  ^  is  better. 

CHAPTER  YI. 

AND  ^  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
second  sabbath  after  the  first, 
that  he  went  through  the  corn- 
fields, and  his  disciples  plucked 

e  Matt.  9. 16, 17.  Mar.  2.  21 ,  22. 
/Lev.  19. 19.    Deut.  22. 11.    2  Cor.  6. 16. 
Jer.  6. 16.  A  Matt.  12. 1,  etc.  Mar.  2.  23,  etc. 

39.  Having  drimk  old  wine^  etc.  Wine 
increases  its  strength  and  flavor,  and 
its  mildness  and  mellownes|^y  age, 
and  the  old  is  therefM»  pHterable. 
They  who  had  tasted  <^h  mild  and 
mellow  wine  would  not  readily  drink 
the  comparatively  sour  and  astringent 
juice  of  the  grape  as  it  came  from  the 
press.  The  meaning  of  this  proverb 
in  this  place  seems  to  be  this :  You 
Pharisees  wish  to  draw  my  disciples 
to  the  austere  and  7^igid  duties  of  the 
ceremonial  law — to  lasting  and  pain- 
.ful  rites ;  but  they  have  come  under 
a  milder  system.  They  have  tasted 
the  gentle  and  tender  blessings  of  the 
Gospel ;  they  have  no  relish  for  your 
stern  and  harsh  requirements.  To 
insist  now  on  their  observing  them 
would  be  like  telling  a  man  who  had 
tasted  of  good,  ripe,  and  mild  wine 
to  partake  of  that  which  is  sour  and 
unpalatable.  At  the  proper  time  all 
the  sterner  duties  of  religion  will  be 
properly  regarded ;  but  at  present^  to 
teach  them  to  fast  when  they  see  wo 
occasion  for  it — when  they  are  full  of 
joy  at  the  presence  of  their  Master — 
would  be  like  initting  a  piece  of  new 
cloth  on  an  old  garment,  or  new  wine 
into  old  bottles,  or  drinking  unpleas- 


» 


A.D.  30.] 

the  ears  of  corn,  and  did  eat,  rub- 
bing tJiem  in  thei?'  hands. 

2  And  certain  of  the  Pharisees 
said  unto  them,  Why  do  ye  that 
which  "  is  not  lawful  to  do  on  the 
sabbath  days  ? 

3  And  Jesus  answering  them, 
said.  Have  ye  not  read  so  much 
as  this,  what  *  David  did  when 
himself  was  an  hungered,  and 
they  which  were  with  him ; 

4  How  he  went  into  the  house 
of  God,  and  did  take  and  eat  the 
shew-bread,  and  gave  also  to  them 
that  were  with  him;  which  it  is 
not  lawful  <^  to  eat,  but  for  the 
priests  alone  ? 

5  And  he  said  unto  them,  That 

a  Ex.  20. 10.   Isa.  58. 13.  6  1  Sam.  21.6. 

c  Lev.  24.  9. 

ant  wine  after  one  had  tasted  that 
which  was  pleasaiiter.  It  would  be 
ill-timed,  inappropriate,  and  incon- 
gruous. 

CHAPTER  VI. 
'   1-11.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  1-13. 

1.  Second  Sabbath  after  the  first.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  1.  This  i^hrase  has 
given  great  perplexity  to  commenta- 
tors. A  literal  translation  would  be, 
"on  the  Sabbatli  called  secoyid  first 
or  second  first  Sabbath.  Tlie  word 
occurs  nowhere  else.  It  is  therefore 
exceedingly  difficult  of  interpretation. 
Tlie  most  natural  and  easy  explana- 
tion is  that  proposed  by  Scaliger.  The 
second  daj^  of  tlie  Passover  was  a  great 
festival,  on  which  the  wave-sheaf  was 
off'ered.  Lev.  xxiii.  11.  From  that  daij 
they  reckoned  seven  weeks^  or  seven 
Sabbaths^  to  the  Day  of  Pentecost. 
The  first  Sabbath  after  that  second  day 
was  called  the  second  first,  or  the  first 
from  the  second  day  of  the  feast.  The 
second  Sabbath  was  called  the  second 
second,  or  the  second  Sabbath  from  the 
second  day  of  the  feast ;  the  third,  the 
tJiird  second,  etc.  This  day,  therefore, 
on  which  the  Saviour  went  through 
the  fields,  was  the  first  Sabbath  that 
occurred  after  the  second  day  of  the 
feast.  H  Mubbing  them  in  their  hands. 
The  word  com  here  means  wheat  or 
barley,  and  not  maize,  as  with  us. 
They  rubbed  it  in  their  hands  to  sepa- 
rate the  grain  from  the  chaff.  This  was 
common  and  allowable.  Dr.  Thomson 


53 

the  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the 
sabbath. 

6  And  ^  it  came  to  pass  also  on 
another  sabbath,  that  he  entered 
into  the  synagogue  and  taught; 
and  there  was  a  man  whose  right 
hand  was  withered. 

7  And  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
watched  him,  whether  he  would 
heal  on  the  sabbath  day,  ^  that  they 
might  find  an  accusation  against 
him. 

8  But  he  knew  their  thoughts,  ^ 
and  said  to  the  man  which  had 
the  withered  hand,  Rise  ^  up,  and 
stand  forth  in  the  midst.  And  he 
arose,  and  stood  forth. 

9  Tlien  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I 

Matt.  12. 10,  etc.    Mar.  3,1,  etc.    c.  13. 14;  14.  3. 
e  Jiio.  9. 16.       /  Job  42.  2.        g  Isa.  42. 4.   Lu.  14.  3. 

(The  Land  and  th^Book,  vol.  ii.,  p.  510, 
511)  says :  ".I  have  often  seen  my  mu- 
leteers, as  we  passed  along  the  wheat- 
fields,  pluck  off  ears,  rub  them  in  their 
hands,  and  eat  the  grains,  unroasted, 
just  as  the  apostles  are  said  to  have 
done.  This  also  is  allowable.  The 
Pharisees  did  not  object  to  the  thing 
itself,  only  to  the  time  when  it  was 
done.  They  said  it  was  not  lawful  to 
do  this  on  the  Sabbath  day.  It  was 
work  forbidden  by  those  who,  through 
their  traditions,  had  made  man  for  the 
Sabbath,  not  the  Sabbath  for  man." 
So  Professor  Hackett  (Illustrations 
of  Scripture,  p.  176,  177)  says:  "The 
incident  of  plucking  the  ears  of  wheat, 
rubbing  out  the  kernels  in  their  hands, 
and  eating  them  (Luke  vi.  1),  is  one 
which  the  traveler  sees  often  at  pres- 
ent who  is  in  Palestine  at  the  time  of 
the  gathering  of  the  harvest.  Dr.  Rob- 
inson relates  the  following  case :  'Our 
Arabs  were  an  hungered,  and,  going 
into  the  fields,  i\\Qy  jDlucked  the  ears 
of  corn  and  did  eat,  rubbing  them  in 
their  hands.  On  being  questioned, 
they  said  this  was  an  old  custom,  and 
no  one  would  speak  against  it;  they 
were  supposed  to  be  hungry,  and  it 
was  allowed  as  a  charity.'*  The  Phar- 
isees complained  of  the  disciples  for 
violating  the  Sabbath,  and  not  any 
rights  of  property." 

8.  But  he  knew  their  thoughts.  He 
knew  their  thoughts — their  dark,  ma- 


*  Biblical  Researches,  vol.  ii.,p.  192. 


CHAPTEK  VL 


54 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


will  ask  you  one  thing :  Is  it  law- 
ful on  the  sabbath  days  to  do 
good,  or  to  do  evil  ?  to  save  life, 
or  to  destroy  it  f 

10  And  looking  "  round  about 
upon  them  all,  he  said  unto  the 
man,  Stretch  forth  thy  hand.  And 

a  Mar.  3.  5. 


licious  designs — by  the  qitestion  which 
they  proposed  to  him,  whether  it  was 
lawful  to  heal  on  the  Sabbath  days. 
(Matthew.)  In  reply  to  their  question, 
Jesus  asked  them  whether  they  would 
not  release  a  sheep  on  the  Sabbath  day 
if  it  was  fallen  into  a  pit,  and  also 
asked  them  whether  it  was  better  to 
do  good  than  to  do  evil  on  that  day, 
implying  that  to  omit  to  do  good  was, 
ill  fact,  doing  evil. 

11.  Were  filled  with  madness.  Proba- 
bly— 1st.  Because  he  had  shown  his 
j)ower  to  work  a  miracle.  2d.  Because 
he  had  shown  his  pDwer  to  do  it  co7i- 
tmry  to  what  they  thought  was  right. 
3d.  Because  by  doing  it  he  had  shown 
that  he  was  from  God,  and  that  they 
were  therefore  wrong  in  their  views 
of  the  Sabbath.  And,  4th.  Because  he 
had  shown  no  respect  to  their  views 
of  what  the  law  of  God  demanded. 
Pride,  obstinacy,  malice,  and  disap- 
pointed self-confidence  were  all  com- 
bined, therefore,  in  producing  mad- 
ness. Nor  were  they  alone.  Men  are 
often  enraged  because  others  do  good 
in  a  way  which  they  do  not  approve 
of.  God  gives  success  to  others ;  and 
because  he  has  not  accommodated 
himself  to  their  views  of  what  is  right, 
and  done  it  in  the  way  which  they 
would  have  prescribed,  they  are  en- 
raged, and  filled  with  envy  at  men 
more  successful  than  themselves. 
^  Commmied  07ie  with  another.  Spoke 
together,  or  laid  a  plan. 

12.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days. 
The  designation  of  the  time  here  is 
very  general.  It  means  about  the  time 
when  the  events  occurred  which  had 
been  just  narrated.  T[  lie  we^it  out  into 
a  mountain.  Jesus  was  accustomed 
to  resort  to  such  i^laccs  to  hold  com- 
munion with  God.  Mark  vi.  46.  He 
did  it  because  it  was  retired,  free  from 
interruption,  and  fitted  by  imprcss- 
iveness  and  grandeur  to  raise  the 
thoughts  to  the  God  that  had  formed 
the  high  hills  and  the  decx^-shaded 
groves.  ^  And  continued  all  night  in 
prayer  to  God.    There  has  been  a  dif- 


he  did  so ;  and  his  hand  was  re- 
stored whole  as  the  other. 

11  And  they  were  filled  with 
madness;  and  communed  *  one 
with  another  what  they  might  do 
to  Jesus. 

12  And it  came  to  pass  in  those 

6Psa.2.1,2.  c  Matt.  14. 23. 

ference  of  opinion  about  this  passage, 
whether  it  means  that  he  spent  the 
night  in  the  act  of  praying  to  God,  or 
in  a  place  of  prayer.  The  Jews  had 
places  of  prayer,  called  oratories^  built 
out  of  their  cities  or  towns,  where 
they  could  retire  from  the  bustle  of 
a  city  and  hold  communion  with  God. 
They  were  built  on  the  banks  of  riv- 
ers (compare  Acts  xvi.  13),  in  groves, 
or  on  hills.  They  were  rude'inclos- 
ures,  made  by  building  a  rough  wall  of 
stone  around  a  level  piece  of  ground, 
and  capable  of  accommodating  a  small 
number  wiio  might  resort  thither  to 
pray.  But  the  niore  probable  opinion 
is  that  he  spent  the  whole  night  in 
supplication ;  for — 1st.  This  is  the  ob- 
vious meaning  of  the  passage.  2d. 
The  object  for  which  he  went  out  was 
to  pray.  3d.  It  was  an  occasion  of 
great  importance.  He  was  about  to 
send  out  his  apostles — to  lay  the  foun- 
dation of  his  religion — and  he  there- 
fore set  apart  this  time  specially  to 
seek  the  divine  blessing.  4th.  It  was 
no  unusual  thing  for  Jesus  to  spend 
much  time  in  prayer,  and  we  are  not 
to  wonder  that  he  passed  an  entire 
night  in  supplication.  If  it  be  asked 
why  Jesus  should  pray  at  all  if  he  was 
divine,  it  may  be  replied  that  he  was 
also  a  man — a  man  subject  to  the  same 
sufferings  as  others,  and,  as  a  man, 
needing  the  divine  blessing.  There 
was  no  more  inconsistency  in  his  jom?/- 
i7ig  than  there  was  in  his  eating.  Both 
were  means  employed  for  an  end,  and 
both  were  equally  consistent  with  his 
being  divine.  But  Jesus  was  also  3Ie- 
diator^  and  as  such  it  was  proper  to 
seek  the  divine  direction  and  blessing. 
In  this  case  he  has  set  us  an  example 
that  we  should  follow.  In  great  emer- 
gencies, when  we  have  important  du- 
ties, or  are  about  to  encounter  special 
difficulties,  we  should  seek  the  divine 
blessing  and  direction  hy prayer.  We 
should  set  apart  an  unusual  portion 
of  time  for  supplication.  Nay,  if  we 
pass  the  whole  night  in  prayer,  it  should 
not  be  charged  as  enthusiasm.  Our 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


55 


days,  that  lie  went  out  into  a 
mountain  "  to  pray,  and  continued 
all  night  in  prayer  to  God. 

13  And  when  it  was  day,  he  call- 
ed unto  Mm  his  disciples ;  and  of 
them  he  chose  twelve,  *  whom  also 
he  named  apostles ; 

14  Simon  (whom he  also  named 
Peter),  and  Andrew  his  brother, 
James  and  John,  Philip  and  Bar- 
tholomew, 

15  Matthew  and  Thomas,  James 
the  son  of  Alpheus,  and  Simon 
called  Zelotes, 

16  And  Judas  ^  the  Jyrotlier  of 
James,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  which 
also  was  the  traitor. 

17  And  he  came  down  with 
them,  and  stood  in  the  plain,  and 

a  Matt.  6.  6.       h  Matt.  10. 1,  etc.  Mar.  3. 13  ;  6.  7. 
cJno.  1.42.         Jude  1.      e  Matt.  4.  25,  etc.  Mar. 
3.  7,  etc.  /Psa»103.  3;  107.  17-20. 

Saviour  did  it.  Men  of  tlie  world 
often  pass  whole  niglits  in  plans  of 
gain  or  in  dissipation,  and  shall  it 
be  esteemed  strange  that  Christians 
should  spend  an  equal  portion  of  time 
in  the  far  more  important  business  of 
religion  ? 

13-16.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  1-4. 

17.  And  stood  in  the  plain.  It  is  not 
affirmed,  however,  that  he  stood  in 
the  plain  when  he  delivered  the  fol- 
lowing discourse.  There  has  been 
some  doubt  whether  the  following 
discourse  is  the  same  as  that  record- 
ed in  the  5th,  6th,  and  7th  chapters 
of  Matthew,  or  whether  the  Saviour 
repeated  the  substance  of  that  dis- 
course, and  that  Luke  recorded  it  as 
he  repeated  it.  The  reasons  which 
have  led  many  to  suppose  that  they 
refer  to  the  same  are — 1st.  That  the 
beginning  and  the  close  are  alike.  2d. 
That  the  substance  of  each  is  the  same. 
And,  3d.  Tliat  after  the  discourse  was 
delivered,  both  affirm  that  Jesus  went 
to  Capernaum,  and  healed  the  servant 
of  the  centurion.  Matt.  viii.  5-13.  Luke 
vii.  1-10.  On  the  other  hand,  Matthew 
says  that  the  sermon  was  delivered 
on  the  mountain  (Matt.  v.  1) ;  it  is 
thought  to  be  implied  that  Luke  af- 
firms that  it  was  in  the  plain.  Mat- 
thew saj's  that  he  sat;  Luke  that  he 
stood.  Yet  there  is  no  reason  to  sup- 
pose that  there  is  a  difference  in  the 
evangelists.  J esus  spent  the  night  on 


the  company  of  his  disciples,  and  ^ 
a  great  multitude  of  people  out  of 
all  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  and  from 
the  sea-coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
which  came  to  hear  him,  and  to  be 
healed  f  of  their  diseases ; 

18  And  they  that  were  vexed 
with  unclean  spirits,  and  they  were 
healed. 

19  And  the  whole  multitude 
sought  to  touch  3  him ;  for  ^*  there 
went  virtue  out  of  him,  and  heal- 
ed tliem  all. 

20  And '  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  on 
his  disciples,  and  said.  Blessed  le 
yeJ  poor ;  for  yours  is  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

21  Blessed  are  ye  that  hunger^ 
now ;  for  ye  shall  be  tilled.^  Bless- 

o  Num.  21,  8, 9.    Matt.  14.  36.    Jno.3. 14,15. 
h  Mar.  5.  30.    c.  8. 46.  i  Matt.  5.  2,  etc. 

jJas.2.5.  Arlsa.55.1.  /Psa.  107.9. 

the  mountain  in  prayer.  In  the  morn- 
ing he  descended  into  the  open  plain 
aiid  healed  many.  While  there,  as 
Luke  says,  he  "s^oocZ"  and  received 
those  who  came  to  him,  and  healed 
their  diseases.  There  is  no  imi^ro- 
priety  in  supposing  that,  being  press- 
ed by  multitudes,  he  retired  into  the 
mountain  again,  or  to  an  eminence  in 
the  i^lain,  or  to  the  side  of  the  mount- 
ain, where  the  people  might  be  more 
conveniently  arranged  and  seated  to 
hear  him.  There  he  sat^  as  recorded 
by  Matthew,  and  delivered  the  dis- 
course; for  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
Luke  does  not  say  that  he  delivered 
the  sermon  on  the  plain.,  but  only  that 
he  healed  the  sick  there.  *[[  Tyre  and 
Sidon.    See  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  21. 

18.  Vexed.  The  word  vex  with  us 
means  to  provoke,  or  irritate  by  petty 
provocations.  Here  it  means,  how- 
ever, to  afflict,  to  torment — denoting 
deej)  and  heavy  trials.  If  Unclean  spir- 
its. Demons  that  were  impure  and 
unholy,  having  a  delight  in  torment- 
ing, and  in  inflicting  painful  and  loath- 
some diseases. 

19.  Virtue.  Healing  power.  See 
Notes  on  Mark  v.  30. 

20-49.  See  this  passage  fully  illus- 
trated in  the  sermon  on  the  mount, 
in  the  5th,  6th,  and  7th  chapters  of 
Matthew. 

21.  T/iat  hunger  now.  Matthew  has 
it,  "  that  hunger  and  thirst  after  riglit- 


56 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


ed  are  ye  that  weep  ^  now ;  for  ye 
shall  laugh. 

22  Blessed  are  ye  when  men 
shall  hate  *  you,  and  when  ^hey 
shall  separate  ^  you/r^  their  com- 
pany^ and  shall  reproach  you^  and 
cast  out  your  name  as  evil,  for  the 
Son  of  man's  sake. 

23  Rejoice  ye  in  that  day,  and 
leap  for  joy ;  for,  behold,  your  re- 
ward is  great  in  heaven ;  for  in  the 
like  manner  ^  did  their  fathers  unto 
the  prophets. 

24  But  woe  unto  you  that  are>* 

alsa.61.3.  Rev,  21.4.         ftJno.17.14.  c  1  Pet. 

2, 19,  20  ;  3. 14 ;  4.  14.              d  Acts  5.  41.  Col.  1 .  24. 

Jas.  1.  2.  e  Acts  7.  52.  Heb.  11.  32-39.  f  Hab. 
2.9.    Jas.  5.1. 


eousness."  Matthew  has  expressed 
more  fyXly  what  Luke  has  briefly,  but 
there  is  no  contradiction. 

24-26.  These  verses  have  been  omit- 
ted by  Matthew.  They  seem  to  have 
been  spoken  to  the  Pharisees.  ^  Who 
are  rich.  In  tliis  world's  goods.  They 
loved  them;  tliey  had  sought  for 
them;  they  found  their  consolation 
in  them.  It  implies,  farther,  that  they 
would  not  seek  or  receive  consolation 
from  the  Gospel.  They  were  proud, 
and  would  not  seek  it ;  satisfied,  and 
did  not  desire  it ;  filled  with  cares,  and 
had  no  time  or  disposition  to  attend 
to  it.  All  the  consolation  which  they 
had  reason  to  expect  they  had  received. 
Alas  !  how  poor  and  worthless  is 
such  consolation,  compared  with  that 
which  the  Gospel  would  give !  T[  Woe 
unto  you  that  are  full  !  Not  hungry. 
Satisfied  with  their  wealth,  and  not 
feeling  their  need  of  an}^  thing  better 
than  earthly  wealth  can  give.  Many, 
alas  !  are  thus  full.  They  profess  to 
be  satisfied.  They  desire  nothing  but 
wealth,  and  a  sufficicney  to  satisfy  the 
wants  of  the  body.  They  have  no  anx- 
iety for  the  riches  that  shall  endure 
forever.  H  Ye  shall  hunger.  Your 
property  shall  be  taken  away,  or  you 
shall  see  that  it  is  of  little  value ;  and 
then  you  shall  see  the  need  of  some- 
thing better.  You  shall  feel  your 
want  and  wretchedness,  and  shall  hun- 
ger for  something  to  satisfy  the  desires 
of  a  dying,  sinful  soul.  1  That  laugh 
now.  Are  happy,  or  thoughtless,  or 
gay,  or  filled  with  levity.  H  Shall 
mourn  arid  weep.  The  time  is  coming 
when  you  shall  sorrow  deeply.  In 


rich !  for  ye  have  received  ^  your 
consolation. 

25  Woe  unto  you  that  are  full !  ^ 
for"  ye  shall  hunger.  Woe  unto 
you  that  laugh  now  !  for  ye  shall 
mourn  and  weep. 

26  Woe  unto  you  when  all  men 
shall  speak  well  •'of  you!  for 
so  did  their  fathers  to  the  false 
prophets. 

27  But  I  say  unto  you  which 
hear.  Love  ^  your  enemies,  do  good 
to  them  which  hate  you ; 

28  Bless  them  that  curse  you, 

g  c.  16.  25.  h  Isa.  28.  7  ;  65. 13.  i  Prov.  14. 13. 
Eph.5.4.  ^Jno.  15.19.  lJno.4.5.  A;  Ex.  23. 4, 5. 
Prov.  25.  21.  Matt.  5. 44.  ver.35.  Rom.  12.  20. 


sickness,  in  calamity,  in  the  prospect 
of  death,  in  the  fear  of  eternity,  your 
laughter  shall  be  turned  into  sorrow. 
There  is  a  place  where  you  can  not 
laugh,  and  there  you  will  see  the  fol- 
ly of  having  passed  the  proper  time  of 
preparing  for  such  scenes  in  levity  and 
folly.  Alas  !  how  many  thus  spend 
their  youth  !  and  how  many  weep 
when  it  is  too  late !  God  gives  them* 
over,  and  laughs  at  their  calamity^ 
and  rnocks  when  their  fear  comes. 
Prov.  i.  26.  To  be  happy  in  such  scenes^ 
it  is  necessary  to  be  sober,  humble, 
pious  in  early  life.  Then  we  need  not 
weep  in  the  day  of  calamity ;  then 
there  will  be  no  terror  in  death ;  then 
there  will  be  nothing  to  fear  in  the 
grave. 

26.  When  all  men  shall  speak  well  of 
you.  When  they  shall  praise  or  ap- 
plaud you.  The  men  of  the  Avorld  will 
not  praise  or  applaud  my  doctrine ; 
they  are  opposed  to  it,  and  therefore, 
if  they  speak  well  of  you  and  of  your 
teaching^  it  is  proof  that  j^ou  do  not 
teach  the  true  doctrine.  If  you  do 
not  do  this,  then  there  will  be  woe 
upon  you.  If  men  teach  false  doc- 
trines for  true ;  if  they  declare  that 
God  has  spoken  that  which  he  has  not 
spoken,  and  if  they  oppose  what  he 
has  delivered,  then  heavy  punishments 
will  await  them.  ^  For  so  did  their  fa- 
thers. The  fathers  or  aticestws  of  this 
people;  the  ancient  Jews.  If  To  the 
false  prophets.  Men  who  pretended 
to  be  of  God  —  who  delivered  their 
own  doctrines  as  the  truth  of  God, 
and  who  accommodated  themselves 
to  the  desires  of  the  people.   Of  this 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


57 


and  «  pray  for  tliem  which  despite- 
fully  use  you. 

29  And  *  unto  him  that  smiteth 
thee  on  the  one  cheek,  offer  also  the 
other ;  and  him  that  taketh  away 
thy  cloak,  forbid  not  to  take  thy 
cpat  also. 

30  Give  ^  to  every  man  that  ask- 
eth  of  thee ;  and  of  him  that  tak- 
eth away  thy  goods,  ask  them  not 
again. 

31  And  ^  as  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to 
them  likewise. 

32  For  if  ye  love  them  which 
love  you,  what  thank  have  ye  ?  for 
sinners  also  love  those  that  love 
themJP 

33  And  if  ye  do  good  to  them 
which  do  good  to  you,  what  thank 
have  ye  ?  for  sinners  also  do  even 
the  same. 

34  And  if  ye  lend  to  them  of 
whom  ye  hope  to  receive,  what 
thank  have  ye?  for  sinners  also 
lend  to  sinners,  to  receive  as  much 
again. 

a  c.  23.  24.  Acts  7.  60.  h  Matt.  5.  39.  c  1  Cor.  6.  7. 
<i  Deut.15.7,8,10.  Prov.l9. 17;  21.26.  Matt.  5. 42, 
etc.    c  Matt.  7. 12.     /  ver.  27.       Psa.  37.  26  ;  112.  5. 


number  were  the  prophets  of  Baal — 
the  false  prophets  who  appeared  in 
the  time  of  Jeremiah,  etc. 
27,28.  See  Matt.  V.  44, 45. 

29.  See  JVilit.  V.  39, 40. 

30.  See  Matt.  v.  42. 

31.  See  Matt,  vii,  12. 
32-36.  See  Matt.  V.  46-48. 
37-42.  See  Matt.  vii.  1-9. 

38.  Oood  measure.  They  shall  give 
you  good  measure,  or  full  measure. 
IF  Finessed  down.  As  figs  or  grapes 
mighM)e,  and  thus  many  more  might 
be  ptre  into  the  measure.  *[]  Shaken 
together.  To  make  it  more  compact, 
and  thus  to  give  more.  If  Itunni7ig 
over.  So  full  that  the  measure  would 
overflow.  1  Shall  men  give.  This  is 
said  to  be  the  reward  of  giving  to  the 
poor  and  needy ;  and  the  meaning  is 
that  the  man  who  is  liberal  will  find 
others  liberal  to  him  in  dealing  with 
them,  and  when  he  is  also  in  circum- 
stances of  want,  A  man  who  is  him- 
self kind  to  the  poor — who  has  that 
C  2 


35  But  love  ye  your  enemies,/ 
and  do  good,  and  lend,  ^  hoping 
for  nothing  again ;  and  your  re- 
ward shall  be  great,  and  ^  ye  shall 
be  the  children  of  the  Highest; 
for  he  is  kind  unto  the  unthank- 
ful, and  to  the  evil. 

36  Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as 
your  Father  also  is  merciful. 

37  Judge  *  not,  and  ye  shall  not 
be  judged ;  condemn  not,  and  ye 
shall  not  be  condemned ;  forgive, 
and  ye  shall  be  forgiven : 

38  Give,  and  it  shall  be  given  ^' 
unto  you  ;  'good  measure,  pressed 
down,  and  shaken  together,  and 
running  over,  shall  men  give  into 
your  bosom. ^  For  ^  with  the  same 
measure  that  ye  mete  withal,  it 
shall  be  measured  to  you  again. 

39  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto 
them  :  Can the  blind  lead  the 
blind?  shall  they  not  both  fall 
into  the  ditch  ? 

40  The disciple  is  not  above  his 
master ;  but  every  one  ^  that  is  per- 
fect shall  be  as  his  master. 

h  Matt.  5. 45.  i  Matt.  7. 1.  j  Prov.  19. 17.  Matt. 
10. 42.  k  Psa.  79. 12.        I  Matt.  7.  2.   Mar.  4.  24. 

Jas.  2.  13.      VI  Matt.  15. 4.       n  Matt.  10.  24.  Jno.  13. 

16  ;  15.  20.  1  or,  shall  be  perfected  as  his  master. 


character  established — will  find  many 
who  are  ready  to  help  him  abundant- 
ly when  he  is  in  want.  He  that  is 
parsimonious,  close,  niggardly,  will 
find  few  or  none  who  will  aid  him. 
^  Bito  your  bosom.  That  is,  to  you. 
The  word  bosom  here  has  reference  to 
a  custom  among  Oriental  nations  of 
making  the  bosom  or  front  part  of 
their  garments  large^  so  that  articles 
could  be  carried  in  them,  answering 
the  purpose  of  our  pockets.  Com- 
pare Exod.  iv.  6,  7.  Prov.  vi.  27.  Ruth 
iii.  15. 

39.  A  parable.  A  proverb  or  simili- 
tude. II  Can  the  blind  lead  the  blind? 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xv.  14. 

40.  The  disciple  is  not^  etc.  The 
learner  is  not  above  his  teacher,  does 
not  know  more,  and  must  expect  to 
fare  no  better.  This  seems  to  have 
been  spoken  to  show  them  that  they 
were  not  to  expect  that  their  disci- 
ples would  go  beyond  them  in  attain- 
ments ;  that  if  they  were  blind,  their 


58 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


41  And  why  beholdest  thou  the 
mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye, 
but  perceivest  not  the  beam  that 
is  in  thine  own  eye  ? 

42  Either  how  canst  thou  say  to 
thy  brother,  Brother,  let  me  pull 
out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye, 
when  thou  thyself  beholdest  not 
the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own  eye  ? 
Thou  hypocrite  !  cast "  out  first  the 
beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  and 
then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  pull 
out  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  broth- 
er's eye. 

43  For  ^  a  good  tree  bringeth  not 
forth  corrupt  fruit ;  neither  doth  a 
corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit. 

44  For  every  tree  is  known  by 
his  own  fruit :  for  of  thorns  men 
do  not  gather  figs,  nor  of  a  bram- 
ble-bush gather  they  ^  grapes. 

45  A  good  man,  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  his  heart,  bringeth  forth 
that  which  is  good;  and  an  evil 
man,  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of  his 
heart,  bringeth  forth  that  which  is 
evil ;  for  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  his  mouth  speaketh. 

46  And  why  call  ye  me,  ^  Lord, 
Lord,  and  do  not  the  things  which 
I  say? 

47  Whosoever  cometh  to  me, 
and  heareth  my  sayings,  and  do- 

aProv.  18. 17.  Rom.  2. 1,  21,  etc.  ft  Miitt.  7. 16, 17. 
c  Miitt.  12.  33.  1  A  (fi-ape.  d  Matt.  12.  35. 

e  Mai.  1.  6.  .  Matt.  7.  21    25. 11.    c.  13.  25.    Gal.  6.  7. 


followers  would  be  also;  and  that 
therefore  it  was  important  for  tliem 
to  understand  fully  the  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel,  and  not  to  be  blind  lead- 
ers of  the  blind.  H  Everij  one  that  is 
perfect.  The  word  rendered  is  perfect 
means  sometimes  to  repair  or  mend, 
and  is  thus  applied  to  mending  7iets. 
Matt.  iv.  31.  Mark  i.  19.  Hence  it 
means  to  repair  or  amend  in  a  moral 
sense,  or  to  make  whole  or  complete. 
Here  it  means,  evidently,  thoroughly 
instructed  or  informed.  The  Christian 
should  be  like  his  Master — holy,  harm- 
less, and  undefiled,  and  separate  from 
sinners.  He  should  copy  his  exam- 
ple, and  grow  into  the  likeness  of  his 


eth  them,  I  will  show  you  to  whom 
he  is  like : 

48  He /is  like  a  man  which  buDt 
a  house,  and  digged  deep,  and  laid 
the  foundation  on  a  rock ;  and 
when  the  flood  arose,  the  stream 
beat  vehemently  upon  that  house, 
and  ^  could  not  shake  it ;  for  it 
was  founded  upon  a  rock;* 

49  But  he  '  that  heareth,  and  do- 
eth  not,  is  like  a  man  that  w^ithout 
a  foundation  built  an  house  upon 
the  earth ;  against  which  the 
stream  did  beat  vehemently,  and 
immediately  it  fell ;  j  and  the  ruin 
of  that  house  was  great. 

CHAPTER  YII.  # 

NOW  ^*  when  he  had  ended  all 
his  sayings  in  the  audience 
of  the  people,  he  entered  into  Ca- 
pernaum. 

2  And  a  certain  centurion's  serv- 
ant, who  was  dear  ^  unto  him,  was 
sick,  and  ready  to  dia 

3  And  when  he  heard  of  Jesus, 
he  sent  unto  him  the  elders  of 
the  Jews,  beseeching  him  that  he 
would  come  and  heal  his  servant. 

4  And  when  they  came  to  Jesus, 
they  besought  him  instantly,  say- 
ing. That  he  was  worthy  for  whom 
he  should  do  this : 

/"  Matt.  7.  25,  26.  •      ^tta||.1.10.   Jude  24. 

\  Psa.  46. 1-3  ;  62.  2.  ''SP-  24-26. 

i  Pro V.  28. 18.    Hos.  4. 14.        k  Matt.  8.  5,  etc. 
/Job  31. 15.    Prov.  29.  21. 


Redeemer.  Nor  can  any  other  be  a 
Christian. 

41. 43.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vii.  8-5. 

43. 44.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vii.  16-18. 
45.  This  verse  is  not^foun^n  the 

sermon  on  the  mount  as  recowled  by 
Matthew,  but  is  recorded  by  him  in 
ch.  xii.  35.   See  Notes  on  that  passage. 
46-49.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vii.  21-27. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
1-10.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  5-13. 

1.  In  the  audience  of  the  people.  In 
the  hearing  of  the  people. 

2.  Who  was  dear  unto  him.  That  is, 
he  was  valuable,  trusty,  and  honored. 

4.  They  besought  Mm  instantly.  Ur- 


A.D.  3a] 


CHAPTIJR  YII. 


59 


5  For  lie  lovetli  ^  our  nation,  and 
lie  hath  built  us  a  synagogue. 

6  Then  Jesus  went  with  them. 
And  when  he  was  now  not  far 
from  the  house,  the  centurion  sent 
friends  to  him,  saying  unto  him, 
Lord,  trouble  *  not  thyself ;  for  I 
am  not  worthy  that  thou  should- 
est  enter  under  my  roof : 

7  Wherefore  neither  thought  I 
myself  worthy  to  come  unto  thee ; 
but  say  in  a  word,  and  my  serv- 
ant shall  be  healed. 

8  For  I  also  am  a  man  set  under 
authority,  having  under  me  sol- 
diers ;  and  I  say  unto  ^  one.  Go, 
and  he  goeth ;  and  to  another. 
Come,  and  he  cometh ;  and  to  my 
servant,  Do  this,  and  he  doeth  it. 

9  When  Jesus  heard  these  things, 
he  marvelled  at  him,  and  turned 
him  about,  and  said  unto  the  peo- 
ple that  followed  him,  I  say  unto 

a  ]  Kin.  5.1.  Gal.  5.  6.  IJno.  3. 14 ;  5. 1,  2. 

6  c.  8. 49.  c  Psa.  107.  20.  1  This  man. 


s^ently  or  earnestly.  H  He  ivas  worthy. 
The  centurion.  He  had  showed  favor 
to  the  J ews,  and  it  was  not  improper 
to  show  him  a  kindness. 

11.  A  city  called  Nain.  This  city  was 
in  Galilee,  in  the  boundaries  of  the 
tribe  of  Issachar.  It  was  about  two 
miles  south  of  Mount  Tabor,  and  not 
far  from  Capernaum.  It  is  now  a 
small  village  inhabited  by  Jews,  Mo- 
liammedans,  and  Christians.  Dr. 
Thomson  (The  Land  and  the  Book, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  158)  locates  it  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  a  mount  now  called 
Jebel  ed  Duhy,  one  hour's  ride  from 
the  foot  of  Mount  Tabor.  Of  this  place 
he  says:  "This  mount  is  now  called 
Jebel  ed  Duhy,  and  that  small  hamlet 
on  the  northwest  corner  of  it  is  Nain, 
famous  for  the  restoration  of  the  wid- 
ow's son  to  life.  It  was  once  a  place 
of  considerable  extent,  but  is  now  lit- 
tle more  than  a  cluster  of  ruins,  among 
which  dwell  a  few  families  of  fanatical 
Moslems.  It  is  in  keeping  with  the 
one  historic  incident  that  renders  it 
dear  to  the  Christian,  that  its  only  an- 
tiquities are  tombs.  These  are  situ- 
at(5d  mainly  on  the  east  of  the  village,  | 
and  it  was  in  that  direction,  I  pre-  I 
sume,  that  the  widow's  son  was  be-  I 


you,  I  have  not  found  so  great 
faith,  no,  not  in  Israel. 

10  And  they  that  were  sent,  re- 
turning to  the  house,  found  the 
servant  whole  that  had  been  sick. 

11  And  it  came  to  pass  the  day 
after  that  he  went  into  a  city  called 
Nain ;  and  many  of  his  disciples 
went  with  him,  and  much  people. 

12  Now  when  he  came  nigh  to 
the  gate  of  the  city,  behold,  there 
was  a  dead  man  carried  out,  the 
onfy  son  of  his  mother,  and  she 
was  a  widow;  and  much  people 
of  the  city  was  with  her. 

13  And  when  the  Lord  saw  her, 
he  had  compassion  on  her,  and 
said  unto  her,  Weep  not. 

14  And  he  came  and  touched 
the  ^  bier ;  and  they  that  bare  Mm 
stood  still.  And  he  said.  Young 
man,  I  say  unto  thee,  ^  Arise. 

15  And  he  that  was  dead  *  sat 

2  or,  coffin.  d  c.  8.  54.  Acts  9. 40.  Rom.  4. 17. 

e  2  Kin.  4.  32-37;  13.  21.  Jno.  11.44, 


ing  carried  on  that  memorable  occa- 
sion. It  took  me  just  an  hour  to  ride 
from  the  foot  of  Tabor  to  Nain. ' '  The 
cut  on  the  following  page  will  show 
the  present  appearance  of  a  place  so 
interesting  in  the  history  of  the  Sa- 
viour. 

12.  The  gate  of  the  city.  Cities  were 
surrounded  by  walls,  to  defend  them 
from  their  enemies.  They  were  en- 
tered through  gates  placed  at  conven- 
ient distances  from  each  other.  In 
most  cities  it  was  not  allowed  to  bury 
the  dead  within  the  walls ;  hence  they 
were  borne  to  some  convenient  bu- 
rial-place in  the  vicinity  of  the  city. 
\  A  dead  man  carried  oiU.  A  funeral 
procession.  Anciently  no  Jews  were 
buried  within  the  walls  of  the  city,  ex- 
cept the  kings  and  distinguished  per- 
sons. 1  Sam.  xxviii.  3.  2  Kings  xxi. 
18.  The  custom  of  burying  within 
cities,  and  especially  within  the  walls 
of  churches  or  in  their  vicinity,  had 
its  origin  among  Christians  very  early ; 
yet  perhaps  few  customs  are  more  del- 
eterious to  health  than  burials  within 
large  cities,  especially  within  the  walls 
of  frequented  buildings.  The  effluvia 
from  dead  bodies  is  excessively  un- 
wholesome.   Burial-places  should  be 


A.D.  30.] 

up,  and  began  to  speak.  And  he 
delivered  Mm  to  Ms  mother. 

16  And  there  came  a  fear  on 
all ;  and  they  glorified  God,  say- 
ing, That  a  great  prophet  ^  is  risen 
up  among  us ;  and,  That  *  God 
hath  visited  his  people. 

17  And  this  rumour  of  him  went 
forth  throughout  all  Judea,  and 
throughout  all  the  region  round 
about. 

18  And  the  disciples  of  John 
showed  him  of  all  these  things. 

19  And  ^  John,  calling  unto  him 
two  of  his  disciples,  sent  tJiem  to 
Jesus,  saying,  Art  thou  he  that 
should  come,  ^  or  look  we  for  an- 
other ? 

a  c.  24. 19.  6  c.  1.68. 

c  Matt.  11.2.  rfZech.9.9. 

in  situations  of  retirement,  far  from 
the  tread  of  the  gay  and  busy  world, 
where  all  the  feelings  may  be  still  and 
calm,  and  where  there  can  be  no  in- 
jury to  health  from  the  mouldering 
bodies  of  the  dead. 

16.  Came  a  fear  on  all.  An  awe  or 
solemnity  at  the  presence  of  one  who 
had  power  to  raise  the  dead,  and  at 
the  miracle  which  had  been  perform- 
ed. HI  Glorified  God.  Praised  or  hon- 
ored God  that  he  had  sent  such  a 
prophet.  And  that  God  hath  visited 
his  people.  Some  said  one  thing  and 
some  another,  but  all  expressing  their 
belief  that  God  had  showed  peculiar 
favor  to  the  people.  T[  ITatJi  visited. 
See  Luke  i.  68. 

The  raising  of  this  young  man  was 
one  of  the  most  decisive  and  instruct- 
ive of  our  Lord's  miracles.  There  was 
no  doubt  that  he  was  dead.  There 
could  be  no  delusion,  and  no  agree- 
ment to  impose  on  the  people.  He 
came  near  to  the  city  with  no  refer- 
ence to  this  young  man ;  he  met  the 
funeral  procession,  as  it  were,  by  ac- 
cident, and  by  a  word  he  restored  him 
to  life.  All  those  who  had  the  best 
opportunity  of  judging — the  mother, 
the  friends — believed  him  to  be  dead, 
and  were  about  to  bury  him.  The  ev- 
idence tftat  he  came  to  life  was  deci- 
sive. He  sat  up,  he  spake,  and  all 
were  impressed  with  the  full  assur- 
ance that  God  had  raised  him  to  life. 
Many  witnesses  were  present,  and 
none  doubted  that  Jesus  by  a  word 


61 

20  When  the  men  were  come 
unto  him,  they  said,  John  Baptist 
hath  sent  us  unto  thee,  saying,  Art 
thou  he  that  should  come,  or  look 
we  for  another  ? 

21  And  in  the  same  hour  he 
cured  many  of  their  infirmities 
and  plagues,  and  of  evil  spirits; 
and  unto  many  that  were  blind  he 
gave  sight. 

22  Then  Jesus,  answering,  said 
unto  them.  Go  your  way,  and  tell  ^ 
John  what  things  ye  have  seen 
and  heard ;  how  that  the  blind 
see,  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are 
cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead 
are  raised,  to  the  poor  ^  the  gospel 
is  preached. 

cJno.  1.46.  /Isa.  35.  5,  6. 

g  0.4.18.  Jas.2.  5. 

had  restored  him  to  his  weeping 
mother. 

The  whole  scene  was  affecting.  Here 
was  a  widowed  mother  who  was  fol- 
lowing her  onlj^  son,  her  stay  and 
hope,  to  the  grave.  He  was  borne 
along — one  in  the  prime  of  life  and 
the  only  comfort  of  his  parent — im- 
pressive proof  that  the  young,  the 
useful,  the  vigorous,  and  the  lovely 
may  die.  Jesus  met  them,  apparent- 
ly a  stranger.  He  approached  the  pro- 
cession as  if  he  had  something  im- 
portant to  say ;  he  touched  the  bier, 
and  the  procession  stood  still.  He 
was  full  of  compassion  for  the  weep- 
ing parent,  and  by  a^  word  restored 
the  youth,  stretched  upon  the  bier, 
to  life.  He  sat  up,  and  spake.  ,  Jesus 
therefore  had  power  over  the  dead. 
He  also  has  power  to  raise  sinners, 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  to  life. 
He  can  speak  the  word,  and,  though 
in  their  death  of  sin  they  are  borne 
along  toward  ruin,  he  can  open  their 
eyes,  and  raise  them  up,  and  restore 
them  revived  to  reaZ  life  or  to  their 
friends.  Gften  he  raises  up  children 
in  this  manner,  and  gives  them,  con- 
verted to  God,  to  their  friends,  im 
parting  as  real  joy  as  he  gave  to  the 
widow  of  Nain  by  raising  her  son  from 
the  dead.  And  every  child  should  re- 
member, if  he  has  pious  parents,  that 
there  is  no  way  in  which  he  can  give 
so  much  joy  to  them  as  by  embracing 
Him  who  is  the  resurrection  and  the 
life,  and  resolving  to  live  to  his  glory. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


62 

23  And  blessed  is  lie  whosoever 
shall  not  be  offended  in  me. 

24  And  when  the  messengers  of 
John  were  departed,  he  began  to 
speak  mito  the  people  concerning 
John,  What  went  ye  out  into  the 
wilderness  for  to  see  ?  A  reed 
shaken  with  the  wind  ? 

25  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to 
see?  A  man  clothed  in  soft  rai- 
ment ?  Behold,  they  which  are 
gorgeously  apparelled,  and  live 
delicately,  are  in  kings'  courts.* 

26  But  what  went  ye  out  for  to 
see?  A  prophet  ?*-'  Yea,  I  say 
unto  you,  and  much  more  than  a 
prophet. 

27  This  is  he  of  whom  it  is  writ- 
ten, ^Behold,  I  send  my  messen- 
ger before  thy  face,  which  shall 
prepare  thy  way  before  thee. 

28  For  I  say  unto  you,  Among 
those  that  are  born  of  women, 
there  is  not  a  greater  prophet 

a  Isa.  8. 14, 15.  Matt.  11.6;  13.  57  ;  c.  2.  34.  Jiio.  6. 
66.  1  Cor.  1.  21-28.  6  2  Sam.  19.  35.  Esth.1.3,11. 
cel.  76.  c?  Mai.  3.1.  c.  1. 15-17. 


19-35.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
Matt.  xi.  2-19. 

29.  The  people.  The  common  peo- 
ple. H  That  heard  him.  That  heard 
John.  ^  The  publicans.  The  tax -gath- 
erers, the  worst  kind  of  people,  who 
had,  however,  been  converted.  1[  Just- 
ified God.  Considered  God  as  just  or 
right  in  the  counsel  which  he  gave  by 
John — to  wit,  in  calling  men  to  re- 
pentance, and  in  denouncing  future 
wrath  on  the  impenitent.  Compare 
Matt.  xi.  19.  H  l^eing  baptized,  etc. 
They  showed  that  they  approved  of  the 
message  of  God  by  submitting  to  the 
ordinance  whicli  lie  commanded — the 
ordhiance  of  baptism.  This  verse  and 
the  following  are  not  to  be  considered 
as  the  words  of  Luke,  but  the  contin- 
uation of  the  discourse  of  our  Lord, 
lie  is  saying  what  took  place  in  re- 
gard to  John.  Among  the  common 
people  he  was  approved  and  obeyed ; 
among  the  rich  and  learned  he  was 
despised. 

30.  But  the  Pharisees  and  lawyers  re- 
jected, etc.  It  appears  from  Matt.  iii. 
7,  that  some  of  the  Pharisees  came  to 
John  to  be  baptized ;  but  still  this  is 


[A.D.  30. 

than  John  the  Baptist :  but  he 
that  is  least  in  'the  kingdom  of 
God  is  greater  than  he. 

29  And  all  the  people  that  heard 
him,  and  the  publicans,  justified  ^ 
God,  being  baptized  f  with  the 
baptism  of  John. 

30  But  the  Pharisees  and  law- 
yers ^  rejected  the  counsel  f  of  God  ^ 
against  themselves,  being  not  bap- 
tized of  him. 

31  And  the  Lord  said,  Where- 
unto  ^  then  shall  I  liken  the  men 
of  this  generation  ?  and  to  what 
are  they  like  ? 

32  They  are  like  unto  children 
sitting  in  the  market-place,  and 
calling  one  to  another,  and  say- 
ing^ We  have  piped  unto  you,  and 
ye  have  not  danced;  we  have 
mourned  to  you,  and  ye  have  not 
wept. 

33  For  John  the  Baptist  came  * 
neither  eating  bread  nor  drink- 

ePsa,  51.4.  Rom.  3. 4.  /Matt.  3.  5,  6.  c.3. 12. 
1  or,  frustrated.  g  Acts  20.  27.  2  or,  ivithin 

themselves.  A  Matt.  11. 16,  etc.  i  Matt.  3.4.  Mar. 
1.6.  c.  1.15. 


entirely  consistent  with  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  great  mass  of  Pharisees 
and  lawyers  rejected  him.  H  The  coitn- 
sel  of  God.  The  counsel  of  God  toward 
them  was  the  solemn  admonition  by 
John  to  repent  and  be  baptized,  and 
be  prepared  to  receive  the  Messiah. 
This  was  the  command  or  revealed 
will  of  God  in  relation  to  them. 
When  it  is  said  that  they  rejected  the 
counsel  of  God,  it  does  not  mean  that 
they  could  frustrate  his  purposes,  but 
merely  that  they  violated  his  com- 
mands. Men  can  not  frustrate  the 
real  purposes  of  God,  but  they  can 
contemn  his  messages,  the}^  can  vio- 
late his  commands,  and  thus  they  can 
reject  the  counsel  which  he  gives 
them,  and  .  treat  with  contempt  the 
desire  which  he  manifests  for  their 
welfare,  "ff  Against  themselves.  To 
their  own  hurt  or  detriment.  God  is 
wise  and  good.  He  knows  what  is 
best  for  us.  He,  therefor^  that  re- 
jects what  God  commands,  rejects  it 
to  his  own  injury.  It  can  not  be  well 
for  any  mortal  to  despise  what  God 
(^omniands  him  to  do. 
81-35.  Sec  this  passage  explained  in 


LUKE. 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  YII. 


63 


ing  wine ;  and  ye  say,  He  hath  a 
devil. 

34  The  "  Son  of  man  is  come 
eating  and  drinking ;  and  ye  say, 
Behold,  a  gluttonous  man,  and  a 
wine-bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans 
and  sinners ! 

35  But  *  Wisdom  is  justified  of 
all  her  children. 

36  And "  one  of  the  Pharisees  de- 
sired him  that  he  would  eat  with 
him.  And  he  went  into  the  Phari- 
see's house,  and  sat  down  to  meat. 

37  And,  behold,  a  woman  in  the 

a  Jno.  2.  2 ;  12.  2.  ver.  3G.  b  Prov.  8.  32-36  ;  17. 16. 
c  Matt.  26.  6,  etc.   Mar.  14. 3,  etc.  Jno.  11.  2,  etc. 


the  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  16-19.  Aiid  the 
Lord  said.  Tliis  clause  is  wanting  in 
almost  all  the  manuscripts,  and  is 
omitted  by  the  best  critics. 

36.  Otie  of  the  Fharisees.  His  name 
was  Simon,  Ver.  10.  Nothing  more  is 
known  of  him.  It  is  not  improbable, 
however,  from  what  follows  (ver.  40- 
47),  that  he  had  been  healed  by  the 
Saviour  of  some  afflictive  disease,  and 
made  this  feast  to  show  his  gratitude. 
^  Sat  down  to  meat.  The  original  word 
here  means  only  that  he  placed  him- 
self or  reclined  at  the  table.  The  no- 
tion of  sitting  at  meals  is  taken  from 

modern  customs,  and  was  not  prac- 
ticed by  the  Jews.  See  Notes  on 
Matt,  xxiii.  6.  ^  Meat.  Supper.  Food 
of  any  kind.    Sat  down  to  eat. 

37.  In  the  city.  What  city  is  meant 
is  unknown.  Some  have  supposed  it 
was  Nain  ;  some  Capernaum ;  some 
Mag  dal  a;  and  some  Jerusalem. 
T[  Which  was  a  sinner.  Who  was  de- 
praved or  wicked.  This  woman,  it 
seems,  was  known  to  be  a  sinner — 
perhaps  an  abandoned  woman  or  a 
prostitute.  It  is  certain  that  she  had 
much  to  be  forgiven,  and  she  had  prob- 
ably passed  her  life  in  crime.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  this  was  the  wom- 
an commonly  called  Mary  Magdalene. 
H  An  alabaster-box,  etc.  See  Notes  on 
Mark  xiv.  3. 

38.  Stood  at  his  feet  behind  him.  They 
reclined,  at  their  meals,  on  their  left 
side,  and  their  feet,  therefore,  were  ex- 
tended//-om  the  table,  so  that  persons 
could  easily  approach  them.  See  Notes 
on  Matt,  xxiii.  6.  ^  Began  to  wash  ?iis 
feet.  The  Jews  wore  sandals.  These 
were  taken  off  when  they  entered  a 


city,  which  was  a  sinner,  ^  when 
she  knew  that  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in 
the  Pharisee's  house,  brought  an 
alabaster-box  of  ointment, 

38  And  stood  at  his  feet  behind 
him  weeping,  and  began  to  wash 
his  feet  with  tears,  and  did  wipe 
them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head, 
and  kissed  his  feet,  and  anointed 
them  with  the  ointment. 

39  Now  when  the  Pharisee  which 
had  bidden  him  saw  it,  he  spake 
within  himself,  saying,  This  man, 
if  ^  he  were  a  prophet,  would  have 

<?c.5.32.    ver.  34.    1  Tim.  1.15. 
e  Jno.  9.  24. 


house.  It  an  act  . of  hospitality 
and  kindnei^W"lo  wash  the  feet  of  a 
guest.  She  therefore  began  to  show 
her  love  for  the  Saviour,  and  at  the 
same  time  her  humilit}^  and  penitence, 
by  pouring  forth  a  flood  of  tears,  and 
washing  his  feet  in  the  manner  of  a 
servant.  ^  Kissed  his  feet.  The  kiss 
was  an  emblem  of  love  and  affection. 
In  this  manner  she  testified  her  love 
for  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  at  the  same 
time  her  humility  and  sense  of  sin  by 
kissing  his  feet.  There  could  be  few 
expressions  of  penitence  more  deep 
and  tender  than  were  these.  A  sense 
of  all  her  sins  rushed  over  her  mind ; 
her  heart  burst  at  the  remembrance 
of  them,  and  at  the  presence  of  the 
pure  Redeemer;  with  deep  sorrow^^ 
she  humbled  herself  and  sought  for- 
giveness. She  showed  her  love  for 
him  by  a  kiss  of  affection ;  her  humil- 
ity, by  bathing  his  feet ;  her  venera- 
tion, by  breaking  a  costly  box — per- 
haps procured  by  a  guilty  life — and 
anointing  his  feet.  In  this  way  we 
should  all  come,  embracing  him  as 
the  loved  Redeemer,  humbled  at  his 
feet,  and  offering  all  we  have — all  that 
we  have  gained  in  lives  of  sin,  in  our 
professions,  by  merchandise  and  toil, 
while  we  were  sinners  —  offering  all 
to  his  service.  Thus  shall  we  show 
the  sincerity  of  our  repentance,  and 
thus  shall  we  hear  his  gracious  voice 
pronounce  our  sins  forgiven. 

39.  He  spake  loithin  himself  .  Thought. 
"^Ifhe  were  a  prophet.  The  word  projyh- 
et  here  means,  not  one  who  predicts 
future  events,  but  one  who  knows  the 
hearts  of  men.  If  Jesus  had  been  sent 
from  God  as  a  prophet,  he  supposed 


G4 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


known  who  and  what  manner  of 
woman  this  is  that  toucheth  him ; 
for  she  is  a  sinner."* 

40  And  Jesus,  answering,  said 
unto  him,  Simon,  I  have,  somewhat 
to  say  unto  thee.  And  he  saith, 
Master,  say  on. 

41  There  was  a  certain  creditor 
which  had  two  debtors :  the  one 
owed  five  hundred  ^  pence,  and  the 
other  fifty : 

42  And  when  they  had  nothing  ^ 
to  pay,  he  frankly  forgave  them 

ac.15.2.  1  See  Matt.  18. 28. 

b  Psa.  49.  7,  8.    Rom.  5.  6. 

that  he  would  have  known  the  char- 
acter of  the  woman  and  would  have 
rebuked  her.  ^  Woi^Lhave  known^ 
etc.  Because  Jesus  Wm  not  rebuke 
her  and  drive  her  from  his  presence, 
he  inferred  that  he  could  not  be  ac- 
quainted with  her  character.  The 
Pharisees  considered  it  improper  to 
hold  communion  with  tliose  who  were 
notorious  sinners.  They  judged  our 
Saviour  by  their  own  rules,  and  sup- 
posed that  7ie  would  act  in  the  same 
way ;  and  Simon  therefore  concluded 
that  he  did  not  know  her  character 
and  could  not  be  a  prophet.  Jesus 
did  not  refuse  the  societ}^  of  the  guilty. 
He  came  to  save  the  lost ;  and  no  per- 
son ever  came  to  him  so  sure  of  find- 
ing him  a  friend^  as  those  who  came 
conscious  that  they  were  deeply  de- 
^praved,  and  mourning  on  account  of 
their  crimes.  ^  That  toucheth  him. 
The  touch  of  a  Gentile,  or  a  person 
singularly  wicked,  they  supposed  to 
be  polluting,  and  the  Pharisees  avoid- 
ed it.    See  Matt.  ix.  11. 

41.  A  certain  creditor.  A  man  who 
had  lent  money  or  sold  property, 
the  payment  for  which  was  yet  due. 
1[  Five  hundred  pence.  About  $69  26. 
See  Notes  on  Matt,  xviii.  28.  T[  Fifty. 
About  $7. 

42.  Frankly  forgave.  Freely  forgave, 
or  forgave  entirely  without  any  com- 
pensation. This  is  not  designed  to 
express  any  thing  about  the  way  in 
which  God  forgives  sinners.  He  for- 
gives— forgives'freely,  but  it  is  in  con- 
nection with  the  atonement  made  by 
the  Lord  Jesus.  If  it  was  a  mere  debt 
which  we  owed  to  God,  he  might  for- 
give, as  this  creditor  did,  without  any 
eciuivalent.  But  it  is  crime  which  he 
forgives.   He  pardons  as  a  moral  gov- 


both.  Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of 
them  will  love  him  most  ? 

43  Simon  answered  and  said,  I 
suppose  that  he  to  whom  he  for- 
gave most.  And  he  said  unto 
him,  Thou  hast  rightly  ^judged. 

44  And  he  turned  to  the  woman, 
and  said  unto  Simon,  Seest  thou 
this  woman  ?  I  entered  into  thine 
house,  thou  gavest  me  no  water 
for  my  feet ;  but  she  hath  washed 
my  feet  with  tears,  and  wiped 
them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head. 

0  Psa.  116. 16-18.  1  Cor.  15.9.  2  Cor.  5. 14.  1  Tim. 
1.13-16. 


ernor.  A  parent  might  forgive  a  debt 
without  any  equivalent;  but  he  can 
not  pardon  an  offending  child  with- 
out regarding  his  own  character  as  a 
parent,  the  truth  of  his  threatenings, 
the  good  order  of  his  house,  and  the 
maintenance  of  his  authority.  So  our 
sins  against  God,  though  they  are  call- 
ed debts^  are  called  so  figuratively.  It 
is  not  an  atfair  of  money.,  and  God  can 
not  forgive  us  without  maintaining 
his  word,  the  honor  of  his  govern- 
ment, and  law — in  other  words,  with- 
out an  atonement.  It  is  clear  .that  by 
the  creditor  here  our  Saviour  meant  to 
designate  God,  and  by  the  debtors^  sin- 
ners and  the  woman  present.  Simony 
whose  life  had  been  comparatively  up- 
right, was  denoted  by  the  one  that 
owed  fifty  pence ;  the  woman,  who 
had  been  an  open  and  shameless  sin- 
ner, was  represented  by  the  one  that 
owed  five  hundred.  Yet  neither  could 
pay.  Both  must  be  forgiven  or  per- 
ish. So,  however  much  difference 
there  is  among  men,  all  need  the  par- 
doning mercy  of  God,  and  all^  without 
that,  must  perish. 

43.  /  suppose,  etc.  He  saw  not  the 
point  of  our  Lord's  parable.  By  thus 
saying,  therefore,  he  condemned  him- 
self, and  prepared  the  way  for  our 
Lord's  reproof. 

44.  Seest  thou  this  wcman?  You  see 
what  this  woman  has  done  to  me, 
compared  with  what  you  have  done. 
She  has  shown  me  expressions  of  re- 
gard which  you,  in  your  own  house, 
have  not  shown.  1  I  entered  into  thi7ie 
Jiouse.  I  came  at  your  invitation, 
where  I  might  expect  all  the  usual 
rites  of  hospitality.  T[  Thou  gavest  me 
no  water  for  my  feet.  Among  Eastern 
people  it  was  customary,  before  cat- 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


65 


45  Thou  gavest  me  no  kiss ;  but 
this  woman,  since  the  time  I  came 
in,  hath  not  ceased  to  kiss  my 
feet. 

46  My  «  head  with  oil  thou  didst 

a  Psa.  23.  5. 


ing,  to  wash  the  feet ;  and  to  do  this, 
or  to  bring  water  for  it,  was  one  of 
the  rites  of  hospitality.  See  Gen. 
xviii.  4.  Judges  xix.  M.  The  reasons 
for  this  were,  that  they  wore  sandals, 
which  covered  only  the  bottom  of  the 
feet,  and  that  when  they  ate  they  re- 
clined on  couches  or  sofas.  It  be- 
came therefore  necessary  that  the  feet 
should  be  often  washed. 

45.  Thou  gavest  me  no  kiss.  The  kiss 
was  a  token  of  affection  or  a  common 
mode  of  salutation,  and  Simon  had 
even  neglected  this  mark  of  welcom- 
ing him  to  his  house.  It  was  often 
used  among  men  as  a  sign  of  saluta- 
tion. Compare  Gen.  xxxiii.  4.  Exod. 
xviii.  7.  Matt.  xxvi.  49.  1[  Hath  not 
ceased  to  kiss  my  feet.  How  striking 
the  difference  between  the  conduct 
of  Simon  and  this  woman !  He,  with 
all  the  richness  of  a  splendid  prepara- 

»tion,  had  omitted  the  common  marks 
of  regard  and  affection.  She,  in  hu- 
mility, had  bowed  at  his  feet,  had  wa- 
tered them  with  tears,  and  had  not 
ceased  to  kiss  them.  The  most  splen- 
did entertainments  do  not  always  ex- 
press the  greatest  welcome.  There 
may  be  in  such  entej'tainments  much 
insincerity — much  seeking  of  popu- 
larity or  some  other  motive ;  but  no 
such  motive  could  have  operated  in 
inducing  a  broken-hearted  sinner  to 
wash  the  Saviour' s/ee^  with  tears.  ^ 

46.  My  head  loith  oil.  The  custom 
of  pouring  oil  upon  the  head  was  uni- 
versal among  the  Jews.  The  oil  used 
was  sweet  oil  or  oil  of  olives,  prepared 
in  such  ^ivay  as  to  give  an  agreeable 
smell.  W'was  also  used  to  render  the 
hair  more  smooth  and  elegant.  See 
Ruth  iii.  3.  2  Sam.  xii.  20 ;  xiv.  2.  Psa. 
xxiii.  5.  T[  With  ointment.  This  oint- 
ment was  a  mixture  of  various  aromat- 
ics,  and  was  therefore  far  more  costly 
and  precious  than  the  oil  commonly 
used  for  anointing  the  head.  Her  con- 
duct, compared  with  that  of  Simon, 
was  therefore  more  striking.  He  did 
not  give  even  the  common  oil  for  his 
head  used  on  such  occasions.  She  had 
applied  to  his  feet  a  far  more  precious 
and  valuable  unguent.    He,  therefore, 


not  anoint ;  but  this  woman  hath 
anointed  my  feet  with  ointment. 
47  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee, 
Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  for- 
given, for  she  loved  much ;  but  to 


showed  comparatively  little  love.  She 
showed  much. 

47.  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee.  As 
the  result  of  this,  or  because  she  has 
done  this ;  meaning  by  this  that  she 
had  given  evidence  that  her  sins  had 
been  forgiven.  The  inquiry  with  Si- 
mon was  whether  it  was  proper  for 
Jesus  to  touch  her  or  to  allow  her  to 
touch  him,  because  she  was  such  a 
sinner  (verse  39).  Jesus  said,  in  sub- 
stance, to  Simon,  "  Grant  that  she  has 
been  as  great  a  sinner  as  you  affirm, 
and  even  grant  that  if  she  had  contin- 
ued so  it  might  be  improper  to  suffer 
her  to  touch  me,  yet  her  conduct  shows 
"that  her  sins  have  been  forgiven.  She 
has  evinced  so  much  love  for  me  as  to 
show  that  she  is  no  longer  such  a  sin- 
ner as  you  suppose,  and  it  is  not,  there- 
fore, improper  that  she  should  be  suf- 
fered to  come  near  me."  ^  For  she 
loved  much.  In  our  translation  this 
would  seem  to  be  given  as  a  reason 
why  her  sins  had  been  forgiven — that 
she  had  loved  much  before  they  were 
pardoned ;  but  this  is  clearly  not  the 
meaning.  This  would  be  contrary  to 
the  whole  New  Testament,  which  sup- 
poses that  love  succeeds,  not  precedes 
forgiveness ;  and  which  nowhere  sup- 
poses that  sins  are  forgiven  because  we 
love  God.  It  would  be  also  contrarj^ 
to  the  design  of  the  Saviour  here.  It 
was  not  to  show  why  her  sins  had  been 
forgiven,  but  to  show  that  she  had 
given  evidence  that  they  actually  Jiad 
been,  and  that  it  was  proper,  there- 
fore, that  she  should  come  near  to  him 
and  manifest  this  love.  The  meaning 
may  be  thus  expressed:  "That  her 
sins,  so  many  and  aggravated,  have 
been  forgiven — that  she  is  no  longer 
such  a  sinner  as  you  suppose,  is  man- 
ifest from  her  conduct.  She  shows 
deep  gratitude,  penitence,  love.  Her 
conduct  is  the  proper  expression  of  that 
love.  While  you  have  shown  com- 
paratively little  evidence  that  you  felt 
that  your  sins  were  great,  and  com- 
paratively little  love  at  their  being 
forgiven,  s7ie  has  shown  that  she  felt 
hers  to  be  great,  and  has  loved  much." 

To  whom  little  is  forgiven.    He  who 


G6 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


whom  little  is  forgiven,  tlie  same 
lovetli  little. 

48  And  lie  said  unto  her,  Thy 
sins  are  forgiven. 

49  And  they  that  sat  at  meat 
with  him  began  to  say  within 
themselves,  Who  is  this  that  for- 
giveth  sins  also  ? 

50  And  he  said  to  the  woman,^ 
Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee ;  go  in 
peace. 

a  Matt.  9.  2, 3.  Mar.  2.  7.  h  Hab.  2. 4.  Matt.  9. 
22.  Mar.  5.  34;  10.52.  c.  8.  48  ;  18.42.  Eph.  2.  8. 


feels  that  little  has  been  forgiven — 
that  his  sins  were  not  as  great  as  those 
of  others.  A  man's  love  to  God  will 
be  in  proportion  to  the  obligation  he 
feels  to  him  for  forgiveness.  God  is 
to  be  loved  for  his  perfections,  apart 
from  what  he  has  done  for  us.  But 
still  it  is  proper  that  our  love  should 
be  increased  by  a  consideration  of 
his  goodness;  and  they  wlio  feel— as 
Christians  do — that  they  are  the  chief 
of  sinners^  will  feel  under  infinite  obli- 
gation to  love  God  and  their  Redeem- 
er, and  that  no  expression  of  attach- 
ment to  him  can  be  beyond  what  is 
due. 

48.  Thy  sins  are  forgiven.  What  a 
gracious  assurance  to  the  weeping, 
loving  penitent !  How  that  voice, 
spoken  to  the  troubled  sinjier,  stills 
his  anguish,  allays  his  troubled  feel- 
ings, and  produces  peace  to  the  soul ! 
And  how  manifest  is  it  that  he  that 
could  sa3^  thus  must  be  God  !  No  man 
has  a  right  to  forgive  sin.  No  man 
can  speak  peace  to  the  soul,  and  give 
assurance  that  its  transgressions  are 
pardoned.  Here,  then,  Jesus  gave  in- 
dubitable proof  that  he  was  God  as 
well  as  man ;  that  he  was  Lord  of 
the  conscience  as  well  as  the  pitying 
friend ;  and  that  he  was  as  able  to 
read  the  heart  and  give  peace  there, 
as  he  was  to  witness  the  external  ex- 
i:)ression  of  sorrow  for  sin. 

49.  Who  is  this^  etc.  A  very  perti- 
nent question.  Who  could  he  be  but 
God  ?  Man  could  not  do  it,  and  there 
is  no  wonder  that  they  were  amazed. 

50.  Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee  ;  go  in 
peace.    See  Notes  on  Mark  v.  34. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
1.  Every  city  and  village.   Of  Galilee. 
If  PreacJdng  and  showing  the  glad  ti- 
dings of  the  kingdom  of  God.  That  the 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

AND  it  came  to  pass  afterward 
that  he  went  throughout  ev- 
ery city  and  village,  preaching  and 
showing  the  glad  tidings  of  the 
kingdom  of  God ;  and^the  twelve 
tce?'e  with  him ; 

2  And  ^  certain  women  which  had 
been  healed  of  evil  spirits  and  in- 
firmities, MargjUcalled  Magdalene, 
out  ^  of  whom  went  seven  devils, 

c  Matt.  27.55.  c?'Mar.l6.9.  ver.  30. 


kingdom  of  God  was  about  to  come, 
or  that  his  reign  in  the  Gospel  was 
about  to  be  set  up  over  men.  Sec 
Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  2.  T[  The  twelve. 
The  twelve  apostles. 

2.  Infirmities.  Sickness.  ^  Mary 
called  Magdalene.  So  called  from  Mag- 
dala^  the  place  of  her  residence.  It 
was  situated  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee, 
south  of  Capernaum.  To  this  place 
Jesus  retired  after  feeding  the  four 
thousand.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xv.  39. 

Out  of  whom  went.  By  the  power  of 
Jesus.  ^  Sevm  devils.  The  word  seve7i 
is  often  used  for  an  indefinite  number, , 
and  may  signify  merely  ma7iy  devils. 
The  expression  is  used  to  signify 
that  she  was  grievously  tormented, 
and  rendered,  doubtless,  insane  by 
the  power  of  evil  spirits.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  iv.  24.  It  has  been  common- 
ly supposed  that  Mary  Magdalene  was 
a  woman  of  abandoned  character,  but 
of  this  there  is  not  the  least  evidence. 
All  that  we  know  of  her  is  that  she 
was  formerly  grievously  afflicted  by 
the  presence  of  those  evil  spirits,  that 
she  was  i)erfectly  cured  by  Jesus,  and 
that  afterward  she  became  one  of  his 
most  faithful  and  humble  followers. 
She  was  at  his  crucifixion  (John  xix. 
25)  and  burial  (Mai-k  xv.  47).  and  she 
was  among  those  who  had^reparcd 
the  materials  to  embalm  him  (Mark 
xvi.  1),  and  who  first  went  to  the 
sepulchre  after  tlie  resurrection ;  and 
what  is  particularly  interesting  in  her 
histor^^,  she  was  the  first  to  whom  the 
risen  Redeemer  appeared  (Mark  xvi. 
9),  and  his  conversation  with  her  is 
exceeded  in  interest  and  pathos  by  no 
passage  of  history,  sacred  or  profane. 
(John  XX.  11-18.) 

3.  IIerod''s  steioard.  Herod  Antij^as, 
who  reigned  in  Galilee.  He  was  a  son 
of  Herod  the  Great.  The  word  steward 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


67 


3  And  Joanna  the  wife  of  Chuza, 
Herod's  steward,  and  Susanna,  and 
many  others,  which  ministered 
unto  him  "  of  their  substance. 

4  And  when  much  people  were 
gathered  together,  and  were  come 
to  him  out  of  every  city,  he  spake 
by  a  parable : 

5  A  *  sower  went  out  to  sow  his 
seed :  and  as  he  sowed,  some  fell 
by  the  way-side ;  and  it  was  trod- 
den down,  and  fowls  of  the  air 
devoured  it. 

6  And  some  fell  upon  a  rock :  ^ 
and  as  soon  as  it  was  sprung  up  it 
withered  away,  because  it  lacked 
moisture. 

7  And  some  fell  among  thorns :  ^ 
and  the  thorns  sprang  up  with  it, 
and  choked  it. 

8  And  other  fell  on  good  ground, 
and  sprang  up,  and  bare  fruit  an 
hundred-fold.-^  And  when  he  had 
said  these  things,  he  cried,  He  that 
hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear.s' 

9  And  his  disciples  asked  him, 
saying.  What  might  this  parable 
be? 

10  And  he  said.  Unto  you  it  is 
given  to  know,the  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  but  to  others  in 
parables ;  that  seeing  ^  they  might 
not  see,  and  hearing  they  might 
not  understand. 

11  Now  *  the  parable  is  this: 
The  ^  seed  is  the  word  of  God. 

12  Those  by  the  way -side  are 

a  2  Cor.  8.  9.  h  Matt.  13.  3,  etc.    Mar.  4.  3,  etc. 

c  Psa.  119. 118.  Matt.  5. 13.  dtJer.  5.3.  e  Jar.  4.  3. 
/  Gen.  26. 12.  g  Prov.  20. 12.    Jer.  13. 15 ;  25. 4. 

h  Isa.  6.  9.  i  Matt.  13. 18.  Mar.  4. 14,  etc.  j  1  Pet. 
1.  23.  k  Prov.  4.  5.  Isa.  65. 11.  Jas.  24.  I  Psa. 
106.12,13.  Isa.  58.  2.  Gal.  3. 1, 4 ;  4. 15. 


means  one  who  has  charge  of  the  do- 
mestic affairs  of  a  family,  to  provide 
for  it.  This  office  was  generally  held 
by  a  slave  who  was  esteemed  the  most 
faithful,  and  was  often  conferred  as  a 
reward  of  fidelity.  '^Ministered.  Gave 
for  his  support.  1  Of  their  substance. 
Their  property;  their  possessions. 
Christians  then  believed,  when  they 
professed  to  follow  Christ,  that  it  was 
proi)er  to  give  all  up  to  him — their 


they  that  hear;  then  cometh  the 
devil,  and  taketh  aAvay  ^  the  word 
out  of  their  hearts,  lest  they  should 
believe  and  be  saved. 

13  They  on  the  rock  are  they 
which,  when  they  hear,  receive^ 
the  word  with  joy ;  and  these  have 
no  root, which  for  a  while  be- 
lieve, and  in  time  of  temptation 
fall  away. 

14  And  that  which  fell  among 
thorns  are  they  which,  when  they 
have  heard,  go  forth,  and  are 
choked  with  ^  cares,  and  riches, 
and  pleasures  of  this  life,  and  bring 
no  fruit « to  perfection. 

15  But  that  on  the  good  ground 
are  they  which,  in  an  honest  and 
good  heart,  having  heard  the 
word,  keep  i^,  and  bring  forth  fruit 
with  ^  patience. 

16  No  man,  when  he  hath  light- 
ed a  candle,  covereth  it  with  a  ves- 
sel, or  putteth  it  under  a  bed ;  but 
setteth  it  on  a  candlestick,  that 
they  which  enter  in  may  see  the 
light. 

17  For  »  nothing  is  secret  that 
shall  not  be  made  manifest,  neither 
any  thing  hid  that  shall  not  be 
known  and  come  abroad. 

18  Take  *  heed,  therefore,  how  ye 
hear ;  for  ^  whosoever  hath,  to  him 
shall  be  given ;  and  whosoever 
hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken 
even  that  which  he  seemeth  ^  to 
have. 

m  Prov.  12.3.  Hos.  6.4.  «  1  Tim.  6.  9, 10.  2  Tim. 
4.10.  IJno.  2. 15-17.  oJno.  15.6.  »  Jer.  32.  39. 
^Heb.  10.36.  Jas.  1.4.  r  Matt.  5. 15.  Mar. 4.  21. 
c.  11.33.  sEcc.  12. 14.  Matt.  10.  26.  c.  12.  2.  1  Cor. 
4.5.  <  Jas.  1.21-25.  w  Matt.  13. 12 ;  25.  29.  c.  19. 
26.  1  or,  thinketh  that  he  hath. 


property  as  well  as  their  hearts ;  and 
the  same  thing  is  still  required — that 
is,  to  commit  all  that  we  have  to  his 
disposal;  to  be  willing  to  part  with  it 
for  the  promotion  of  his  glory,  and 
to  leave  it  when  he  calls  us  away  from 
it. 

4-15.  See  the  parable  of  the  sower 
explained  in  the  Notes  on  Matt.  xiii. 
1^23. 

16-18.  See  Notes  on  Mark  iv.  21-25. 


68 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  30. 


19  Then  «  came  to  him  his  moth- 
er and  his  brethren,  and  could  not 
come  at  him  for  the  press. 

20  And  it  was  told  him  'by  certain^ 
which  said,  Thy  mother  and  thy 
brethren  stand  without,  desiring 
to  see  thee. 

21  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  them.  My  mother  and  my 
brethren  are  these  which  hear  the 
word  of  God,  and  do  it. 

22  Now  *  it  came  to  pass  on  a 
certain  day  that  he  went  into  a 
ship  with  his  disciples ;  and  he 
said  unto  them,  Let  us  go  over 
unto  the  other  side  of  the  lake. 
And  they  launched  forth. 

23  But  as  they  sailed,  he  fell 
asleep ;  and  there  came  down  a 
storm  of  wind  on  the  lake ;  and 
they  were  filled  with  waUi\  and 
were  in  jeopardy. 

24  And  they  came  to  him  and^ 

a  Matt.  12. 46,  etc.  Mar.  3.  32,  etc. 
h  Matt.  8.  23,  etc.    Mar.  4.  35,  etc.  ^ 


awoke  him,  saying.  Master,  mas- 
ter, we  perish !  Then  he  arose, 
and  rebuked  the  wind  and  the 
raging  of  the  water ;  and  they 
ceased,  and  there  was  a  calm. 

25  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Where  is  your  faith  ?  And  they, 
being  afraid,  wondered,  saying  one 
to  another.  What  manner  of  man 
is  this  ?  for  he  commandeth  even 
the  winds  and  water,  and  they 
obey  him. 

26  And  they  arrived*at  the 
country  of  the  Gadarenes,  which 
is  over  against  Galilee. 

27  And  wheH  he  went  forth  to 
land,  there  met  him  out  of  the  city 
a  certain  man  which  had  devils 
long  time,  and  ware  no  clothes, 
neither  abode  in  any  house,  but  in 
the  tombs. 

28  When  he  saw  Jesus,  he  cried 
out,  and  fell  down  before  him,  and 

cPsa.44. 23.  Isa.51.9,10. 

d  Matt.  8.  28,  etc.   Mar.  6. 1 ,  etc. 


19-21.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  46-  a  drawing  by  Rev.  S.  C.  Malan,  may  il- 
50.  lustrate        expression  in  verse  23 — 


BEA  OF  GALlJ.EJi,  LOUKliNU  SOUTH. 


22-39.  Sec  this  passage  explained 
in  the  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  23-34,  and 
Mark  v.  1-20.    The  above  cut,  from 


and  there  came  down  a  storm  of  wind 
on  the  lake" — when  it  would  seem  to 
descend  from  the  surrounding  hills. 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


69 


with  a  loud  voice  said,  What  have 
I  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus,  thou  Son 
of  God  most  high  ?  I  beseech  thee, 
torment  ^  me  not. 

29  (For  he  had  commanded  the 
unclean  spirit  to  come  out  of  the 
man.  For  oftentimes  it  had  caught 
him :  and  he  was  kept  bound  with 
chains  and  in  fetters ;  and  he  brake 
the  bands,  and  was  driven  of  the 
devil  into  the  wilderness.) 

30  And  Jesus  asked  him,  saying, 
What  is  thy  name  ?  And  he  said, 
Legion ;  because  many  devils  were 
entered  into  him. 

31  And  they  besought  him  that 
he  would  not  command  them  to 
go  out  into  the  deep.* 

32  And  there  was  there  an  herd 
of  many  swine  feeding  on  the 
mountain ;  and  they  besought  him 
that  he  would  suffer  them  to  en- 
ter into  them ;  and  he  suffered 
them. 

33  Then  went  the  devils  out  of 
the  man,  and  entered  into  the 
swine ;  and  the  herd  ran  violently 
down  a  steep  place  into  the  lake, 
and  w^ere  choked. 

34  When  they  that  fed  them  saw 
what  was  done,  they  fled,  and 
went  and  told  it  in  the  city  and 
in  the  country. 

35  Then  they  went  out  to  see 
what  was  done;  and  came  to  Je- 
sus, and  found  the  man  out  of 
whom  the  devils  were  departed, 
sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  clothed 
and  in  his  right  ^  mind ;  and  they 
were  afraid. 

36  They  also  which  saw  it  told 
them  by  what  means  he  that  was 
possessed  of  the  devils  was  healed. 

37  Then  the  whole  multitude 
of  the  country  of  the  Gaclarenes 
round  about  besought  him  *  to 

alsa.  27. 1.  Jas.  2. 19.  Rev,  20. 10.  6  Rev.  20.  3. 
c  Acts  19. 16, 17.  c?Psa.51.10.  e  Acts  16.  39. 
/  Deut.  10.  20,  21.    Psa.  116. 12, 16.  .9  1  Tim.  5.  8. 

40-56.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  ix.  18-26,  and  Mark 
v.  21-43. 


depart  from  them,  for  they  were 
taken  with  great  fear ;  and  he 
went  up  into  the  ship,  and  return- 
ed back  again. 

38  Now  the  man  out  of  whom 
the  devils  were  departed  besought 
him  that  he  might  be  with /him; 
but  Jesus  sent  him  away,  saying, 

39  Eeturn  to  thine  own  house,^ 
and  show  ho)v  great  things  ^  God 
hath  done  unto  thee.  And  he  went 
his  way,  and  published  throughout 
the  whole  city  how  great  things 
Jesus  had  done  unto  him. 

40  And  it  came  to  pass,  that, 
when  Jesus  was  returned,  the  peo- 
ple gladly  received  him ;  for  they 
were  all  waiting  for  him. 

41  And,  behold,  there  *  came  a 
man  named  Jairus,  and  he  w^as  a 
ruler  of  the  synagogue ;  and  he  fell 
down  at  Jesus'  feet,  and  besought 
him  that  he  would  come  into  his 
house ; 

42  For  he  had  one  only  daugh- 
ter, about  twelve  years  of  age,  and 
she  lay  a  dying.  But  as  he  went 
the  people  thronged  him. 

43  And  a  woman  having  an  issue 
of  blood  twelve  years,  which  had 
spent  ^  all  her  living  upon  physi- 
cians, *  neither  could  be  healed  of 
any, 

44  Came  behind  him^  and  touch- 
ed the  border  of  his  garment ;  and 
immediately  her  issue  of  blood 
stanched. 

45  And  Jesus  said.  Who  touched 
me  ?  Wlien  all  denied,  Peter,  and 
they  that  were  with  him,  said, 
Master,  the  multitude  throng  thee 
and  press  tJiee^  and  sayest  thou, 
Who  touched  me  ? 

46  And  J|jsus  said.  Somebody 
hath  touched  me ;  for  I  perceive 
that  virtue    is  gone  out  of  me. 

I  Psa.  126.  2, 3.  i  Matt.  9. 18,  etc.  Mar.  5.  22,  etc. 

j  2  Chr,  16.  12.  Isa.  55.  2.  k  Job  13.  4. 

?  Matt.  8.  3  ;  20.  34.  Lu.  13. 13.     wic.  6. 19.  1  Pet.  2.  9. 

CHAPITER  IX. 
1-6.  See  Notes  on  Matthew  x.  1- 
14. 


70 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  31. 


47  And  when  the  woman  saw 
that  she  was  not  hid,  ^  she  came 
trembling,  *  and  falling  down  be- 
fore him,  she  declared  unto  him, 
before  all  the  people,  for  w^hat 
cause  she  had  touched  him,  and 
how  she  was  healed  immediately. 

48  And  he  said  unto  her.  Daugh- 
ter, be  of  good  comfort ;  thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole :  go  in  peace. 

49  While  "  he  yet  spake,  there 
Cometh  one  from  the  ruler  ^  of  the 
synagogue's  house^  saying  to  him. 
Thy  daughter  is  dead;  trouble  not 
the  Master. 

50  But  when  Jesus  heard  %  he 
answered  him,  saying.  Fear  not  f 
believe  only,  and  she  shall  be  made 
whole. 

51  And  when  he  came  into  the 
house,  he  suffered  no  man  to  go  in, 
save  Peter,  and  James,  and  John, 
and  the  father  and  the  mother  of 
the  maiden. 

52  And  all  wept,  and  bewailed 
her :  but  he  said.  Weep  not ;  she 
is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth./ 

53  And  they  laughed  him  to^ 
scorn,  knowing  that  she  was  dead. 

54  And  he  put  them  all  out,  and 
took  her  by  the  hand,  and  called, 
saying.  Maid,  ^  arise. 

55  And  her  spirit  came  again, 
and  she  arose  straightway ;  and 
he  commanded  to  give  her  meat. 

56  And  her  parents  were  aston- 
ished ;  but  he  charged '  them  that 
they  should  tell  no  man  what  was 
done. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

THEN  ^  he  called  his  twelve 
disciples  together,  and  gave 
them  power  and  authority  over  all 
devils,  and  to  cure  diseases. 

a  Psa.  38.  9.  Hos.  5.  3.  b  Isa.  66.  2.  Hos.  13. 1. 

Acts  1 6.  29.  c  Matt.  9.  23,  etc.    Mar.  5.  35,  etc. 

d  ver.  42,  43.  e  Jno.  11.  25.  Rom.  4, 17.  /  Jno. 
11.11,13.  aPsa.  22.  7.  c.l6. 14.  //,  c.  7. 14.  Jno. 
1 1 . 43.  i  Matt.  8.4;  9.  30.  Mar.  5.  43.  j  Matt. 
10. 1,  etc.    Mar.  3. 13,  etc. ;  6.  7,  etc. 


2  And  he  sent  them  to  preach 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  heal 
the  sick. 

3  And  he  said  unto  them.  Take 
*  nothing  for  y^^i/r  journey,  neither 
staves,  nor  scrip,  neither  bread, 
neither  money;  neither  have  two 
coats  apiece. 

4  And  whatsoever  house  ye  en- 
ter into,  there  abide,  and  thence 
depart. 

5  And  whosoever  will  not  receive 
you,  when  ye  go  out  of  that  city 
shake  ^  off  the  very  dust  from  your 
feet  for  a  testimony  against  them. 

6  And  they  departed,  and  went 
through  the  towns,  preaching  the 
gospel,  and  healing  every  where. 

7  Now  Herod  the  tetrarch  heard 
of  all  that  was  done  by  him ;  and 
he  was  perplexed,  because  that  it 
was  said  of  some  that  John  was 
risen  from  the  dead ; 

8  And  of  some.  That  Elias  had 
appeared ;  and  of  others.  That  one 
of  the  old  prophets  was  risen 
again. 

9  And  Herod  said,  John  have 
I  beheaded;  but  who  is  this,  of 
whom  I  hear  such  things  ?  And 
he  desired  to  see  him. 

10  And  the  aj^ostles,  when  they 
were  returned,  told  him  all  that 
they  had  done.  And  he  took  them, 
and  went  aside  privately  into  a 
desert  place,  belonging  to  the  city 
called  Bethsaida. 

11  And  the  people,  when  they 
knew  ^  it^  followed  him  ;  and  he 
received  p  them,  and  sjDake  unto 
them  of  the  kingdom  ^  of  God,  and 
healed  them  that  had  need  ^  of 
healing. 

12  And*  when  the  day  began  to 

A;  Lu.  10. 4,  etc. ;  12.22.  ZNeh.5. 13.  Acts  13.  51; 
18.  6.  m.  Matt.  14. 1,  etc.  Mar.  6. 14,  etc.  n  c.  23. 8. 
0  Rom.  10. 14, 17.  »  Jno.  6. 37.  j' Acts  28.  31. 
r  c.  1.53;  5.31.   Heb.4. 16.  «  Matt.  14. 15, etc. 

Mar.  6.  35,  etc.    Jno.  6.  5,  etc. 


7-9.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xiv.  1,  2. 
Compare  Mark  vi.  14-10. 


10-17.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xiv.  13- 
21,  antl  Mark  vi.  30-44. 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


71 


wear  away,  then  came  the  twelve, 
and  said  unto  him.  Send  the  mul- 
titude away,  that  they  may  go 
into  the  towns  and  country  round 
about,  and  lodge,  and  get  victuals ; 
for  we  are  here  in  a  desert "  place. 

13  But  he  said  unto  them,  Give 
ye  them  to  eat.  And  they  said. 
We  have  no  more  but  five  loaves 
and  two  fishes ;  except  we  -  should 
go  and  buy  meat  for  all  this  peo- 
l^le. 

14  (For  they  were  about  five 
thousand  men.)  And  he  said  to 
his  disciples,  *  Make  them  sit  down 
by  fifties  in  a  company. 

15  And  they  did  so,  and  made 
them  all  sit  down. 

16  Then  he  took  the  five  loaves 
and  the  two  fishes ;  and  looking  up 
to  heaven,  he  blessed  them,  and 
brake,  and  gave  to  the  disciples 
to  set  before  the  multitude. 

17  And  they  did  eat,  and  were 
all  ^  filled ;  and  there  was  taken 
up  of  fragments  that  remained  to 
them,  twelve  baskets. 

18  And  it  ^  came  to  pass,  as  he 
was  alone  praying,  his'  disciples 
were  with  him ;  and  he  asked 
them,  saying.  Whom  say  the  peo- 
ple that  I  am  ? 

19  They  answering,  said,  John  ^ 
the  Baptist ;  but  some  say^  Elias ; 
and  others  say^  That  one  of  the 
old  prophets  is  risen  again. 

20  He  said  unto  them.  But  whom 
say  ye  that  I  am?  Peter -^'answer- 
ing said,  The  Christ  of  God. 

a  Psa.  78, 19,  20.  Ezek.  34.  25.  Hos.  13.  5.  5  1  Cor. 
14.40.      c  Psa.  107.9.  Matt.  16.  13,  etc.   Mar.  8. 

27,  etc.         c  Matt.  14.2.  ver.  7,8.  /  Jno.  6.  69. 

g  Matt.  16.  21  ;  17.  22. 


10.  Bethsaida.  A  city  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  River  Jordan,  near  where 
the  river  enters  into  the  Sea  of  Tibe- 
rias. In  the  neighborhood  of  that 
city  were  extensive  wastes  or  deserts. 

12.  Day  began  to  toear  away.  To  de- 
cline, or  as  it  drew  near  toward  even- 
ing. 

18-26.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xvi.  13- 
27.  Mark  viii.  27-38. 


21  And  he  straitly  charged  them, 
and  commanded  them  to  tell  no 
man  that  thing ; 

22  Sajdng,  The  ^  Son  of  man  must 
suffer  many  things,  and  be  reject- 
ed of  the  elders,  and  chief  priests, 
and  scribes,  and  be  slain,  and  be 
raised  the  third  day. 

23  And  he  said  to  them  all,  If  ^ 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 
cross  daily,  and  follow  me. 

24  For  whosoever  will  save  his 
life  shall  lose  it;  but  whosoever 
will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  the 
same  shall  save  it. 

25  For  what  is  a  man  advan- 
taged if  he  gain  the  whole  world 
and  lose  himself,  or  be  cast  away  ? 

26  For  *  whosoever  shall  be 
ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words, 
of  him  shall  the  Son  of  man  be 
ashamed  when  he  shall  come  in 
his  own  glory,  and  m  his  Father's, 
and  of  the  holy  angels. 

27  But  ^  I  tell  you  of  a  truth, 
there  be  some  standing  here  which 
shall  not  *  taste  of  death  till  they 
see  the  kingdom  of  God. 

28  And  ^  it  came  to  pass  about 
an  eight  days  after  these  ^  sayings, 
he  took  Peter,  and  John,  and 
James,  and  went  up  into  a  mount- 
ain to  pray. 

29  And  as  he  prayed,  the  fash- 
ion of  his  countenance  was  alter- 
ed, and  his  raiment  was  white  and 
glistering. 

30  And,  behold,  there  talked  with 

A,  Matt.  10.  38  ;  16.  24.  Mar.  8. 34.  c.  14.  27.  Rom.  8. 
13.  Col.  3.  5.  i  Matt.  10,  33.  Mar.  8.  38.  2  Tiin.  2. 
12.  ^' Matt.  16.  28.  Mar.  9.1.  ifc  Jno.  8.  59.  Heb. 
2.  9.      I  Matt.  17. 1,  etc.  Mar.  9.  2,  etc.      1  or,  things. 


20.  The  Christ  of  God.  The  ^nom^- 
ed  of  God.  The  Messiah  appointed  by 
God,  and  who  had  been  long  i^romised 
by  him.    See  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  1. 

28-36.  See  an  account  of  the  trans- 
figuration in  Matt.  xvii.  1-13,  and  Mark 
ix.  2-13. 

29.  The  fashion.  The  appearance. 
1[  Glisterimj.  Sliining  like  lightning — 
of  a  briiiht,  dazzlinii:  whiteness.  As 


73 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


liim  two  men,  wliich  were  Moses 
and  Elias, 

31  Who  appeared  in  glory,  and 
spake  of  his  decease  which  he 
should  accomj)lish  at  Jerusalem. 

32  But  Peter  and  they  that  were 
with  him  were  heavy  *  with  sleep ; 
and  when  they  were  awake,  they 
saw  his  *  glory,  and  the  two  men 
that  stood  with  him. 

33  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they 
departed  from  him,  Peter  said  unto 
Jesus,  Master,  it is  good  for  us  to 
be  here :  and  let  us  make  three 
tabernacles ;  one  for  thee,  and  one 
for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias ;  not 
knowing  ^  what  he  said. 

34  While  he  thus  spake,  there 
came  a  cloud  and  overshadowed 
them ;  and  they  feared  as  they  en- 
tered into  the  cloud. 

35  And  there  came  a  voice  out 
of  the  cloud,  saying.  This  ^  is  my 
beloved  Son :  hear  ^  him. 

36  And  when  the  voice  was  past, 
Jesus  was  found  alone.  And  they 
kept  it  close,  and  told  no  man  in 
those  days  ^  any  of  those  things 
which  they  had  seen. 

a  Dan.  8. 18;  10.9.  5Jno.  1.14.  cPsa.27.4; 
73.28.  Mar.  10.38.       <  Matt.  3. 17.  2  Pet.  1.17, 

18.        /Deut.  18. 15.  Acts  3.  22.         </ Ecc.  3.  7. 


Mark  says,  "more  white  than  any 
fuller  could  make  it." 

31.  In  glory.  Of  a  glorious  appear- 
ance. Of  an  appearance  like  that 
which  the  saints  have  in  heaven. 

His  decease.  Literally,  his  exit  or  de- 
partiire.  The  word  translated  here 
decease  —  that  is,  exit^  or  going  out — is 
elsewhere  used  to  denote  death.  See 
2  Peter  i.  15.  Death  is  a  departure  or 
going  out  from  this  life.  In  this  word 
there  may  be  an  allusion  to  the  de- 
parture of  the  children  of  Israel  from 
Egypt.  As  that  was  going  out  from 
bondage.,  pain,  and  humiliation,  so 
death,  to  a  saint,  is  but  going  forth 
from  a  land  of  captivity  and  thraldom 
to  one  of  plenty  and  freedom ;  to  the 
land  of  promise,  the  Canaan  in  the 
skies.  ^  He  sifoidd  accomplish.  Which 
was  about  to  take  place. 

32.  Heavy  with  sleep.    Borne  down 


37  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  on 
the  next  day,  when  they  were  come 
down  from  the  hill,  much  people 
met  him. 

38  And,  behold,  a  man  of  the 
company  cried  out,  saying,  Mas- 
ter, I  beseech  thee  look  ujDon  my 
son ;  for  he  is  mine  ^  only  child : 

39  And,  lo,  a  spirit  taketli  him, 
and  he.  suddenly  crietli  out ;  and 
it  tearetli  him  that  he  foameth 
again ;  and,  bruising  him  hardly, 
departeth  from  him. 

40  And  I  besought  thy  disciples 
to  cast  him  out,  and  they  could 
not.-^' 

41  And  Jesus  answering  said,  O 
faithless  ^  and  perverse  ^  genera- 
tion !  how  long  shall  I  l)e  with 
you,  and  suffer  you  ?  Bring  thy 
son  hither. 

42  And  as  he  was  yet  a  coming, 
the  devil  threw  him  down  and  tare 
him.  And  Jesus  relniked the  un- 
clean spirit,  and  healed  the  child, 
and  delivered  him  again  to  his 
father. 

43  And  they  were  all  amazed*' 
at  the  mighty  power  of  God.  But 

h  Matt.  17. 14,  etc.  Mar.  9. 17,  etc.  {  Zecli.  12. 10. 
j  Acts  lit.  13-16.  k  .Ino.  20.  27.  Heb.  4.  2.  .  /  Deut. 
32.5.  Psa.78.8.  w  Mar.  1.27.  »Psa.  139. 14. 
Zech.  8.  6. 


with  sleep — oppressed,  overcome  with 
sleep.  It  may  seem  remarkable  that 
they  should  fall  asleep  on  such  an  oc- 
casion ;  but  we  are  to  bear  in  mind 
that  this  may  have  been  in  the  night, 
and  that  they  were  weary  with  the 
toils  of  the  da}^  Besides,  they  did 
not  fcdl  asleep  while  the  transfigura- 
tion lasted.  While  Jesus  was  pray- 
ing, or  perhaps  after  he  closed,  they 
fell  asleep.  While  they  were  sleeping 
his  countenance  was  changed,  and  Mo- 
ses and  Elias  appeared,  l^hc  first  that 
they  saw  of  it  was  after  they  awoke, 
having  been  probably  awakened  by 
the  shining  of  the  light  around  them. 

36.  Jesus  was  found  alone.  That  is, 
the  two  men  had  left  him.  In  respect 
to  them  he  was  alone. 

37-4*).  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xvii.  14-21,  and 
Mark  ix.  14-29. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


73 


wliile  they  wondered  every  one  at 
all  things  which  Jesus  did,  he  said 
unto  his  disciples, 

44  Let  these  sayings  sink  down 
into  your  ears ;  for  "  the  Son  of  man 
shall  be  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  men.* 

45  But "  they  understood  not  this 
saying,  and  it  was  hid  from  them, 
that  they  perceived  it  not ;  and  they 
feared  to  ask  him  of  that  saying. 

46  Then  ^  there  arose  a  reasoning 
among  them,  which  of  them  should 
be  greatest. 

47  And  Jesus,  perceiving  the 
thought  of  their  heart,  took  a 
child,  and  set  him  by  him, 

a  Matt.  17.  22.  b  2  Sam.  24. 14. 

c  Mar.  9.  32.    c.  2.  50  ;  18.  34. 

d  Matt.  18.  1,  etc.    Mar.  9,  34,  etc. 


44.  Let  these  sayings.  Probably  this 
refers  to  the  sayings  of  the  people^  who 
had  seen  his  miracles,  and  who  on 
that  account  had  praised  and  glorified 
God.  On  that  ground  they  had  ac- 
knowledged him  to  be  the  Christ.  As 
if  he  had  said,  "I  am  about  to  die. 
Yoit  will  then  be  disconsolate,  and 
perhaps  doubtful  about  my  being  the 
Christ.  Then  do  you  remember  these 
miracles,  and  the  confessions  of  the 
people — the  evidence  which  I  gave 
you  that  I  was  from  God."  Or  it  may 
mean,  "  Remember  that  I  am  about 
to  die,  and  let  my  sayings  in  regard 
to  that  sinli  down  into  your  hearts, 
for  it  is  a  most  important  event,  and 
you  will  have  need  of  remembering, 
when  it  takes  place,  that  I  told  you 
of  it."  This  last  interpretation,  how- 
ever, does  not  agree  as  well  with  the 
Greek  as  the  former. 

45.  It  was  hid  from  them.  They  had 
imbibed  the  common  notions  of  the 
Jews  that  he  was  to  be  a  prince  and 
a  conqueror,  to  deliver  the  nation. 
They  could  not  understand  how  that 
could  be,  if  he  was  soon  to  be  deliver- 
ed into  the  hands  of  his  enemies  to 
die..  In  this  way  it  was  hid  from 
them— not  by  God,  but  by  their  pre- 
vious false  belief.  And  from  this  we 
may  learn  that  the  plainest  truths  of 
the  Bible  are  unintelligible  to  many 
because  they  have  embraced  some  be- 
lief or  opinion  before  which  is  erro- 
neous, and  which  they  are  unwilling 
to  abandon.  The  proper  way  of  read- 

II.— D 


48  And  said  unto  them,  Whoso- 
ever ^  shall  receive  this  child  in 
my  name  receiveth  me ;  and  who- 
soever shall  receive  me,  receiveth 
him  that  sent  me :  for  f  he  that  is 
least  among  you  all,  the  same  shall 
be  great. 

49  And  John  answered  and  said. 
Master,  we  saw  one  casting  out 
devils  in  thy  name ;  and  we  for- 
bad him,  because  he  folio weth  not 
with  us. 

50  And  Jesus  said  unto  him. 
Forbid  him  not ;  for  ^  he  that  is 
not  against  us  is  for  us. 

51  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
the  time  was  come  that  he  should 

e  Matt.  10.  40.    Jno.  12. 44  ;  13.  20. 

/•  Matt.  23. 11,12.   c.  14. 11.  Num.  11.  27-29. 

AMatt.  12.  30.    c.  16. 13. 


ing  the  Bible  is  to  lay  aside  all  pre- 
vious opinions  and  submit  entirely  to 
God.  The  apostles  should  have  sup- 
posed that  their  previous  notions  of 
the  Messiah  were  wrong,  and  should 
have  renounced  them.  They  should 
have  believed  that  what  Jesus  then 
said  was  consistent  with  his  being  the 
Christ.  So  we  should  believe  that  all 
that  God  says  is  consistent  with  truth, 
and  should  forsake  all  other  opinions. 

46-50.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xviii.  1- 
5.   Compare  Mark  ix.  33-38. 

51.  Should  he  received  up.  The  word 
here  translated  "received  up"  means 
literally  a  removal  from  a  lower  to  a 
higher  place,  and  here  it  refers  evi- 
dently to  the  solemn  ascension  of  J e- 
sus  to  heaven.  It  is  often  used  to  de- 
scribe that  great  event.  See  Acts  i. 
11,  22.  Mark  xvi.  19.  1  Tim.  iii*16. 
The  time  appointed  for  him  to  remain 
on  the  earth  was  about  expiring,  and 
he  resolved  to  go  to  Jerusalem  and 
die.  And  from  this  we  learn  that  Je- 
sus made  a  voluntary  sacrifice ;  that 
he  chose  to  give  his  life  for  the  sins  of 
men.  Hurnanly  speaking,  had  he  re- 
mained in  Galilee  he  would  have  been 
safe ;  but  that  it  might  appear  that  he 
did  not  shun  danger,  and  that  he  was 
really  a  voluntary  sacrifice  —  that  no 
man  had  power  over  his  life  except  as 
he  was  permitted,  (John  xix.  11) — he 
chose  to  put  himself  in  the  way  of 
danger,  and  even  to  go  into  scenes 
which  he  knew  would  end  in  his  death. 
1[  He  steadfastly  set  Jiis  face.    He  de- 


74 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


be  received  *  up,  lie  steadfastly  set 
his  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem, 

52  And  sent  messengers  before 
his  face ;  and  they  went,  and  en- 
tered into  a  village  of  the  Samari- 
tans, *  to  make  ready  for  him. 

53  And  they  did  not  receive  him, 
because  his  face  was  as  though  he 
would  go  to  Jerusalem. 

aMar.16.19.   Acts  1.2.  6  Jno.4.4. 


terminecl  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  or  he 
set  out  resolutely.  When  a  man  goes 
toward  an  object,  he  may  be  said  to 
set  his  face  toward  it.  The  expres- 
sion here  means  only  that  he  resolved 
to  go,  and  it  implies  that  he  was  not 
appalled  by  the  dangers — that  he  was 
determined  to  brave  all,  and  go  up  into 
the  midst  of  his  enemies — to  die. 

52.  Sent  messengers.  In  the  original 
the  word  is  migels  ;  and  the  use  of  that 
word  here  shows  that  the  word  angel 
in  the  Bible  does  not  always  mean 
heavenly  beings.  •[[  To  make  ready. 
To  prepare  a  place,  lodgings,  refresh- 
ments. He  had  no  reason  to  expect 
that  he  would  experience  any  kind 
treatment  from  the  Samaritans  if  he 
came  suddenly  among  them,  and  if 
they  saw  that  he  was  going  to  Jeru- 
salem. He  therefore  made  provision 
beforehand,  and  thus  has  shown  us 
that  it  is  not  improper  to  look  out  be- 
forehand for  the  supply  of  our  wants, 
and  to  guard  against  want  and  pov- 
ariy.  1  Samaritans.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  X.  5.  They  had  no  dealings  with 
the  Jews.   John  iv.  9. 

53.  They  did  not  receive  him.  Did 
not  entertain  him  hospitably,  or  re- 
ceive him  with  kindness.  H  Because 
hi^ace  2ms,  etc.  Because  they  ascer- 
tained that  he  was  going  to  Jerusa- 
lem. One  of  the  subjects  of  dispute 
between  the  Jews  and  Samaritans  per- 
tained to  the  proper  situation  of  the 
Temple.  The  Jews  contended  that 
it  should  be  at  Jerusalem ;  the  Sa- 
maritans, on  Mount  Gerizim,  and  ac- 
cordingly they  had  built  one  there. 
They  had  probably  heard  of  the  mira- 
cles of  Jesus,  and  that  he  claimed  to 
be  the  Messiah.  Perhaps  they  had 
hoi)ed  that  he  would  decide  that  tliey 
were  right  in  regard  to  the  building 
of  the  Temple.  Had  he  decided  the 
question  in  that  way,  they  would  have 
received  him  as  the  Messiah  gladly; 
but  when  they  saw  that  he  was  going 


54  And  when  his  disciples,  James 
and  John,  saw  this^  they  said.  Lord, 
wilt  thou  that  we  command  fire 
to  come  down  from  heaven  and 
consume  them,  even  as  Elias^ 
did  ? 

55  But  he  turned  and  rebuked 
them,  and  said.  Ye  know  not  what 
manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of. 

c  2  Kin.  1.10-12. 


among  the  Jews  —  that  by  going  he 
would  decide  in  their  favor,  they  re- 
solved to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
him,  and  they  rejected  him.  And 
from  this  we  may  learn — 1st.  That 
men  wish  all  the  teachers  of  religion 
to  fall  in  with  their  own  views. 
2d.  That  if  a  doctrine  does  not  ac- 
cord with  their  selfish  desires,  they 
are  verj^  apt  to  reject  it.  3d.  That  if 
a  religious  teacher  or  a  doctrine  fa- 
vors a  rival  sect,  it  is  commonly  re- 
jected without  examination.  And, 
4th.  That  men,  from  a  regard  to  their 
own  views  and  selfishness,  often  re- 
ject the  true  religion,  as  the  Samari- 
tans did  the  Son  of  God,  and  bring 
upon  themselves  swift  destruction. 

54.  James  and  John.  They  were  call- 
ed Boanerges — sons  of  thunder — prob- 
ably on  account  of  their  energy  and 
power  in  preaching  the  Gospel,  or  of 
their  vehement  and  rash  zeal — a  re- 
markable example  of  which  we  have 
in  this  instance.  Mark  iii.  17.  ^  Wilt 
thou^  etc.  The  insult  had  been  offer- 
ed to  Jesus,  their  friend,  and  they  felt 
it ;  but  their  zeal  was  rash  and  their 
spirit  bad.  Vengeance  belongs  to 
God :  it  was  not  theirs  to  attempt  it. 
1[  Fire  from  heaven.  Lightning,  to  con- 
sume them.  ^  As  Elias  did.  By  this 
they  wished  to  justify  their  zeal.  Per- 
haps, while  they  were  speaking,  they 
saw  Jesus  look  at  them  with  disap- 
probation, and  to  vindicate  them- 
selves they  referred  to  the  case  of  Eli- 
jah. The  case  is  recorded  in  2  Kings 
i.  10-12. 

55.  Ye  k7iow  not  ivhat  manner  of  spirit 
ye  are  of.  You  suppose  that  you  are 
actuated  by  a  proper  love  for  me ;  but 
you  know  not  yourselves.  It  is  rath- 
er a  love  of  revenge ;  rather  revenge- 
ful feelings  toward  the  Samaritans 
than  proper  feelings  toward  me.  We 
learn  here — 1st.  That  apparent  zeal  for 
God  may  be  only  improper  opposi- 
tion toward  our  fellow-men.  2d.  That 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


75 


56  For  the  Son  of  man  is  not 
come  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to 
save  them.  And  they  went  to  an- 
other village. 

57  And  *  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as 
they  w«nt  in  the  way,  a  certain 
man  said  mito  him.  Lord,  I  will 
follow  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest. 

58  And  Jesus  said  unto  him. 
Foxes  have  holes,  and  birds  of  the 
air  have  nests ;  but  the  Son  of  man 
hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head. 

59  And  he  said  unto  another. 
Follow  me.  But  he  said.  Lord, 
suffer  me  first  to  go  and  bury  my 
father. 

a  Jno.  3. 17  ;  12,  47.  b  Matt.  8. 19,  etc. 

men,  when  they  wish  to  honor  God, 
should  examine  their  spirit,  and  see 
if  there  is  not  lying  at  the  bottom  of 
their  professed  zeal  for  God  some  bad 
feeling  toward  their  fellow-men.  3d. 
That  the  highest  opposition  which  Je- 
sus met  with  was  not  inconsistent  with 
7ii.s  loving  those  who  opposed  him,  and 
with  his  seeking  to  do  them  good. 

56.  For  the  Son  of  man^  etc.  You 
should  imitate,  in  your  spirit,  the  Son 
of  man.  He  came  not  to  destroy.  If 
he  had  come  for  that  purpose,  he 
would  have  destroyed  these  Samari- 
tans ;  but  he  came  to  save.  He  is  not 
soon  angry.  He  bears  patiently  opi)o- 
sition  to  liimself,  and  yod  should  bear 
opposition  io  him.  You  should  catch 
his  spirit ;  temper  your  zeal  like  his ; 
seek  to  do  good  to  those  who  injure 
you  and  him ;  be  mild,  kind,  patient, 
and  forgiving. 

57-60.  See^Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  19-22. 

61.  Bid  themfareivell.  To  take  leave, 
inform  them  of  the  design,  and  set 
things  at  home  in  order.  Jesus  did 
not  suffer  this,  because  he  probably 
saw  that  he  would  be  influenced  by  a 
love  of  his  friends,  or  by  their  persua- 
sions, not  to  return  to  him.  The  pur- 
l)ose  to  be  a  Christian  requires  decis- 
ion.  Men  should  not  tamper  with 
the  world.  They  should  not  consult 
earthly  friends  about  it.  They  should 
not  even  allow  worldly  friends  to  give 
them  advice  whether  to  be  Christians 
or  not.  God  is  to  be  obeyed  rather 
than  man,  and  they  should  come  forth 
boldly,  and  resolve  at  once  to  give 
themselves  to  his  service. 


60  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Let  the 
dead  bury  their  dead ;  but  go  thou 
and  preach  the  kingdom  of  God. 

61  And  another  also  said.  Lord, 
I  will  follow  thee ;  but  let  me  first 
go  bid  them  farewell  which  are  at 
home  at  my  house. 

62  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  No 
man,  having  put  his  hand  to  the 
plough,  and  looking  back,  is  fit 
for  the  kingdom  of  God. 

CHAPTER  X. 

AFTER  ^  these  things  the  Lord 
appointed  other  seventy  also, 
and  sent  them  tw^o  and  two  be- 
fore his  face  into  every  city  and 

cl  Kin.  19.  20.  Matt.  10. 1,  etc.  Mar.  6.  7,eto. 

62.  Ko  man,  having  put  his  hand^  etc. 
To  put  one's  hand  to  a  plow  is  a 
proverbial  expression  to  signify  un- 
dertaking any  business.  In  order  that 
a  plowman  may  accomplish  his  work, 
it  is  necessary  to  look  onward — to  be 
intent  on  his  emj^loyment — not  to  be 
looking  back  with  regret  that  he  un- 
dertook it.  So  in  religion.  He  that 
enters  on  it  must  do  it  with  his  whole 
heart.  He  that  comes  still  loving  the 
world  —  still  looking  with  regret  on 
its  pleasures,  its  wealth,  and  its  hon- 
ors— that  has  not  wholly  forsaken  them 
as  his  portion,  can  not  be  a  Christian, 
and  is  not  fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 
How  searching  is  this  test  to  those 
who  profess  to  be  Christians  !  And 
how  solemn  the  duty  of  all  men  to 
renounce  all  earthl}'  objects,  and  to 
be  not  only  almost^  but  altogether^  fol- 
lowers of  the  Son  of  God  !  It  is  per- 
ilous to  tamper  with  the  world — to 
look  at  its  pleasures  or  to  seek  its  so- 
ciety. He  that  would  enter  heaven 
must  come  with  a  heart  full  of  love  to 
God ;  giving  all  into  his  hands,  and 
prepared  always  to  give  up  all  his 
property,  his  health,  his  friends,  his 
body,  his  soul  to  God,  when  he  de- 
mands them,  or  he  can  not  be  a  Chris- 
tian. Religion  is  every  thing  or  noth- 
ing. He  ttiat  is  not  willing  to  sacri- 
fice e7jery  thing  for  the  cause  of  God, 
is  really  willing  to  sacrifice  nothing. 

CHAPTER  X. 
1.  After  these  things.    After  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  twelve  apostles,  and 
the  transactions  recorded  in  the  pre- 


76 


LUKE, 


[A.D.  32. 


place,  wliitlier  lie  himself  would 
come. 

2  Therefore  said  he  unto  them,* 
The  harvest  truly  is  great,  but  the  * 
labourers  are  few :  pray  ye  there- 
fore the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that 
he  would  send  forth  labourers  into 
his  harvest. 

a  Matt.  9.  37.  Jno.  4.  35. 
6  1Cor.  3.  9.    ITim.  5. 17. 


vious  chapters.  T[  Other  seventy.  Sev- 
enty others  besides  the  apostles.  They 
were  aj^pointed  for  a  different  purpose 
from  the  apostles.  The  apostles  were 
to  be  with  him ;  to  hear  his  instruc- 
tions ;  to  be  witnesses  of  his  miracles, 
his  sufferings,  his  death,  his  resurrec- 
tion and  ascension,  that  they  might 
the7i  go  and  proclaim  all  these  things 
to  the  world.  The  seventy  were  sent 
out  to  preach  immediately,  and  chiefly 
where  he  himself  was  about  to  come. 
They  were  appointed  for  a  temiDorary 
object.  They  were  to  go  into  the  vil- 
lages and  towns,  and  prepare  the  way 
for  his  coming.  The  number  seventy 
was  a  favorite  number  among  the 
Jews.  Thus  the  family  of  Jacob  that 
came  into  Egypt  consisted  of  seventy. 
Gen.  xlvi.  27.  The  number  of  elders 
that  Moses  appointed  to  aid  him  was 
the  same.  Num.  xi.  16,  25.  The  num- 
ber which  composed  the  great  Sanhe- 
drim, or  council  of  the  nation,  was  the 
same.  It  is  not  improbable  that  our 
Saviour  appointed  this  nwnher  with 
reference  to  the  fact  that  it  so  often 
occurred  among  the  Jews,  or  after 
the  example  of  Moses,  who  appoint- 
ed seventy  to  aid  him  in  his  work ; 
but  it  is  evident  that  the  office  was 
temporary — that  it  had  a  specific  de- 
sign— ^and  of  course  that  it  would  be 
improper  to  attempt  to  find  now  a 
continuation  of  it,  or  a  parallel  to  it,  in 
the  Christian  ministry.  ^  Two  and 
two.  There  was  much  wisdom  in  send- 
ing them  in  this  manner.  It  was  done, 
doubtless,  that  they  might  aid  one  an- 
other by  mutual  counsel,  and  that  they 
might  sustain  and  comfort  one  anoth- 
er in  their  j^ersecutions  and  trials. 
Our  Lord  in  this  showed  the  proprie- 
ty of  having  a  religious  friend^  who 
would  be  a  confidant  and  help.  Every 
Christian,  and  especially  every  Chris- 
tian minister,  needs  such  a  friend,  and 
should  seek  some  one  to  whom  lie  can 
unbosom  himself,  and  with  whom  he 
can  mingle  his  feelings  and  prayers. 


3  Go  your  ways :  behold,  I  send 
you  forth  as  lambs  among  wolves. 

4  Carry  neither  purse,  nor  scrip, 
nor  shoes ;  and  ^  salute  no  man  by 
the  way. 

5  And  into  whatsoever  house  ye 
enter,  first  say,  Peace  le  to  this 
house. 

c  c.  9.  3,  etc. 

d  Gen.  24.  33,  56.    2  Kin.  4.  29.  Prov.  4.  25. 

2.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  ix.  36, 37. 

3.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  16. 

4.  Purse — scrip — shoes.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  X.  10.  ^  Salute  no  man  by  the 
way.  Salutations  among  the  Orientals 
did  not  consist,  as  among  us,  of  a 
slight  bow  or  an  extension  of  the 
hand,  but  was  performed  hy  many  em- 
braces and  inclinations,  and  even  pros- 
trations of  the  body  on  the  ground. 
All  this  required  much  time;  and  as 
the  business  on  which  the  seventy 
were  sent  was  urgent,  they  were  re- 
quired not  to  delay  their  journey  by 
long  and  formal  salutations  of  the  per- 
sons whom  they  met.  "If  two  Arabs 
of  equal  rank  meet  each  other,  they 
extend  to  each  other  the  right  hand, 
and  having  clasped,  they  elevate  them 
as  if  to  kiss  them.  Each  one  then 
draws  back  his  hand  and  kisses  it  in- 
stead of  his  friend's,  and  then  places 
it  upon  his  forehead.  The  parties 
then  continue  the  salutation  by  kiss- 
ing each  other's  beard.  They  give 
thanks  to  God  that  they  are  once 
more  permitted  to  see  their  friend — 
they  pray  to  the  Almighty  in  his  be- 
half Sometimes  they  repeat  not  less 
than  ten  times  the  ceremony  of  grasp- 
ing hands  and  kissing."  It  may  also 
be  added,  in  the  language  of  Dr.  Thom- 
son (The  Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  i., 
p.  534),  that  "there  is  such  an  amount 
of  insincerity,  flattery,  and  falsehood 
in  the  terms  of  salutation  prescribed 
by  etiquette,  that  our  Lord,  who  is 
truth  itself,  desired  his  representatives 
to  dispense  with  them  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, perhaps  tacitly  to  rebuke  them. 
These  'instructions'  were  also  intend- 
ed to  reprove  another  propensity 
which  an  Oriental  can  scarcely  resist, 
no  matter  how  urgent  his  business. 
If  he  meets  an  acquaintance,  he  must 
stop  and  make  an  endless  number  of 
in(iiiii  i('s  and  answer  as  many.  If  they 
come  ii])<)n  men  making  a  bargain  or 
discussing  any  other  matter,  they 
must  pause  and  intrude  their  own 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


77 


6  And  if  tlie  son  *  of  peace  be 
there,  your  peace  shall  rest  *  upon 
it ;  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you  again. 

7  And  in  the  same  house  remain, 
eating  and  drinking  such  things 
as  they  give ;  for  the  labourer  is 
worthy  of  his  hire.  Go  not  from 
house  to  house. 

8  And  into  whatsoever  city  ye 
enter,  and  they  receive  you,  eat* 
such  things  as  are  set  before  you ; 

9  And  heal  the  sick  that  are 
therein,  and  say  unto  them,  The 
-^kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh 
unto  you. 

10  But  into  whatsoever  city  ye 
enter,  and  they  receive  you  not, 
go  your  ways  out  into  the  streets 
of  the  same,  and  say, 

11  Even  ^  the  very  dust  of  your 
city,  which  cleaveth  on  us,  we  do 
wipe  off  against  you :  notwith- 
standing, be  ye  sure  of  this,  that 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh 
unto  you. 

a  Isa.  9.  6.    2  Thess.  3.16.  h  Jas.  3.  18.* 

c  1  Cor.  9.  4-14.   1  Tim.  5. 18.  1  Tim.  5. 13. 

6  1  Cor.  10.  27.  /  Matt.  3.  2.  g  c.  9.  5. 


ideas,  and  enter  keenly  into  the  busi- 
ness, though  it  in  no  wise  concerns 
them;  and  more  especially,  an  Orient- 
al can  never  resist  the  temptation  to 
assist  where  accoimts  are  being  settled  or 
money  counted  out.  The  clink  of  coin 
has  a  positive  fascination  to  them. 
Now  the  command  of  our  Saviour 
strictly  forbade  all  such  loiterings. 
They  would  waste  time,  distract  at- 
tention, and  in  many  ways  hinder  the 
prompt  and  faithful  discharge  of  their 
important  mission."  Tlie  salutation 
of  friends,  therefore,  was  a  ceremony 
which  consumed  much  time;  and  it 
was  on  this  account  that  our  Lord  on 
this  occasion  forbad  them  to  delay 
their  journey  to  greet  others.  A  simi- 
lar direction  is  found  in  2  Kings  iv.  29. 

5.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  13. 

6.  The  son  of  jjeace.  That  is,  if  the 
house  or  family  be  worthy^  or  be  dis- 
posed to  receive  you  m  peace  and  kind- 
ness. See  Matt.  x.  13.  TJie  son  of  peace 
means  one  disposed  to  peace,  or  peace- 
ful and  kind  in  his  disposition.  Com- 
pare Matt.  i.  1. 

7.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  11.  On  this 


12  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  it 
shall  be  more  tolerable  in  that 
day  for  Sodom  than  for  that  city. 

13  Woe  unto  thee,  Chorazin  ! 
woe  unto  thee,  Betlisaida  1  for  *  if 
the  mighty  works  had  been  done  in 
Tyre  and  Sid  on  which  have  been 
done  in  you,  they  had  a  great  while 
ago  repented,  sitting  in  sackcloth 
and  ashes. 

14  But  it  shall  be  more  tolerable 
for  Tyre  and  Sidon  at  the  judg- 
ment than  for  you. 

15  And  thou,  Capernaum,  which 
•?'art  exalted  to  heaven,  shalt  be 
thrust  *  down  to  hell. 

16  He  ^  that  heareth  you,  heareth 
me  ;  and  he that  despiseth  you, 
despiseth  me  ;  and  *  he  that  de- 
spiseth me,  despiseth  him  that 
sent  me. 

17  And  the  seventy  returned 
again  with  joy,  saying.  Lord,  even 
the  devils  are  subject  unto  us 
through  thy  name. 

h  Matt.  11.  21,  etc.  i  Ezek,  3.  6.  ;  Isa.  14. 13-15. 
Jer.  51.53.  Amos  9.  2,  3.  ^- Ezek'.  26.  20  ;  31.  18. 

I  Jno.  13.  20.  m  Acts  5.  4.  n  Jno.  5.  23. 


passage  Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and 
the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  534)  remarks: 
"The  reason  [for  the  command,  'go 
not  from  house  to  house']  is  veiy  ob- 
vious to  one  acquainted  with  Oriental 
customs.  When  a  stranger  arrives  in  a 
village  or  an  encampment,  the  neigh- 
bors, one  after  another,  must  invite 
iiim  to  eat  with  them.  There  is  a  strict 
etiquette  about  it,  involving  much  os- 
tentation and  hyi^ocrisy,  and  a  failure 
in  the  due  observance  of  this  system 
of  hospitality  is  violently  resented, 
and  often  leads  to  alienations  and 
feuds  among  neighbors ;  it  also  con- 
sumes much  time,  causes  unusual  dis- 
traction of  mind,  leads  to  levity,  and 
every  way  counteracts  the  success  of 
a  spiritual  mission." 

8-12.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  14, 15. 

13-15.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  31-24. 

16.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  40. 

17.  The  devils  are  subject  unto  us. 
The  devils  obey  us.  We  have  been 
able  to  cast  them  out.  ^  Through  thy 
name.  When  commanded  in  thy  name 
to  come  out  of  those  who  are  pos- 
sessed. 


78 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


18  And  he  said  unto  them,  I  be- 
held Satan  *  as  lightning  fall  from 
heaven. 

19  Behold,  I  give  unto  you  pow- 
er to  tread  on  serpents  ^  and  scor- 
pions, and  over  all  the  power  of 
the  enemy ;  and  nothing  shall  by 
any  means  hurt  you. 

20  Notwithstanding,  in  this  re- 
joice not,  that  the  spirits  are  sub- 
ject unto  you ;  but  rather  rejoice 

a  Rev.  12.8,9.  Mar.  16. 18.    Acts  28.  5. 

c  Ex.  32.32.  Psa.69.28.  Isa.4.3.  Dan.  12. 1.  Phil. 
4.3.   Heb.l2.  23.  Rev.  13.  8;  20.12;  21.27. 


18.  /  heheld  Satan.,  etc.  Satan  here 
denotes  evidently  the  prince  of  the 
devils  who  had  been  cast  out  by  the 
seventy  disciples,  for  the  discourse 
was  respecting  their  power  over  evil 
spirits.  LigJitning  is  an  image  of  ra- 
pidity or  quickness.  I  saw  Satan  fall 
quickly  or  rapidly — as  quick  as  light- 
ning. The  phrase  "from  heaven"'  is 
to  be  referred  to  the  lightning,  and 
does  not  mean  that  he  saw  Sataii  fall 
from  heaven^  but  that  he  fell  as  quick 
as  lightning  from  heaven  or  from  the 
clouds.  The  whole  expression  then 
may  mean,  "I  saw  at  your  command 
devils  immediately  depart,  as  quick  as 
the  flash  of  lightning.  I  gave  you  this 
power — I  saw  it  put  forth — and  I  give 
also  now,  in  addition  to  this,  the  pow- 
er to  tread  on  serpents,"  etc. 

19.  To  tread  on  serpents.  Preserva- 
tion from  danger.  If  you  tread  on  a 
poisonous  reptile  that  would  other- 
wise injure  you,  /  will  keep  you  from 
danger.  If  you  go  among  bitter  and 
malignant  enemies  that  would  seek 
your  life,  I  will  preserve  you.  See 
Notes  on  Mark  xvi.  18.    H  Scorpions. 


The  scorpion  is  an  animal  with  eight 
feet,  eight  eyes,  and  a  long  jointed 
tail,  ending  in  a  pointed  weapon  or 
sting.  It  is  found  in  tropical  climates, 
and  seldom  exceeds  four  inches  in 


because  your  names  are  written 
in  heaven. 

21  In  that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced  in 
spirit,  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  O 
Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
that  thou  hast  hid  these  things 
from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and 
hast  revealed  them  unto  babes : 
even  so,  Father ;  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  sight. 

22  All  ^  things  ^  are  delivered  to 

1  Many  ancient  copies  add,  And  turning  to  his  disci- 
ples, he  said.  d  Matt.  28.  IS.  Jno.  3.  35. 


length.  Its  stiiig  is  extremely  poi- 
sonous, and  it  if^ sometimes  fatal  to 
life.  It  is  in  Scripture  the  emblem 
of  malicious  and  crafty  men.  When 
rolled  up  it  has  some  resemblance  to 
an  egg.  Luke  xi.  12.  Ezek.  ii.  6.  The 
annexed  cut  will  give  an  idea  of  its 
usual  form  and  appearance.  T[  The 
e7iemy.  Satan.  The  meaning  of  this 
verse  is,  that  Jesus  would  preserve 
them  from  the  power  of  Satan  and  all 
his  emissaries — from  all  wicked  and 
crafty  men;  and  this  shows  that  he 
had  divine  power.  He  that  can  con- 
trol Satan  and  his  hosts — that  can  be 
present  to  guard  from  all  their  machi- 
nations, see  all  their  plans,  and  de- 
stroy all  their  designs,  must  be  clothed 
with  no  less  than  almighty  power. 

20.  Rather  rejoice^  etc.  Though  it 
was  an  honor  to  work  miracles,  though 
it  is  an  honor  to  be  endowed  with  tal- 
ents, and  influence,  and  learning,  yet 
it  is  a  subject  of  c?def  joy  that  we  are 
numbered  among  the  people  of  God, 
and  have  a  title  to  everlasting  life. 
H  Names  are  ivritte7i  in  heaven.  The 
names  of  citizens  of  a  city  or  state 
were  accustomed  to  be  written  in  a 
book  or  register,  from  which  thej^ 
were  blotted  out  when  they  became 
unworthy,  or  forfeited  the  favor  of 
their  country.  Compare  Psa.  Ixix.  28. 
Exod.  xxxii.  32.  Deut.  ix.  14.  Rev. 
iii.  5.  That  their  names  were  loritten  in 
heaven  means  that  thc}'^  were  citizens 
of  heaven ;  that  tliey  were  friends  of 
God  and  approved  by  him,  and  would 
be  permitted  to  dwell  with  him.  This 
was  of  far  more  value  than  all  eartJdy 
honor,  power,  or  wealth,  and  in  this 
men  should  rejoice  more  than  in  emi- 
nent endowments  of  influence,  learn- 
ing, talents,  or  possessions. 

21,22.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  25-27. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


79 


me  of  my  Father ;  and  no  "  man 
knowetli  who  the  Son  is,  but  the 
Father;  and  who  the  Father  is, 
but  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the 
Son  will  reveal  'him. 

23  And  he  turned  him  unto  his 
disciples,  and  said  privately,  Bless- 
ed are  the  eyes  which  see  the  things 
that  ye  see :  ^ 

24  For  I  tell  you  that  *  many 
prophets  and  kings  have  desired 
to  see  those  things  which  ye  see, 
and  have  not  seen  them;  and  to 
hear  those  things  which  ye  hear, 
and  have  not  heard  them. 

25  And,  behold,  a  certain  lawyer 
stood  up,  and  tempted  him,  say- 
ing. Master,  what  ^  shall  I  do  to  in- 
herit ^  eternal  life  ? 

«  Jno.  6. 44, 46.  6  1  Pet.  1.10.  c  Acts  16.  30,  31. 
Gal.  3. 18.  c  Deut.  6.  5.         /  Lev.  19. 18. 


23,24.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xiii.  16, 17. 

25.  A  certai7i  lawyer.  One  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  well  skilled  in  the  laws 
of  Moses,  and  whose  business  it  was 
to  explain  them.  ^  Stood  up.  Rose 
— came  forward  to  address  him. 
If  Tempted  Mm.  Feigned  a  desire  to 
be  instructed,  but  did  it  to  perplex 
him,  or  to  lead  him,  if  possible,  to 
contradict  some  of  the  maxims  of  the 
law.  ^  Inherit  eternal  life.  Be  saved. 
This  was  the  common  inquiry  among 
the  Jews.  TImj  had  said  that  man 
must  keep  the  commandments — the 
written  and  oral  law. 

26.  What  is  written^  etc.  Jesus  re- 
ferred him  to  the  law  as  a  safe  rule, 
and  asked  him  what  was  said  there. 
The  lawyer  was  doubtless  endeavor- 
ing to  justify  himself  by  obeying  the 
law.  He  trusted  to  his  own  works. 
To  bring  him  off  from  that  ground — 
to  make  him  feel  that  it  was  an  un- 
safe foundation,  Jesus  showed  him 
what  the  law  required,  and  thus  show- 
ed him  that  he  needed  a  better  right- 
eousness than  his  own.  This  is  the 
proper  use  of  the  law.  By  comparing 
ourselves  with  that  we  see  our  own 
defects,  and  are  thus  prepared  to  wel- 
come a  better  righteousness  than  our 
own — that  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Thus  the  law  becomes  a  schoolmas- 
ter to  lead  us  to  him.    Gal.  iii.  24. 

27.  28.  See  this  subject  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxii.  37-40. 


26  He  said  unto  him,  What  is 
written  in  the  law  ?  how  readest 
thou  ? 

27  And  he  answering  said.  Thou  * 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul, 
and  with  all  thy  strength,  and  with 
all  thy  mind ;  and  thy/ neighbour 
as  thyself. 

28  And  he  said  unto  him.  Thou 
hast  answered  right ;  this  do,  and  ^ 
thou  shalt  live. 

29  But  he,  willing  to  justify^ 
himself,  said  unto  Jesus,  And  who 
is  my '  neighbour  ? 

30  And  Jesus  answering  said,  A 
certain  man  went  down  from  Jeru- 
salem to  Jericho,  and  fell  among 
thieves,  which  stripped  him  of  his 

g  Lev.  18.  5.  Neh.  9.  29.  Ezek.  20. 11,  21.  Rom.  10. 
5.   Gal.  3. 12.  A  Job  32.  2.    c.  16. 15.    Rom.  4.  2. 

Gal.  3.  11.    Jas.  2.24.  i  Matt.  5.  43, 44. 

29.  To  justify  himself  Desirous  to 
appear  blameless,  or  to  vindicate  him- 
self, and  show  that  he  had  kept  the 
law.  Jesus  wished  to  lead  him  to  a 
proper  view  of  his  own  sinfulness,  and 
his  real  departure  from  the  law.  The 
man  was  desirous  of  showing  that  he 
had  kept  the  law ;  or  perhaps  he  was 
desirous  of  justifying  himself  for  ask- 
ing the  question ;  of  showing  that  it 
could  not  be  so  easily  settled ;  that  a 
mere  reference  to  the  words  of  the  law 
did  not  determine  it.  It  was  still  a 
question  what  was  meant  by  neighbor. 
The  Pharisees  held  that  the  Jews  only 
were  to  be  regarded  as  such,  and  that 
the  obligation  did  not  extend  at,  all  to 
the  Gentiles.  The  lawyer  was  proba- 
bly ready  to  affirm  that  he  had  dis- 
charged faithfully  his  duty  to  his  coun- 
trymen, and  had  thus  kept  the  law, 
and  could  justif}^  himself  Every  sin- 
ner is  desirous  of  justifying  himself. 
He  seeks  to  do  it  by  his  own  works. 
For  this  purpose  he  perverts  the  mean- 
ing of  the  law,  destroys  its  spiritual- 
ity, and  brings  dowji  the  law  to  his 
standard,  rather  than  attempt  to  frame 
his  life  by  its  requirements.  . 

30.  Jesus  answering.  Jesus  answered 
him  in  a  very  different  manner  from 
what  he  expected.  By  one  of  the  most 
tender  and  affecting  narratives  to  be 
found  any  where,  he  made  the  lawyer 
his  own  judge  in  the  case,  and  con- 
strained him  to  admit  what  at  first  he 


80 


Lu: 


KE. 


[A.D.  32. 


raiment,  and  wounded  Aim,  and 
departed,  leaving  Mm  half  dead. 
31  And  by  chance  there  came 


would  probably  have  denied.  He  com- 
pelled him  to  acknowledge  that  a  Sa- 
maritan— of  a  race  most  hated  of  all 
people  by  the  Jews— Jiad  shown  the 
kindness  of  a  neighbor,  while  2i  priest 
and  a  Levite  had  denied  it  to  their  own 
countrymen.  ^  From  Jerusalem  to  Jer- 
icho. Jericho  was  situated  about  fif- 
teen miles  to  the  northeast  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and  about  eight  west  of  the  Riv- 
er Jordan.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xx.  29. 
t  Fell  among  thieves.  Fell  among  roh- 
bers.  The  word  thieves  means  those 
who  merely  property.  These  were 
highwaymen,  and  not  merely  took  the 
proper t5%  but  endangered  the  life. 
They  were  robbers.  From  Jerusalem 
to  Jericho  the  country  was  rocky 
and  mountainous,  and  in  some  parts 
scarcely  inhabited.  It  afforded,  there- 
fore, among  the  rocks  and  fastnesses, 
a  convenient  place  for  highwaymen. 
This  was  also  a  very  frequented  road. 
Jericho  was  a  large  place,  and  there 
was  much  traveling  to  J erusalem.  At 
this  time,  also,  Judea  abounded  with 
robbers.  Josephus  says  that  at  one 
time  Herod  the  Great  dismissed  forty 
thousand  men  who  had  been  employ- 
ed in  building  the  Temple,  a  large  part 
of  whom  became  highwaymen. — Jose- 
phus's  Antiquities,  xv.  7.  The  follow- 
ing remarks  of  Professor  Hackett,  who 
visited  Palestine  in  1852,  will  furnish 
a  good  illustration  of  the  scene  of  this 
parable.  It  is  remarkable  that  a  par- 
able uttered  more  than  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  ago  might  still  be  appropri- 
ately located  in  this  region.  Professor 
Hackett  (Illustrations  of  Scripture, 
p.  215,  216)  says  of  this  region  :  "  It  is 
famous  at  the  i)resent  day  as  the  haunt 
of  thieves  and  robbers.  No  ])art  of 
the  traveler's  journey  is  so  dangerous 
as  the  expedition  to  Jericho  and  the 
Dead  Sea.  The  Oriental  pilgrims  who 
repair  to  the  Jordan  have  the  protec- 
tion of  an  escort  of  Turkish  soldiers; 
and  others  who  would  make  the  same 
journey  must  either  go  in  company 
with  them,  or  provide  for  their  safety 
by  procuring  a  special  guard.  I  was 
so  fortunate  as  to  be  able  to  accom- 
pany the  great  caravan  at  the  time  of 
the  annual  pilgrimage.  Yet,  in  spite 
of  every  precaution,  hardly  a  season 


down  a  certain  priest  that  v^ay; 
and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed 
by  *  on  the  other  side. 

a  Psa.  38.11. 


passes  in  which  some  luckless  way- 
farer is  not  killed  or  robbed  in '  go- 
ing down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho.' 
The  place  derives  its  hostile  charac- 
ter from  1%  terrible  wildness  and  des- 
olation. If  we  might  conceive  of  the 
ocean  as  being  suddenly  congealed 
and  petrified  when  its  waves  are  toss- 
ed mountain-high,  and  dashing  in  wild 
confusion  against  each  other,  we 
should  then  have  some  idea  of  the 
aspect  of  the  desert  in  which  the  Sa- 
viour has  placed  so  truthfully  the  par- 
able of  the  good  Samaritan.  The  ra- 
vines, the  almost  inaccessible  cliflTs, 
the  caverns,  furnish  admirable  lurk- 
ing-places for  robbers.  They  can  rush 
forth  unexpectedl}''  upon  their  vic- 
tims, and  escape  as  soon  almost  be- 
yond the  possibility  of  pursuit. 

^' Every  circumstance  in  this  para- 
ble, therefore,  was  full  of  significance 
to  those  who  heard  it.  The  Saviour 
delivered  it  near  Bethany,  on  the  bor- 
der of  the  frightful  desert.  Luke  x. 
25,  38.  Jericho  was  a  sacerdotal  city. 
The  passing  of  priests  and  Levites  be- 
tween that  place  and  Jerusalem  was 
an  every-day  occurrence.  The  idea  of 
a  caravanserai  or  'inn'  on  the  way  was 
not  invented,  probably,  for  the  sake 
of  the  allegory,  but  borrowed  from  the 
landscape.  There  are  the  ruins  now 
of  such  a  shelter  for  the  benighted 
or  unfortunate  on  one  of  the  heights 
which  overlook  the  infested  road. 
Thus  it  is  that  the  instructions  of  our 
Lord  derive  often  the  form  and  much 
of  their  pertinence  from  the  accident- 
al connections  of  time  and  place." 

The  cut  on  the  opposite  page,  from 
a  drawing  by  Rev.  S.  C.  Malan,  will 
well  illustrate  the  dangers  of  this 
road. 

31.  By  chance.  Accidentally,  or  as  it 
happened.  It  means  that  he  did  not 
do  it  with  a  design  to  aid  the  man  that 
was  wounded.  A  certain  priest.  It 
is  said  that  not  less  than  twelve  thou- 
sand priests  and  Levites  dwelt  at  Jeri- 
cho ;  and  as  their  business  was  at  Je- 
rusalem, of  course  there  would  be 
many  of  them  constantly  traveling  on 
that  road.  T[  When  he  saw  him.  He 
saw  him  lie,  but  came  not  near  him. 
^  Passed  by  on  the  other  side.    On  the 


D  2 


82 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  82. 


32  And  likewise  a  Levite,  when 
lie  was  at  the  place,  came  and 
looked  on  Mm^  and  passed  by  on 
the  other  side. 

33  But  a  certain  Samaritan,  *  as 
he  journeyed,  came  where  he  was ; 
and  when  he  saw  him  he  had  cofa- 
passion  on  him^ 

34  And  went  to  Jiim^  and  bound 
up  his  wounds,  pouring  in  oil  and 

a  Psa.  109.  29.  Prov.  27.  10.  b  Jno.  4.  9. 

cEx.  2.  6.  fiPsa.  147.  3.  Isa.  1.6. 


wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast; 
and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and 
took  care  of  him. 

35  And  on  the  morrow,  when  he 
departed,  he  took  out  two  ^  pence, 
and  gave  tJiem  to  the  host,  ancl 
said  unto  him,  Take  care  of  him ; 
and  whatsoever  thou  spendest 
more,  when  I  come  again  I  will 
repay  ^  thee. 


farther  side  of  the  way.  Did  not  turn 
out  of  his  course  even  to  come  and 
see  him. 

32.  A  Levite.  The  Levites,  as  well 
as  the  priests,  were  of  the  tribe  of 
Levi,  and  were  set  apart  to  the  duties 
of  religion.  The  peculiar  duty  of  the 
priest  was  to  offer  sacrifice  at  the  Tem- 
ple; to  present  incense;  to  conduct 
the  morning  and  evening  services  of 
the  Temple,  etc.  The  office  or  duty 
of  the  Levites  was  to  render  assistance 
to  the  priests  in  their  services.  1\\ 
the  journey  of  the  Israelites  through 
the  wilderness,  it  was  their  duty  to 
transport  the  various  parts  of  the  tab- 
ernacle and  the  sacred  utensils.  It 
was  their  duty  to  see  that  the  taber- 
nacle and  the  Temple  were  kept  clean ; 
to  prepare  supplies  for  the  sanctuary, 
such  as  oil,  incense,  wine,  etc.  They 
had  also  the  care  of  the  sacred  reve- 
nues, and  after  the  time  of  David  they 
conducted  the  sacred  music  of  the  Tem- 
ple service.  Num.  viii.  5-22.  1  Chron. 
xxiii.  3-5,  24-32;  xxiv.  27-31.  H  Came 
and  looked  on  him.  It  is  remarked  by 
critics,  here,  that  the  expression  used 
does  not  denote,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
priest,  that  he  accidentally  saw  him 
and  took  no  farther  notice  of  him,  but 
that  he  came  and  looked  on  him  more 
attentively^  but  still  did  nothing  to  re- 
lieve him. 

33.  A  certain  Saynaritan.  The  Sa- 
maritans were  the  most  inveterate 
foes  of  tlie  Jews.  They  had  no  deal- 
ings with  each  other.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  X.  5.  It  was  this  fact  which  ren- 
dered the  conduct  of  this  good  man 
so  striking,  and  which  was  thus  set  in 
strong  contrast  with  the  conduct  of 
the  priest  and  the  Levite.  They  would 
not  help  their  own  alUicted  and  wound- 
ed countryman.  /A-,  who  could  not  be 
expected  to  aid  a  Jew,  overcame  all  the 
usual  hostility  between  the  people; 


saw  in  the  wounded  man  a  neighbor, 
a  brother,  one  who  needed  aid;  and 
kindly  denied  himself  to  show  kind- 
ness to  the  stranger. 

34.  Pouring  hi  oil  and  wine.  These 
were  often  used  in  medicine  to  heal 
wounds.  Probably  they  were  mingled 
together,  and  had  a  highly  sanative 
quality.  How  strikingly  is  his  con- 
duct contrasted  with  the  priest  and 
Levite  !  and  how  particularly  as  well 
as  beautifully  by  this  does  our  Saviour 
show  what  we  ought  to  do  to  those 
who  are  in  circurnstances  of  need ! 
He  does  not  merely  say  in  general  that 
he  showed  him  kindness,  but  he  told 
how  it  was  done.  He  stopped— came 
where  he  was — pitied  him — bound  up 
his  wounds — set  him  on  his  owm  beast 
— conducted  him  to  a  tavern — passed 
the  night  with  him,  and  then  secured 
the  kind  attendances  of  the  landlord, 
promising  him  to  pay  him  for  his 
trouble-^ and  all  this  without  desir- 
ing or  expecting  any  reward.  If  this 
had  been  by  aJcw^  it  would  have  been 
signal  kindness ;  if  it  had  been  by  a 
Gentile^  it  would  also  have  been  great 
kindness  ;  but  it  was  by  a  Samarita7i 
— a  man  of  a  nation  most  hateful  to 
the  Jews,  and  therefore  it  most  strik- 
ingly shows  what  we  are  to  do  to 
friends  and  foes  when  the}^  are  in  dis- 
tress. 

85.  Two  pence.  About  twenty-seven 
cents.  This  may  seem  a  small  sum, 
but  we  are  to  remember  that  that  sum 
was  probably  ten  times  a°s  valuable 
then  as  now— that  is,  that  it  would 
purchase  ten  times  as  much  food  and 
the  common  necessaries  of  life  as  the 
same  sum  would  now.  Besides,  it  is 
probable  that  all  the  man  wanted  was 
attention  and  kindness,  and  for  all 
these  it  was  the  purpose  ofJ*^ Sa- 
maritan to  2^(^y  when  he  i^^Hed. 
*\\  The  host.    The  innkeeper. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


83 


36  Which  now  of  these  three, 
thinkest  thou,  was  neighbour  unto 
him  that  fell  among  the  thieves  ? 

37  And  he  said,  He  that  showed 


36.  Was  neighbor.  Showed  the  kind- 
ness of  a  neighbor,  or  evinced  the 
proper  feelings  of  a  neighbor.  The 
lawyer  had  asked  him  who  was  his 
neighbor?  Jesus  in  this  beautiful 
narrative  showed  him  who  and  what 
a  neiglibor  was,  and  he  did  this  in  a 
way  that  disarmed  his  prejudice,  deep- 
ly affected  him  in  regard  to  his  own 
duty,  and  evinced  the  beauty  of  relig- 
ion. Had  he  at  first  told  him  that  a 
Samaritan  might  be  a  neighbor  to  a 
Jew  and  deserve  his  kindness,  he 
would  have  been  at  once  revolted  at 
it;  but  when,  by  a  beautiful  and  af- 
fecting narrative,  he  brought  the  mati 
himself  to  see  that  it  might  be,  he  waj| 
constrained  to  admit  it.  Here  we  see 
the  beauty  of  a  parable  and  its  use. 
It  disarmed  prejudice,  fixed  the  atten- 
tion, took  the  mind  gently  yet  irre- 
sistiblj^  and  prevented  the  possibility 
of  cavil  or  objection.  Compare,  also, 
the  address  of  Nathan  to  David,  2  Sam. 
xii.  1-7. 

87.  He  that  showed  mercy.  His  Jewish 
prejudice  would  not  permit  him  to 
name  the  Samaritan,  but  there  was  no 
imi^ropriety,  even  in  his  view,  in  say- 
ing that  the  man  who  showed  so  much 
mercy  was  really  the  neighbor  to  the 
afflicted,  and  not  he  who  professed  to 
be  his  neighbor,  but  who  would  do 
nothing  for  his  welfare.  1[  Go^  and  do 
thou  likewise.  Show  the  same  kindness 
to  all — to  friend  and  foe — and  then  you 
will  have  evidence  that  you  keep  the 
law,  and  not  till  then.  Of  this  man 
we  know  nothing  farther;  but  from 
this  inimitably  beautiful  parable  we 
may  learn — 1.  That  the  knowledge  of 
the  law  is  useful  to  make  us  acquaint- 
ed with  our  own  sinfulness  and  need 
of  a  Saviour.  2.  That  it  is  not  he  who 
professes  most  kindness  that  really 
loves  us  most,  but  he  who  will  most 
deny  himself  that  he  may  do  us  good 
in  times  of  want.  3.  That  religion  re- 
quires us  to  do  good  to  all  men,  how- 
ever accidentally  we  may  become  ac- 
quainted with  their  calamities.  4.  That 
we  should  do  good  to  our  enemies. 
Real  love  to  them  will  lead  us  to  deny 
ourselves,  and  to  sacrifice  our  own 
welfare,  that  we  may  help  them  in 


mercy  ^  on  him.  Then  said  Jesus 
unto  him.  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise. 

38  Now  it  came  to  pass,  as  they 
went,  that  he  entered  into  a  cer- 

a  Prov.  14.  21.  Hosea  6.  6.  Micah  6.  8.  Matt.  23.  23. 


times  of  distress  and  alleviate  their 
wants.  5.  That  he  is  reall}^  our. neigh- 
bor who  does  us  the  most  good — who 
helps  us  in  our  necessities,  and  esi^e- 
cially  if  he  does  this  when  there  has 
been  a  controversy  or  difference  between 
us  and  him.  6.  We  hence  see  the  beau- 
ty of  religion.  Nothing  else  will  in- 
duce men  to  surmount  their  preju- 
dices, to  overcome  opposition,  and  to 
do  good  to  those  who  are  at  enmity 
with  them.  True  religion  teaches  us 
to  regard  every  man  as  our  neighbor ; 
l)rompts  us  to  do  good  to  all,  to  for- 
get all  national  or  sectional  distinc- 
tions, and  to  aid  all  those  who  are  in 
circumstances  of  poverty  and  want. 
If  religion  were  valuable  for  nothing 
httt  t/iis^  it  would  be  the  most  lovely 
and  desirable  principle  on  earth,  and 
all,  especially  in  their  early  years, 
should  seek  it.  Nothing  that  a  young 
person  can  gain  will  be  so  valuable  as 
the  feeling  that  regards  all  the  world 
as  one  great  family,  and  to  learn  early 
to  do  good  TO  ALL.  7.  The  difference 
between  the  Jew  and  the  Samaritan 
was  a  difference  in  religion  and  religious 
opinio7i ;  and  from  the  example  of  the 
latter  we  may  learn  that,  while  men 
diff'er  in  opinions  on  subjects  of  relig- 
ion, and  while  they  are  zealous  for 
what  they  hold  to  be  the  truth,  still 
the}''  should  treat  each  other  kindly; 
that  they  should  aid  each  other  in  ne- 
cessity ;  and  that  they  should  thus 
show  that  religion  is  a  principle  supe- 
rior to  the  love  of  sect,  and  that  the 
cord  which  binds  man  to  man  is  one 
that  is  to  be  sundered  by  no  diff'erence 
of  opinion,  that  Christian  kindness  is 
to  be  marred  by  no  forms  of  worship, 
and  by  no  bigoted  attachment  for 
what  we  esteem  the  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel. 

38.  A  certain  village.  Bethany.  See 
John  xi.  1.  It  was  on  the  eastern  de- 
clivity of  the  Mount  of  Olives.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1.  H  Received  him. 
Received  him  kindly  and  hospitably. 
From  this  it  would  seem  that  Martha 
was  properly  the  mistress  of  the 
house.  Possibly  she  was  a  widow, 
and  her  brother  Lazarus  and  younger 
sister  Mary  lived  with  her ;  and  as  she 


84 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


tain  village ;  and  a  certain  wom- 
an, named  Martlia,  ^  received  him 
into  her  house. 

39  And  she  had  a  sister  called 
Mary,  which  also  sat  *  at  Jesus' 
feet,  and  heard  his  word. 

40  But  Martha  was  cumbered 
about  much  serving,  and  came  to 
him  and  said.  Lord,  dost  thou  not 


care  that  my  sister  hath  left  me  to 
serve  alone?  Bid  her,  therefore, 
that  she  help  me. 

41  And  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  her,  Martha,  Martha,  thou  art 

careful  and  troubled  about  many 
things : 

42  But  one  thing  ^  is  needful ; 
and  Mary  hath  chosen  that  good 


c  Mar.  4. 19.    c.  21.34.    1  Cor.  7. 5 
d  Psa.  27.4;  73.  25.    Ecc.l2. 13. 
!2.    1  Cor.  13.  3. 


Mar.  8.  36.    c.  18. 


had  the  care  of  the  household,  this 
will  also  show  why  she  was  so  dili- 
gently employed  about  domestic  af- 
fairs. 

39.  Sat  at  Jesus' s  feet.  This  was  the 
ancient  posture  of  disciples  or  learn- 
ers. They  sat  at  the  feet  of  their 
teachers — that  is,  beneath  them,  in  a 
humble  place.  Hence  Paul  is  repre- 
sented as  having  been  brought  up  at 
the  feet  of  Gamaliel.  Acts  xxii.  3. 
When  it  is  said  that  Mary  sat  at  Je- 
sus's  feet,  it  means  that  she  was  a  dis- 
ciple of  his ;  that  she  listened  atten- 
tively to  his  instructions,  and  was 
anxious  to  learn  his  doctrine. 

40.  Mai'tha  was  cimihered  about  much 
serving.  Was  much  distracted  with 
the  cares  of  the  family,  and  providing 
suitably  to  entertain  the  Saviour.  It 
should  be  said  here  that  there  is  no 
evidence  that  Martha  had  a  worldly 
or  covetous  disj)osition.  Her  anxietj^ 
was  to  provide  suitable  entertainment 
for  the  Lord  Jesus.  As  mistress  of 
the  family,  this  care  properly  devolved 
on  her ;  and  the  only  fault  which  can 
be  charged  on  her  was  too  earnest  a 
desire  to  make  such  entertainment, 
when  she  might  have  sat  with  Mary 
at  his  feet,  and,  perhaps,  too  much 
haste  and  frctfulness  in  speaking  to 
Jesus  about  Mary.  ^  Dost  thou  not 
care^  etc.  This  was  an  improper  re- 
proof of  our  Lord,  as  \fhe  encouraged 
Mary  in  neglecting  her  duty.  Or  per- 
haps Martha  supposed  that  Mary  was 
sitting  there  to  show  him  the  proper 
expressions  of  courtesy  and  kindness, 
and  that  she  would  not  think  it  prop- 
er to  leave  him  without  his  direction 
and  permission.  She  therefore  hinted 
to  Jesus  her  busy  employments,  her 
need  of  the  aid  of  her  sister,  and  re- 
quested that  he  would  signify  his  wish 
that  Mary  should  assist  her. 

41.  Thou  art  carefid.  Thou  art  anx- 
ious. ^[  Troubled.  Disturbed,  distract- 


ed, very  solicitous.  1[  Many  things. 
The  many  ol)jects  which  excite  3'^our 
attention  in  the  family.  This  was 
probably  designed  as  a  slight  reproof, 
or  a  tender  hint  that  she  was  improp- 
erly anxious  about  those  things,  and 
that  she  should,  with  Mary,  rather 
choose  to  hear  the  discourses  of  heav- 
enly wisdom. 
jUr  42.  But  one  thing  is  needful.  That  is, 
^ligion,  or  piety.  This  is  eminently 
and  peculiarly  ijeedful.  Other  things 
are  of  little  importance.  This  should 
be  secured  first,  and  then  all  other 
things  will  be  added.  See  1  Tim.  iv. 
8.  Matt.  vi.  33.  ^  That  good  part.  The 
portion  of  the  Gospel ;  the  love  of 
God,  and  an  interest  in  his  kingdom. 
She  had  chosen  to  be  a  Christian,  and 
to  give  up  her  time  and  affections  to 
God.  ^  Which  shall  not  be  taken  away. 
God  will  not  take  away  his  grace  from 
his  people,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck 
them  out  of  his  hand.   John  x.  28, 29. 

From  this  interesting  narrative  we 
learn — 1st.  That  the  cares  of  this  life 
are  dangerous,  even  when  they  seem 
to  be  most  lawful  and  commendable. 
Nothing  of  a  worldly  nature  could 
have  been  more  proper  than  to  pro- 
vide for  the  Lord  Jesus  and  supply 
his  wants.  Yet  even  for  this,  because 
it  too  much  engrossed  her  mind,  the 
Lord  Jesus  gently  reproved  Martha. 
So  a  care  for  our  families  may  be  the 
means  of  our  neglecting  religion  and 
losing  our  souls.  2d.  It  is  of  more 
importance  to  attend  to  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  Lord  Jesus  than  to  be 
engaged  in  the  affairs  of  the  world. 
The  one  will  abide  forever;  the  other 
will  be  but  for  a  little  time.  3d.  There 
are  times  when  it  is  proper  to  suspend 
worldly  employments,  and  to  attend 
to  the  affairs  of  the  soul.  It  was  prop- 
er for  Mary  to  do  it.  It  would  have 
been  proper  for  Martha  to  have  done 
it.    It  is  proper  for  all — on  the  Sab- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


85 


part,  which  shall  not  be  taken 
away  from  her. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

AND  it  came  to  pass,  that  as 
he  was  praying  in  a  certain 
place,  when  he  ceased,  one  of  his 
disciples  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
teach  us  to  pray,  as  John  also 
taught  his  disciples. 

2  And  he  said  unto  them.  When 
ye  pray,  say,  Our  "  Father  which 

a  Matt.  6.  9,  etc. 

bath  and  at  other  occasional  seasons 
— seasons  of  prayer  and  for  searching 
the  Word  of  God — to  suspend  worldly 
concerns  and  to  attend  to  religion. 
4th.  If  attention  to  religion  be  omit- 
ted at  the  proper  time^  it  will  always  be 
omitted.  If  Mary  had  neglected  to 
hear  Jesus  then^  she  might  never  have 
heard  him.  5th.  Piety  is  the  chief 
thing  needed.  Other  things  will  per- 
ish. We  shall  soon  die.  All  that  we 
can  gain  we  must  leave.  But  the  soul 
will  live.  There  is  a  judgment-seat ; 
there  is  a  heaven ;  there  is  a  hell ;  and 
all  that  is  needful  to  prepare  us  to  die, 
and  to  make  us  happy  forever,  is  tp  be 
a  friend  of  Jesus,  and  to  listen  to  his 
teaching.  6th.  Piety  is  the  chief  or- 
nament in  a  female.  It  sweetens  ev- 
ery other  virtue ;  adorns  every  other 
grace ;  gives  new  loveliness  to  the 
tenderness,  mildness,  and  grace  of  the 
female  character.  Nothing  is  more 
lovely  than  a  female  sitting  at  the 
feet  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  like 
Mary ;  nothing  more  unlovely  than 
entire  absorption  in  the  affairs  of  the 
world,  like  Martha.  The  most  lovely 
female  is  she  who  has  most  of  the 
spirit  of  Jesus ;  the  least  amiable,  she 
who  neglects  her  soul — who  is  proud, 
gay,  thoughtless,  envious,  and  unlike 
the  meek  and  lowly  Redeefcaer.  At 
his  feet  are  peace,  purity,  joy.  Every 
where  else  an  alluring  and  wicked 
world  steals  the  affections,  and  ren- 
ders us  vain,  gay,  wicked,  proud,  and 
unwilling  to  die. 

.  CHAPTER  XI. 
1.  As  he  wm  praying.  Luke  has  taken 
notice  of  our  Saviour's  praying  often. 
Thus,  at  his  baptism  (chap.  iii.  21) ;  in 
the  wilderness  (chap,  v.  16) ;  before 
the  appointment  of  the  apostles,  he 
continued  all  night  in  prayer  (chap. 


art  in  heaven.  Hallowed  be  thy 
name  :  Thy  kingdom  come :  Thy 
will  be  done,  as  in  heaven,  so  in 
earth. 

3  Gif  e  us  ^  day  by  day  our  daily 
bread : 

4  And  forgive  us  our  sins ;  for  ^ 
we  also  forgive  every  oj^e  that  is 
indebted  to  us :  And  l^d  us  not 
into  temptation ;  but  deliver  us 
from  evil. 

5  And  he  said  unto  them,  Which 

1  ox,  for  the  day.  b  Mar.  11.  25,  26. 

vi.  12) ;  he  was  alone  praying  (chap, 
ix.  18) ;  his  transfiguration  also  took 
place  when  he  went  up  to  pray  (chap, 
ix.  28,  29).  IF  Teach  us  topraij.  Prob- 
ably they  had  been  struck  with  the 
excellency  and  fervor  of  his  prayers, 
and,  recollecting  that  John  had  taught 
his  disciples  to  pray,  they  asked  him 
also  to  teach  them.  We  learn,  there- 
fore—  1st.  That  the  gifts  and  graces 
of  others  should  lead  us  to  desire  the 
same.  2d.  That  the  true  method  of 
praying  can  be  learned  only  b}^  our  be- 
ing properly  taught.  Indeed,  we  can 
not  pray  acceptably  at  all  unless  God 
shall  teach  us  how  to  ])ray.  3d.  That 
it  is  proper  for  us  to  meditate  before- 
hand what  we  are  to  ask^f  God, 
and  to  arrange  our  thoughts,  that  we 
may  not  come  thoughtlessly  into  his 
presence. 

2-4.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  vi.  9-13. 

4.  For  we  also  forgive.,  etc.  This  is 
somewhat  different  from  the  expres- 
sion in  Matthew,  though  the  sense  is 
the  same.  The  idea  is,  that  unless  we 
forgive  others,  God  will  not  forgive 
us  ;  and  unless  we  come  to  him  7'eally 
forgiving  all  others,  we  can  not  ex- 
pect pardon.  It  does  not  mean  that 
by  forgiving  others  Ave  deserve  forgive- 
ness ourselves,  or  merit  it,  but  that 
this  is  a  disposition  or  state  of  mind 
without  which  God  can  not  consist- 
ently pardon  us.  ^  Uvery  one  that  is 
indebted  to  us.  Every  one  that  has  in- 
jured us.  This  does  not  refer  to  pe- 
cuniary transactions,  but  to  offenses 
similar  to  those  which  we  have  com- 
mitted against  God,  and  for  which  we 
ask  forgiveness.  Besides  the  varia- 
tions in  the  expressions  in  this  prayer, 
Luke  has  omitted  the  doxology,  or 
close,  altogether  ;  and  this  shows  that 
Jesus  did  not  intend  that  we  should 


86 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


,of  you  shall  have  a  friend,  and 
shall  go  unto  him  at  midnight, 
and  say  unto  him,  Friend,  lend  me 
three  loaves ; 

6  For  a  friend  of  mine  '  in  his 
journey  is  come  to  me,  and  I  have 
nothing  to  set  before  him : 

 j^P^l  or,  out  of  his  way.  

always  use  just  this  form,  but  that  it 
was  a  general  direction  how  to  pray ; 
or,  rather,  that  we  were  to  pray  for 
these  things,  though  not  always  using 
the  same  words. 

5,  6,  7.  And  he  said  unto  them,  etc. 
Jesus  proceeds  to  show  that,  in  order 
to  obtain  the  blessing,  it  was  necessa- 
ry to  persevere  in  asking  for  it.  For 
this  purpose  he  introduces  the  case 
of  a  friend's  asking  bread  of  another 
for  one  who  had  come  to  him  unex- 
pectedly. His  design  is  solely  to  show 
the  necessit}'^  of  being  importunate  or 
persevering  in  prayer  to  God.  At 
midnight.  A  time  when  it  would  be 
most  inconvenient  for  his  friend  to 
help  him ;  an  hour  when  he  would 
naturally  be  in  bed  and  his  house  shut. 
If  Three  loaves.  There  is  nothing  par- 
ticularly denoted  by  the  number  three 
in  this  place.  Jesus  often  threw  in 
such  paj[-ticulars  merel}^  to  fill  up  the 
story,  or  to  preserve  the  consistency 
of  it.  1[  My  children  are  with  me  in  bed. 
This  does  not  necessaril}^  mean  that 
they  were  in  the  same  bed  with  him, 
but  that  they  were  all  in  bed,  the 
house  was  still,  the  door  was  shut, 
and  it  was  troublesome  for  him  to 
rise  at  that  time  of  night  to  accom- 
modate him.  It  should  be  observed, 
however,  that  the  customs  of  Orient- 
als differ  in  this  respect  from  our  own. 
Among  them  it  is  not  uncommon — 
indeed  it  is  the  common  practice — for 
a  whole  family — parents,  children,  and 
servants — to  sleep  in  the  same  room. 
See  The  Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  i., 
p.  180.  This  is  not  to  be  applied  to 
God,  as  if  it  were  troublesome  to  him 
to  be  sought  unto,  or  as  if  he  would 
ever  reply  to  a  sinner  in  that  manner. 
All  that  is  to  be  applied  to  God  in 
this  parable  is  simply  that  it  is  proper 
to  persevere  in  prayer.  As  a  ma7i  often 
gives  because  the  request  is  repeated, 
and  as  one  is  not  discouraged  because 
the  favor  that  he  asks  of  his  neighbor 
is  deUyed,  so  God  often  answers  us 
after  long  and  importunate  requests. 

8.  I  tell  you.  The  Latin  Vulgate  here 


7  And  he  from  within  shall  an- 
swer and  say,  Trouble  me  not :  the 
door  is  now  shut,  and  my  children 
are  with  me  in  bed ;  I  can  not  rise 
and  give  thee. 

8  I  say  unto  you,  Though  he 
will  not  rise  and  give  him  because 


adds,  "if  he  sl^all  continue  knocking." 
Though  this  is  not  in  the  Greek,  jQi 
it  is  indispensable  that  it  should  be 
understood  in  order  to  the  sense. 
Knocking  once  would  not  denote  im- 
portunity, but  it  was  because  he  con- 
tinued knocking.  ^  His  irrt^cn^tunity. 
His  troublesome  perseverance ;  his 
continuing  to  disturb  the  man,  and 
refusing  to  take  any  denial.  The  word 
importunity  denotes  perseverance  in 
an  object,  without  any  regard  to  time, 
place,  or  circumstances — an  improper 
perseverance.  By  this  the  man  was 
influenced.  Rather  than  be  disturbed, 
he  would  rise  and  give  what  was  asked. 
This  is  to  be  applied  to  God  in  no 
other  sense  than  that  he  often  hears 
prayers  and  grants  blessings  even  long 
after  they  appear  to  be  unanswered  or 
withheld.  He  does  not  promise  to 
gi\^  blessings  at  once.  Re  promises 
only  that  he  will  do  it,  or  will  answer 
prayer.  But  he  often  causes  his  peo- 
ple long  to  wait.  He  tries  their 
faith.  He  leaves  them  to  persevere 
for  months  or  years,  until  they  feel 
entirely  their  dependence  on  him,  un- 
til they  see  that  they  can  obtain  the 
blessing  in  no  other  way,  and  until 
they  are  prepared  to  receive  it.  Often 
they  are  not  prepared  to  receive  it 
when  they  ask  it  at  first.  They  may 
be  proud,  or  have  no  just  sense  of 
their  dependence,  or  they  would  not 
value  the  blessing,  or  it  may  at  that 
time  not  be  best  for  them  to  obtain  it. 
But  let  no  one  despair.  If  the  thing 
is  for  oi^  good,  and  if  it  is  proper  that 
it  should  be  granted,  God  will  give  it. 
Let  us  first  ask  aright;  let  us  see  that 
our  minds  are  in  a  proper  state;  let 
us  feel  our  need  of  the  blessing;  let 
us  inquire  whether  God  has  promised 
such  a  blessing,  and  then  let  us  perse- 
vere until  God  gives  it.  Again :  men, 
when  they  ask  any  thing  of  God,  often 
give  over  seeking.  They  go  once,  and 
if  it  is  not  granted  they  are  discour- 
aged. It  is  not  so  when  we  ask  any 
thing  of  men.  Then  we  persevere ; 
we  take  no  denial ;  we  go  again,  and 


A.D.  32.J 


CHAPTER  XI. 


87 


he  is  his  friend,  yet  because  of  his 
importunity  ^  he  will  rise  and  give 
him  as  many  as  he  needeth. 

9  And  I  say  unto  you,  Ask,  ^  and 
it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye 
shall  find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you. 

10  For  every  one  that  asketh,  re- 
ceiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh,  find- 
eth ;  and  to  him  that  knocketh,  it 
shall  be  opened. 

11  If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of 
any  of  you  that  is  a  father,  will  he 
give  him  a  stone  ?  or  if  he  ask  a 
fish,  will  he  for  a  fish  give  him  a 
serpent  ? 

12  Or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will 
he  offer  ^  him  a  scorpion  ? 

13  If  ye,  then,  being  evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your 
children,  how  much  more  shall 
your  heavenly  Father  give  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him ! 

14  And  ^  he  was  casting  out  a 
devil,  and  it  was  dumb.  And  it 
came  to  pass,  when  the  devil  w^as 
gone  out,  the  dumb  spake ;  and 
the  people  wondered. 

15  But  some  of  them  said,  He 
casteth  out  devils  through  ^  Beel- 
zebub, the  chief  of  the  devils. 

16  And  others,  tempting  Mmf 
sought  of  him  a' sign  from  heaven. 

17  But  he,  knowing  ^  their 
thoughts,  said  unto  them.  Every  f 
kingdom  divided  against  itself 
is  brought  to  desolation ;  and  a 

ac.  18. 1-8.  6  Matt.  7.  7;  21.22.  Jno.  15.  7.  Jas. 
1.6.   IJno.  3.  22.  \  give.  c  Matt.  9,32; 

12.  22,  etc.  2  Beelzebul,  so  ver.  18, 19, 

prm  the  matter  till  we  obtam  it.  So 
we  should  of  God.  We  should  go 
again  and  again,  until  the  prayer  is 
heard,  and  God  grants  what  we  ask 
of  him. 

9-12.  See  this  explained  in  the  Notes 
on  Matt,  vii.  7-11. 

12.  A  scorpion  ?  See  Notes  on  Luke 
X.  19.  Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and 
the  Book,  vol,  i.,  p.  379)  says :  "  There 
is  no  imaginable  lilieness  between  an 
egg  and  the  ordinary  black  scorpion 
of  this  country,  neither  in  color  nor 
size,  nor,  when  the  tail  is  extended,  in 


house  divided  against  a  house, 
falleth. 

18  If  Satan  also  be  divided 
against  himself,  how  shall  his 
kingdom  stand  ?  because  ye  say 
that  I  cast  out  devils  through 
Beelzebub. 

19  And  if  I  by  Beelzebub  cast 
out  devils,  by  w^hom  do  your  sons 
cast  them  out  ?  therefore  shall  they 
be  your  judges. 

20  But  if  I  with  the  finger  ^  of 
God  cast  out  devils,  no  doubt  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  come  upon 
you. 

21  When  a  strong  nian  armed 
keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods  are 
in  peace ; 

22  But  when  a  stronger  ^  than  he 
shall  come  upon  him,  and  over- 
come him,  he  taketh  from  him  all 
his  armour  wherein  he  trusted,  and 
divideth  his  spoils. 

23  He  that  is  not  wdth  me  is 
against  me ;  and  he  that  gather- 
eth  not  wdth  me,  scattereth. 

24  When  the  unclean  spirit  is 
gone  out  of  a  man,  he"  walketli 
through  dry  places,  seeking  rest ; 
and  finding  none,  he  saith,  I  will 
return  unto  my  house  whence  I 
came  out. 

25  And  when  he  cometh,  he  find- 
eth  it  swept  and  garnishecL 

26  Then  goeth  he,  and  taketh  to 
him  seven  other  spirits  more  wick- 
ed than  himself;  and  they  enter 

Matt.  12.38  ;  16, 1.  e  Jno,  2,  25. 

/  Matt,  1 2,  25.   Mar,  3.  24.  g  Ex.  8.  19. 

AIsa.53,  12.    Col.  2,  15, 

shape ;  but  old  writers  speak  of  a  white 
scorpion,  and  such  a  one,  with  the  tail 
folded  up,  as  in  specimens  of  fossil 
trilobites,  would  not  look  unlike  a 
small  egg.  Perhaps  the  contrast,  how- 
ever, refers  only  to  the  different  prop- 
erties of  the  egg  and  the  scorpion, 
whicli  is  sulRciently  emphatic." 

Pliny  (N.  H.,^i,  25)  says  that  in  Ju- 
dea  the  scorpions  are  about  the  size 
of  an  egg,  and  not  unlike  one  in  shape. 

14-23.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  22-30. 

24-26.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  43-45. 


88 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


in,  and  dwell  there:  and  the  last 
state  of  that  man  is  worse  *  than 
the  first. 

27  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he 
spake  these  things,  a  certain  wom- 
an of  the  company  lifted  up  her 
voice  and  said  unto  him.  Blessed 
^is  the  womb  that  bare  thee,  and 
the  paps  which  thou  hast  sucked. 

28  But  he  said,  Yea,  rather  bless- 
ed are  they  that  hear  the  word  of 
God,  and  keep  it. 

29  And  when  the  people  were 
gathered  thick  together,  he  began 
to  say,  This  is  an  evil  generation: 
they  seek  a  sign,  and  ^  there  shall 
no  sign  be  given  it  but  the  sign 
of  Jonas  the  prophet. 

30  For  as  Jonas  *  was  a  sign  unto 
the  Ninevites,  so  shall  also  the  Son 
of  man  be  to  this  generation. 

31  The  queen  f  of  the  south  shall 
rise  up  in  the  judgment  with  the 
men  of  this  generation,  and  con- 
demn them ;  for  she  came  trom 
the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth  to 
hear  the  wisdom  of  Solomon ;  and, 
behold,  a  greater  than  Solomon  is 
here. 

a  Jno,  5. 14.  Heb.  6.4;  10.  26,  27.  2  Pet.  2.  20,  21 . 
ft  c.  1.28,48.  cPsa.  119.1,2.  Matt.  7.21.  c.8.  21. 
Jas.  1.25.  Matt.  12. 40,  etc.  Mar.  8. 12.       e  Jo- 

nah 1.17;  2. 10.        /  1  Kin.  10. 1,  etc. 


27,  28.  A  certain  woman.  One  of  the 
crowd.  ^  Blessed  is  the  womh^  etc.  She 
thought  that  the  mother  of  such  a  per- 
son must  be  i)eculiarly  happy  in  hav- 
ing such  a  son.  Yca^  rather  blessed, 
etc.  Jesus  admits  that  she  was  hap- 
\)y — that  it  was  an  honor  to  be  his 
mother,  but  he  says  that  the  cliief 
happiness,  tlie  highest  honor,  was  to 
obey  the  word  of  God.  Compared 
with  this,  all  earthly  distinctions  and 
honors  are  as  nothing.  Man's  great- 
est dignity  is  in  keeping  the  holy 
commandments  of  God,  and  in  being 
X)repared  for  heaven.  See  Notes  on 
chap.  X.  20. 

29-32.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  38-42. 

33-36.  These  verses  are  found  in 
Matthew,  but  in  a  different  connec- 
tion. See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  15;  vi. 
■  22,  23. 

37.  And  as  he  spake.    While  he  was 


32  The  men  of  Nineveh  shall  rise 
up  in  the  judgment  with  this  gen- 
eration, and  shall  condemn  it ;  for 
^''they  repented  at  the  preaching 
of  Jonas  ;  and,  behold,  a  greater 
than  Jonas  is  here. 

33  No  ^  man,  when  he  hath 
lighted  a  candle,  putteth  it  in  a 
secret  place,  neither  under  a  bush- 
el, but  on  a  candlestick,  that  they 
which  come  in  may  see  the  light. 

34  The  ^  light  of  the  body  is  the 
eye :  therefore,  when  thine  eye  is 
single,  thy  whole  body  also  is  full 
of  light ;  but  when  tMne  eye  is 
evil,  ^  thy  body  also  is  full  of  dark- 
ness. 

35  Take  heed,  therefore,  that  the 
light  which  is  in  thee  be  not  dark- 
ness. 

36  If  thy  whole  body,  therefore, 
l)e  full  of  light,  ^  having  no  part 
dark,  the  whole  shall  Je  full  of 
light,  as  when  ^  the  bright  shining 
^  of  a  candle  doth  give  thee  light. 

37  And  as  he  spake,  a  certain 
Pharisee  besought  him  to  dine 
with  him ;  and  he  went  in  and 
sat  down  to  meat. 

Jonali  3.  5, 10.  A  Matt.  5. 15,  etc.  Mar.4.21. 

c.  8.  16.  i  Matt.  6.  22,  etc.  j  Prov.  28.  22.  Mar. 
7.22.  Psa.  119. 105.  Prov.  6.  23.  Isa.  8.  20.  2Cor. 
4.  6.  la  candle  by  its  bright  shining.  I  Prov.  4. 
18;  20.  27. 


addressing  the  people,  and  particular- 
ly while  he  was  reproving  that  genera- 
tion and  declaring  its  crimes.  T[  A 
certai7i  Pharisee.  The  Pharisees  had 
been  particularl}^  referred  to  in  the 
discourse  of  the  Saviour  recorded  in 
the  previous  verses.  This  one,  per- 
haps, having  felt  particularly  the  force 
of  the  remarks  of  Jesus,  and  being  de- 
sirous of  being  alone  with  him,  invited 
him  to  go  home  with  him.  There  is 
little  doubt  that  this  was  for  the  pur- 
pose of  drawing  him  away  from  the 
people;  that  he  did  it  with  a  malig- 
nant intention,  perhaps  with  a  design 
to  confute  Jesus  in  private,  or  to  re- 
prove him  for  thus  condemning  the 
whole  nation  as  he  did.  He  might 
have  seen  that  those  who  attacked 
Jesus  publicly  were  commonly  unsuc- 
cessful, and  he  desired,  probablv,  to 
encounter  him  more  privately,  i}  Be- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


89 


38  And  when  the  Pharisee  saw 
he  marvelled  that  he  had  not 

first  washed  before  dmner. 

39  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him, 
Now  ^  do  ye  Pharisees  make  clean 
the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the  plat- 

a  Mar.  7.  3.  h  Matt.  23.  25.  c  Titus  1.15. 

sought  Mm.  Asked  him.  If  To  dine 
with  him.  The  Jews,  as  well  as  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  had  but  two 
principal  meals.  The  first  was  a  slight 
repast,  and  w^  taken  about  ten  or 
eleven  o'clock  of  our  time,  and  con- 
sisted chiefly  of  fruit,  milk,  cheese, 
etc.  The  second  meal  was  partaken 
of  about  three  o'clock  P.M.,  and  was 
their  principal  meal.  ThQ  first  is  the 
one  here  intended.  ^  He  went  in. 
Though  he  knew  the  evil  design  of 
the  Pharisee,  yet  he  did  not  decline 
the  invitation.  He  knew  that  it  might 
afford  him  an  opportunity  to  do  good. 
These  two  things  are  to  be  observed 
in  regard  to  our  Saviour's  conduct  in 
such  matters  :  1st.  That  he  did  not 
decline  an  invitation  to  dine  with  a 
man  simply  because  he  was  a  Phari- 
see, or  because  he  was  a  wicked  man. 
Hence  he  was  charged  with  being 
gluttonous,  and  a  friend  of  publicans 
and  sinners.  Matt.  xi.  19.  2d.  He 
seized  upon  all  occasions  to  do  good. 
He  never  shrank  from  declaring  the 
truth,  and  making  such  occasions  the 
means  of  spreading  the  Gospel.  If 
Christians  and  Christian  ministers 
would  follow  the  example  of  the  Sa- 
viour always,  they  would  avoid  all 
scandal,  and  might  do  even  in  such 
places  a  vast  amount  of  good.  T[  Sat 
down.  Reclined  at  the  table.  See 
Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  6. 

38.  Saw  it.  Saw  that  he  sat  immedi- 
ately down  without  washing.  ^  Mar- 
veled. Wondered.  Was  amazed.  It 
was  so  unusual,  and  in  his  view  so  im- 
proper. 1[  Had  not  first  washed.  He 
wondered  particularly,  as  he  had  been 
among  a  mixed  multitude,  and  they 
esteemed  the  touch  of  such  persons 
polluting.  They  never  ate,  therefore, 
without  such  washing.  The  origin  of 
the  custom  of  washing  with  so  much 
formality  before  they  partook  of  their 
meals  was  that  they  did  not  use,  as 
we  do,  knives  and  forks,  but  used 
their  hands  only.  Hence,  as  their 
hands  would  be  often  in  a  dish  on 
the  table,  it  was  esteemed  proper  that 
they  shd|||d  be  washed  clean  before 


ter,  but "  your  inward  part  is  full 
of  ravening  and  wickedness. 

40  Ye  fools,  did  not  he  that  made 
that  which  is  without  make  that 
which  is  within  also  ? 

41  But  ^  rather  give  alms  ^  of 

d  Isa.  58.  iT  c.  12.  33.  1  or,  as  you  are  able. 


eating.  Nor  was  there  impropriety 
in  the  thing  itself,  but  the  Pharisees 
made  it  a  matter  of  ceremony ;  tlie}- 
placed  no  small  part  of  their  religion 
in  such  ceremonies ;  and  it  was  right, 
therefore,  that  our  Lord  should  take 
occasion  to  reprove  them  for  it.  Com- 
pare Mark  vii.  4. 

39.  See  Matt,  xxiii.  25.  Ravening. 
Robbery,  plunder.  Here  the  sense  is 
that  the  cup  and  platter  were  filled 
with  what  had  been  unjustly  taken 
from  others.  That  is,  they  lived  by 
their  wickedness ;  their  food  was  pro- 
cured by  dislionesty  and  extortion. 
This  was  a  most  terrible  charge ;  and 
as  it  was  applied,  among  others,  to 
the  man  who  had  invited  the  Saviour 
to  dine  with  him,  it  shows  that  noth- 
ing would  prevent  his  dealing  faithful- 
ly with  the  souls  of  men.  Even  in  the 
Pharisee's  own  house,  and  when  ex- 
pressly invited  to  partake  of  his  hos- 
pitality, he  loved  his  soul  so  much 
that  he  faithfully  warned  him  of  his 
crimes. 

40.  Ye  fools.  How  unwise  and  wick- 
ed is  j^our  conduct !  The  word  de- 
notes not  only  ivant  of  wisdom^  but 
also  luickedness.  Compare  Psa.  xiv.  1. 
Prov.  xiii.  19 ;  xiv.  9.  Your  conduct 
is  not  merely /oo?is7i,  but  it  is  a  cloak 
for  sin  —  designed  to  countenance 
wickedness,  i  Bid  not  he^  etc.  Did 
not  God,  who  made  the  hody^  make 
also  the  soul?  You  Pharisees  take 
great  pains  to  cleanse  the  hody^  under 
a  pretense  of  pleasing  God.  Did  he 
not  also  make  the  mind?  and  is  it  not 
of  as  much  importance  that  that  should 
be  pure,  as  that  the  body  should  ? 

41.  Alms.  Charity.  Benefactions  to 
the  poor.  ^  Such  things^ as  ye  have. 
Your  property ;  though  it  has  been 
gained  unjustly :  though  you  have 
lived  by  rapine,  and  liave  amassed 
wealth  in  an  improper  manner,  yet, 
since  you  have  it,  it  is  your  duty  to 
make  the  best  of  it  and  do  good.  By 
giving  to  the  poor,  you  may  show 
your  repentance  for  your  crimes  in 
amassing  money  in  this  manner.  You 
may  show  that  you  disapprove  of  your 


90 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


sucli  things  as  ye  have  ;  and,  be- 
hold, all  things  are  clean  unto  you. 

42  But  woe  *  unto  you,  Phari- 
sees !  for  ye  tithe  mint,  and  rue, 
and  all  manner  of  herbs,  and  pass 
over  judgment  and  the  love  of 
God.  These  ought  ye  to  have  done, 
and  not  to  leave  the  other  undone. 

43  Woe  unto  you,  Pharisees  !  for 
*  ye  love  the  uppermost  seats  in  the 
synagogues,  and  greetings  in  the 
markets. 

44  Woe  unto  you,  scribes  and 
Pharisees,  hypocrites  !  for  ye  are 
as "  graves  which  appear  not,  and 
the  men  that  walk  over  them  are 
not  aware  of  them. 

a  Matt.  23.  23,  27.  b  Matt.  23.  6.    Mar.  12.  38. 

c  Psa.  5.  9. 


former  course  of  life,  and  are  disposed 
henceforward  to  live  honestly.  If  this 
be  the  meaning  of  this  passage,  then 
it  shows  what  is  the  duty  of  those 
who  have  by  unjust  gains  become 
wealthy,  and  who  are  then  converted 
to  God.  It  may  not  be  possible  for 
them  in  every  case  to  make  exact  res- 
titution to  those  whom  they  have 
injured ;  thousands  of  instances  of 
wrong  they  may  have  forgotten ;  many 
persons  whom  they  have  injured  may 
have  died;  but  still  they  may  show, 
by  giving  to  others,  that  they  do  not 
think  their  gains  acquired  honestly, 
and  that  they  truly  repent.  They 
may  .devote  their  i)roperty  to  God; 
distribute  it  to  tlie  poor;  or  give  it 
to  send  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen 
world.  Tlius  may  they  show  that 
they  disapprove  of  their  former  con- 
duct;  and  thus  may  be  seen  one  great 
principle  of  God's  government — that 
good  Ji7ially  comes  out  of  evil.  ^  And 
behold^  etc.  Doing  this  will  show  that 
you  are  a  true  penitent,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  your  property  you  will 
enjoy  with  a  feeling  that  you  have 
done  your  duty,  and  no  longer  be 
smitten  with  the  consciousness  of 
hoarding  unjust  gains.  The  object 
of  the  Saviour  here  seems  to  have 
been  to  bring  the  Pharisee  to  repent- 
ance. Repentance  consists  in  sorrow 
for  sin,  and  in  forsaking  it.  This  he 
endeavored  to  produce  by  showing 
him — 1st,  the  evil  and  hypocrisy  of  his 
conduct ;  and,  2d,  by  exhorting  him 
to  forsake  his  sins,  and  to  show  this  by 


45  Then  answered  one  of  the 
lawyers,  and  said  unto  him.  Mas- 
ter, thus  saying,  thou  repjoachest 
us  also. 

46  And  he  said.  Woe  unto  you 
also,  ye  lawyers  I  for  ye  lade  men 
with  burdens  grievous  to  be  borne, 
and  ye  yourselves  touch  not  the 
burdens  ^  with  one  of  your  fingers. 

47  Woe  unto  you  !  for  ye  build 
the  sepulchres  of  the  prophets, 
and  your  fathers  kilied  them. 

48  Truly  ye  bear  witness  that  ye 
allow  *  the  deeds  of  your  fathers : 
for  they  indeed  killed  them,  /  and 
ye  build  their  sepulchres. 

49  Therefore  also  said  the  wis- 

d  Isa.  58.  6.  e  Ezek.  18. 19. 

/Heb.11.35,37. 

doing  good.  Thus  doing,  he  would 
evince  that  the  mind  was  clean  as  well 
as  the  body  ;  the  i7iside  as  well  as  the 
outside 

42.  See  Matt,  xxiii.  23.  ^  Jiue.  This 
is  a  small  garden  plant,  and  is  used  as 
a  medicine.  It  has  a  rosy  flower,  a 
bitter,  penetrating  taste,  and  a  strong 
smell. 

43,  44.  See  Matt,  xxiii.  6,  27. 

45.  Lawyers.  Men  learned  in  the 
law ;  but  it  is  not  known  in  what  way 
the  lawyers  differed  from  the  scribes^ 
or  whether  they  were  Pharisees  or 
Sadducees.  ^  Thus  saying ^  thou.,  etc. 
He  felt  that  the  remarks  of  Jesus 
about  loving  the  chief  seats,  etc.,  ap- 
plied to  them  as  well  as  to  the  Phari- 
sees. His  conscience  told  him  that 
if  they  were  to  blame,  he  'was  also, 
and  he  therefore  applied  the  discourse 
to  himself  ^  Reproachest.  Accusest. 
Dost  calumniate  or  blame  us^  for  we 
do  the  same  things.  Sinners  often 
coi\^\CiQ.Y  faithfulness  as  reproach — they 
know  not  how  to  separate  thern.  Je- 
sus did  not  reproach  or  abuse  them. 
He  dealt  faithfully  with  them ;  re- 
proved them ;  told  them  the  unvar- 
nished truth.  Such  faithfulness  is 
rare;  but  when  it  is  used,  we  must 
expect  that  men  will  flinch,  perhaps 
be  enraged.  Though  their  consciences 
tell  them  they  ura  guilty,  still  they  will 
consider  it  as  abuse. 

46.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  4. 
47-51.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  29- 

36. 

49.  The  wisdom  of  God.        the  wis- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


91 


dom  of  God,  I  will  send  them 
prophets  and  apostles,  and  some 
of  them  they  shall  slay  and  per- 
secute ; 

50  That  the  blood  of  all  the 
prophets,  which  was  shed  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  may 
be  required  ^  of  this  generation ; 

51  From  the  blood  of  Abel  *  unto 
the  blood  of  Zacharias,  which 
perished  between  the  altar  and 
the  temple :  Verily  I  say  unto  you. 
It  shall  be  required  of  this  genera- 
tion.^ 

a  Exod.  20.  5.  Jer.  51 .  56.  ft  Gen.  4,  8. 

c  2  Chr.  24.  20.         d  Jer.  7.  28.         e  Mai.  2.  7. 


dom  of  God,  here,  is  undoubtedly  meant 
the  Saviour  himself.  What  he  imme- 
diately says  is  not  written  in  the  Old 
Testament.  Jesus  is  called  the  word 
of  God  (John  i.  1),  because  he  is  the 
medium  by  which  God  speaks  or  makes 
his  will  known.  He  is  called  the  wis- 
dom of  God,  because  by  him  God  makes 
his  wisdom  known  in  creation  (Col.  i. 
13-18)  and  in  redemption  (1  Cor.  i.  30). 
Manj^  have  also  thought  that  the  Mes- 
siah was  referred  to  in  the  eighth  chap- 
ter of  Proverbs,  under  the  name  of 
Wisdom.  *^  I  will  send,  etc.  See  Luke 
X.  3.  Matt.  X.  16.  H  Shall  slay,  etc. 
Compare  John  xvi.  2.  Acts  vii.  52,  59. 
James  v.  10.  Acts  xii.  2;  xxii.  19.  2 
Cor.  xi.  24,  25.   2  Chron.  xxxvi.  15, 16. 

52.  Woe  lonto  you,  lawyers  f  See  Notes 
on  Matt,  xxiii.  13.  ^  The  key  of  knowl- 
edge. A  key  is  made  to  open  a  lock 
or  door.  By  their  false  interpretation 
of  the  Old  Testament  they  had  taken 
awa}^  the  true  key  or  method  of  under- 
standing it.  They  had  hindered  the 
people  from  understanding  it  aright. 
"  You  endeavor  to  prevent  the  people 
also  from  understanding  the  Script- 
ures respecting  the  Messiah,  and  those 
who  were  coming  to  me  ye  hindered." 
If  there  is  any  sin  of  peculiar  magni- 
tude, it  is  that  of  keeping  the  people 
in  ignorance ;  and  few  men  are  so 
guilty  as  they  who  by  false  instruc- 
tions prevent  them  from  coming  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  embra- 
cing it  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

53.  To  urge  him  vehemently.  To  press 
upon  him  violently.  They  were  en- 
raged against  him.  They  therefore 
pressed  upon  him ;  asked  him  many 
questions ;  sought  to  entrap  him,  that 


52  Woe  unto  you,  lawyers  !  for 
ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of 
knowledge :  *  ye  entered  not  in 
yourselves,  ancl  them  that  were 
entering  in  ye  ^  hindered. 

53  And  as  he  said  these  things 
unto  them,  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees began  to  urge  him  vehement- 
ly, and  to  provoke  /  him  to  speak 
of  many  things ; 

54  Laying  wait  for  him,  and^ 
seeking  to  catch  something  out  of 
his%outh,  that  they  might  accuse 
him. 

1  or,  forbad.         f  1  Cor.  13.  5.  g  Mar.  12. 13. 


they  might  accuse  him.  ^  Provoke 
him,  etc.  This  means  that  they  put 
many  questions  to  him  about  various 
matters,  without  giving  him  proper 
time  to  answer.  They  proposed  ques- 
tions as  fast  as  possible,  and  about 
as  many  things  as  possible,  that  they 
might  get  him,  in  the  hurry,  to  say 
something  that  would  be  wrong,  that 
they  might  thus  accuse  him.  This 
was  a  remarkable  instance  of  their 
cunning,  malignity,  and  unfairness. 

54.  Laying  wait  for  him.  Or,  rather, 
laying  snares  for  him.  It  means  that 
the«|endeavo||ed  to  entangle  him  in 
his  Talk ;  that  they  did  as  men  do  who 
catch  birds — who  lay  snares,  and  de- 
ceive them,  and  take  them  anawares. 
^  That  they  might  accuse  him.  Before 
the  Sanhedrim,  or  great  council  of  the 
nation,  and  thus  secure  his  being  put 
to  death. 

From  this  we  maj^  learn— 1st.  That 
faithful  reproofs  must  be  expected  to 
excite  opposition  and  hatred.  Though 
the  conscience  may  be  roused,  and  may 
testify  against  the  man  that  is  re- 
proved, yet  that  does  not  prevent  his 
hating  the  reproof  and  the  reprover. 
2d.  We  see  here  the  manner  in  which 
wicked  men  endeavor  to  escape  the 
reproofs  of  conscience.  Instead  of  re- 
penting, they  seek  vengeance,  and  re- 
solve to  put  the  reprover  to  shame  or 
to  death.  3d.  We  see  the  exceeding 
malignity  which  men  have  against  the 
Lord  Jesus.  Well  was  it  said  that  he 
was  set  for  the  foil  of  many  in  Israel, 
that  thereby  the  thoughts  of  many 
hearts  might  be  revealed !  Luke  ii. 
34,  35.  Men,  nov\  are  not  by  nature 
less  opposed  to  Jesus  than  they  were 


92 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

IN  "  the  mean  time,  wlien  there 
were  gathered  together  an  in- 
numerable multitude  of  people,  in- 
somuch that  they  trode  one  upon 
another,  he  began  to  say  unto  his 
disciples  first  of  all,  Beware  ye  of 
the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which 
is  hypocrisy. 

a  Matt.  16.  6,  etc.    Mar.  8. 15,  etc. 


then.  4tli.  We  see  the  wisdom,  puri- 
ty, and  firmness  of  the  Saviour^^  To 
their  souls  he  had  been  faithful.  He 
had  boldly  reproved  them  for  their 
sins.  They  sought  his  life.  Multi- 
tudes of  the  artful  and  learned  gath- 
ered around  him,  to  endeavor  to  draw 
out  something  of  which  thej^  might 
accuse  him,  yet  in  vain.  Not  a  word 
fell  from  his  lips  of  which  they  could 
accuse  him.  Every  thing  that  he  said 
was  calm,  mild,  peaceful,  wise,  and 
lovely.  Even  his  cunning  and  bitter 
adversaries  were  always  confounded, 
and  retired  in  shame  and  confusion. 
Here,  surely,  must  have  been  some- 
thing more  than  man.  None  but  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  could  have  known 
all  their  designs,  seen  all  their  wick- 
edness and  their  wiles,  and  escaped 
the  cunning  stratagems  that  were  laid 
to  confound  and  enta%le  him  ||  his 
conversation.  5th.  The  same  iiinnite- 
ly  wise  Saviour  can  still  meet  and  con- 
found all  his  own  enemies  and  those 
of  his  people,  and  deliver  all  his  fol- 
lowers, as  he  did  himself,  from  all  the 
snares  laid  by  a  wicked  world  to  lead 
them  to  sin  and  "death. 

CHAPTER  XII. 
1.  In  the  mean  time.  While  he  was 
discoursing  witii  the  scribes  and  Phar- 
isees, as  recorded  in  the  last  chapter. 
^  An  innumerable  multitude.  The  orig- 
inal word  is  myriads^  or  ten  thousands. 
It  is  used  here  to  signify  that  there 
was  a  great  crowd  or  collection  of 
people,  who  were  anxious  to  hear  him. 
Multitudes  were  attracted  to  the  Sa- 
viour's ministry,  and  it  is  worthy  of 
remark  that  he  never  had  more  to 
hear  him  than  when  he  was  most  faith- 
ful and  severe  in  his  reproofs  of  sin- 
ners. Men's  consciences  are  on  the 
side  of  the  liiithful  reprover  of  their 
sins  ;  and  thougli  they  deeply  feel  the 
reproof,  yet  they  will  still  respect  and 
hear  him  that  reproves.    If  To  his  dis- 


2  For  *  there  is  nothing  covered 
that  shall  not  be  revealed,  neither 
hid  that  shall  not  be  known. 

3  Therefore  whatsoever  ye  have 
spoken  in  darkness  shall  be  heard 
in  the  light;  and  that  which  ye 
have  spoken  in  the  ear,  in  clos- 
ets, shall  be  proclaimed  upon  the 
house-tops. 

fcMatt.  10.  26.    Mar.  4.  22.    c.8. 17. 


ciples  first  of  all.  This  does  not  mean 
that  his  disciples  were,  before  all  oth- 
ers, to  avoid  hypocrisy,  but  that  this 
was  the  first  or  chief  thing  of  which 
they  were  to  beware.  The  meaning 
is  this:  "He  said  to  his  disciples, 
Abo?je  all  things,  beware,''''  etc.  ^  The 
leaveyi.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xvi.  6. 
If  Which  is  Jiypocrisy.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  vii.  5.  Hypocrisy  is  like  leaven 
or  yeast,  because — 1st.  It  may  exist 
without  being  immediately  detected. 
Leaven  mixed  in  flour  is  not  known 
until  it  produces  its  effects.  2d.  It  is 
insinuating.  Leaven  will  soon  per- 
vade the  whole  mass.  So  hypocrisy 
will,  if  undetected  and  unremoved, 
soon  pervade  all  our  exercises  and 
feelings.  3d.  It  is  swelling.  It  puffs 
us  up,  and  fills  us  with  pride  and  van- 
ity. No  man  is  more  proud  than  the 
hypocrite,  and  none  is  more  odious  to 
God.  When  Jesus  cautions  them  to 
beware  oftlie  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  he 
means  that  they  should  be  cautious 
about  imbibing  their  spirit  and  be- 
coming like  them.  The  religion  of 
Jesus  is  one  of  sincerity,  of  humility, 
of  an  entire  want  of  disguise.  The 
humblest  man  is  the  best  Christian, 
and  he  who  has  the  least  disguise  is 
most  like  his  Master. 

2-9.  Nothing  covered.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  X.  26-32. 

3.  jShall  be  proclaimed  upon  the  house- 
tops. See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  27.  The 
custom  of  making  proclamation  from 
the  tops  or  roofs  of  houses  ^till  pre- 
vails in  the^East.  Dr.  Thomson  (The 
Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  51,  52) 
says :  "At  the  present  day,  local  gov- 
ernors in  country  districts  cause  their 
commands  thus  to  be  published.  Their 
proclamations  are  generally  made  in 
the  evening,  after  the  people  have  re- 
turned from  their  labors  in  the  field. 
The  public  crier  ascends  the  highest 
roof  at  hand,  and  lifts  up  his  voice  in 
a  long-drawn  call  upon  all  faithful 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


93 


4  And  I  say  unto  you,  my 
friends,  &  Be  not  afraid  of  them 
that  kill  the  body,  and  after  that 
have  no  more  that  they  can  do. 

5  But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom 
ye  shall  fear :  Fear  him  which,  aft- 
er he  hath  killed,  hath  power  to 
cast  into  hell ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you, 
Fear  him. 

6  Are  not  five  sparrows  sold  for 
two  farthings?  ^  and  not  one  of 
them  is  forgotten  before  God ; 

7  But  even  the  very  hairs  of  your 
head  are  all  numbered.  Fear  not, 
therefore ;  ye  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows. 

8  Also  I  say  unto  you,  ^  Whoso- 
ever shall  confess  me  before  men, 
him  shall  the  Son  of  man  also  con- 
fess ^  before  the  angels  of  God ; 

9  But  he  that  denieth  ^  me  be- 
fore men,  shall  be  denied  before 
the  angels  f  of  God. 

a  Jno.  15. 14.  h  Isa.  51.  7-13.  Matt.  10.  28,  etc. 

1  See  Matt.  10.  29.  c  1  Sam.  2.  30.    Psa.  119. 46. 

2  Tim.  2. 12.  Rev.  2. 10.  d  Jude  24.  e  Acts  3. 
13,14.  Rev.  3. 8.  /Matt.  25.31. 


subjects  to  give  ear  and  obey.  He 
then  proceeds  to  announce,  in  a  set 
form,  the  will  of  their  master,  and  de- 
mand obedience  thereto." 

10.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xii.  32. 

11, 12.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  17-20. 

13.  One  of  the  company.  One  of  the 
multitude.  This  man  had  probably 
had  a  dispute  with  his  brother,  sup- 
posing that  his  brother  had  refused 
to  do  him  justice.  Conceiving  that 
Jesus  had  power  over  the  people — 
that  what  he  said  must  be  performed 
— he  endeavored  to  secure  him  on  his 
side  of  the  dispute  and  gain  his  point. 
From  the  parable  which  follows,  it 
would  appear  that  he  had  no  jws^ 
claim  on  the  inheritance,  but  was  in- 
fluenced by  covetousness.  Besides,  if 
he  had  any  just  claim,  it  might  have 
been  secured  by  the  laws  of  the  land. 

Speak  to  my  brother.  Command  my 
brother.  ^  Divide  the  inheritance.  An 
inheritance  is  the  property  which  is 
left  by  a  father  to  his  children.  Among 
the  Jews  the  older  brother  had  two 
shares,  or  twice  as  much  as  any  other 
child."  Deut.  xxi.  17.  The  remainder 
was  then  equally  divided  among  all 
the  children. 


10  And  whosoever  shall  speak  a 
word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it 
shall  be  forgiven  him ;  but  unto 
hhn  that  blasphemeth  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  ^  be  for- 
given. 

1 1  And  when  they  bring  you  unto 
the  synagogues,  and  unto  magis- 
trates and  powers,  take  ^  ye  no 
thought  how  or  w^hat  thing  ye 
shall  answer,^  or  what  ye  shall  say ; 

12  For  the  Holy  Ghost  shall 
teach  *  you  in  the  same  hour  what 
ye  ought  to  say. 

13  And  one  of  the  company  said 
unto  him.  Master,  speak  to  my 
brother,  that  he  divide  the  inher- 
itance with  me.-? 

14  And  he  said  unto  him,  Man,^ 
who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider 
over  you  ? 

15  And  he  said  unto  them,  Take 
heed  and  beware  of  covetousness  ;^ 

(7  Matt.  12.31.  ljno.5. 16.  A  Matt.  10. 19.  Mar. 
13.11.  c.  21.14.  i  Acts  6.  10.  Acts  26.  ^  Ezek. 
33.31.  /fc  Jno.  18.35.  /  1  Tim.  6.  7-10. 


14.  Who  made  me  a  judge?  It  is  not 
my  business  to  settle  controversies  of 
this  kind.  They  are  to  be  settled  by 
the  magistrate.  Jesus  came  for  an- 
other purpose — to  preach  the  Gospel, 
and  so  to  bring  men  to  a  willingness  to 
do  right.  Civil  affairs  are  to  be  left  to 
the  magistrate.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  Jesus  could  have  told  him  what 
was  right  in  this  case,  but  then  it 
would  have  been  interfering  with  the 
proper  office  of  the  magistrates;  it 
might  have  led  him  into  controversy 
with  the  Jews ;  and  it  was,  besides, 
evidently  apart  from  the  proper  busi- 
ness of  his  life.  We  may  remark,  also, 
that  the  appropriate  business  of  min- 
isters of  the  Gospel  is  to  attend  to 
spiritual  concerns.  They  should  have 
little  to  do  with  the  temporal  matters 
of  the  people.  If  they  can  persuade 
men  who  are  at  variance  to  be  recon- 
ciled, it  is  right ;  but  they  have  no 
power  to  take  the  place  of  a  magis- 
trate, and  to  settle  contentions  in  a 
legal  waj' . 

15.  Beware  of  covetous7iess.  One  of 
these  brothers,  no  doubt,  was  guilty 
of  this  sin ;  and  our  Saviour,  as  was 
his  custom,  took  occasion  to  warn 


94 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


for  a  man's  life  ^  consisteth  not  in 
the  abundance  of  the  things  which 
he  possesseth. 

16  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto 
them,  saying,  The  ground  of  a  cer- 
tain rich  man  brought  forth  plen- 
tifully ; 

17  And  he  thought  within  him- 
self, saying.  What  shall  I  do,  be- 
cause I  have  no  room  where  to  be- 
stow my  fruits  ? 

a  Job  2. 4.    Matt.  6.  25.  h  Jas.  4. 15, 16. 

c  Psa.49. 18. 


his  disciples  of  its  danger.  ^  Covetous- 
ness.  An  unlawful  desire-  of  the  prop- 
erty of  another ;  also  a  desire  of  gain 
or  riches  beyond  what  is  necessary  for 
our  wants.  It  is  a  violation  of  the 
tenth  commandment  (Exod.  xx.  17), 
and  is  expressly  called  idolatry  (Col. 
iii.  5).  Compare,  also,  Eph.  v.  3,  and 
Heb.  xiii.  5.  T[  A  mmi's  life.  The  word 
life  is  sometimes  taken  in  the  sense  of 
happiness  or  felicity,  and  some  have 
supposed  this  to  be  the  meaning  here, 
and  that  Jesus  meant  to  say  that  a 
man's  comfort  does  not  depend  on  af- 
fluence— that  is,  on  more  than  is  nec- 
essary for  his  daily  wants ;  but  this 
meaning  does  not  suit  the  parable  fol- 
lowing, which  is  designed  to  show 
that  property  will  not  lengthen  out  a 
man's  life,  and  therefore  is"  not  too  ar- 
dently to  be  sought,  and  is  of  little 
value.  The  word  life,  therefore,  is  to 
be  taken  literally.  ^  Consisteth  not. 
Rather,  dependeth  not  on  his  posses- 
sions. His  possessions  will  not  pro- 
long it.  The  passage,  then,  means :  Be 
not  anxious  about  obtaining  wealth, 
for,  ho.wever  much  you  may  obtain,  it 
will  not  prolong  your  life.  That  de- 
pends on  the  will  of  God,  and  it  re- 
quires something  besides  wealth  to 
make  us  ready  to  meet  him.  This 
sentiment  he  proceeds  to  illustrate 
by  a  beautiful  parable. 

16.  A  parable.  See  Notes- on  Matt, 
xiii.  3.  t  Plentifully.  His  land  was 
fertile,  and  produced  even  beyond  his 
expectations,  and  beyond  what  he  had 
provided  for. 

17.  He  thought  within  himself.  He 
reasoned  or  inquired.  He  was  anx- 
ious and  perplexed.  Riches  increase 
thought  and  perplexity.  Indeed,  this 
is  almost  their  only  effect — to  engross 
the  thoughts  and  steal  the  heart  away 


18  And  he  said.  This  will  *  I  do : 
I  will  pull  down  my  barns  and 
build  greater,  and  there  will  I  be- 
stow all  my  fruits  and  my  goods. 

19  And  I  will  say  to  my  soul, 
Soul, '  thou  hast  much  goods  laid 
up  for  many  years ;  take  thine  ease, 
eat,  ^  drink,  and  be  merry. 

20  But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou 
fool !  this  night  ^  thy  ^  soul  shall  be 
required  of  thee :  then  whose  shall 

cZEcc,  11.9.    1  Cor,  15.  32.    Jas.  5.  5. 

1  or,  do  they  require  ihy  soul. 

e  Job  20.  20-23  ;  27. 8.    Psa.  52.  7.   Jas.  4. 14. 


from  better  things,  in  order  to  take 
care  of  the  useless  wealth.  H  JVo  room. 
Eveiy  thing  was  full.  H  To  bestow.  To 
place,  to  hoard,  to  collect.  H  My  fruits. 
Our  word  fruits  is  not  applied  to  grain; 
but  the  Greek  word  is  applied  to  all 
the  produce  of  the  earth — not  only 
fruity  but  also  grain.  This  is  likewise 
the  old  meaning  of  the  English  word, 
especially  in  the  plural  number. 

18.  /  will  pull  down  my  barns.  The 
word  barns^  here,  properly  means  gra- 
naries, or  places  exclusively  designed 
to  put  wheat,  barley,  etc.  They  were 
commonly  made,  by  the  ancients,  un- 
der groimd,  where  grain  could  be  kept 
a  long  time  more  safe  from  thieves 
and  from  vermin.  If  it  be  asked  why 
he  did  not  let  the  old  ones  remain  and 
build  new  ones,  it  may  be  answered 
that  it  would  be  easier  to  enlarge  those 
already  excavated  in  the  earth  than  to 
dig  new  ones. 

19.  31:uch  goods.  Much  property. 
Enough  to  last  a  long  while,  so  that 
there  is  no  need  of  anxiiety  or  labor. 
^  Take  thine  ease.  Be  free  from  care 
about  the  future.  Have  no  anxiety 
about  coming  to  want.  H  JEat,  drink^ 
and  be  merry.  This  was  just  the  doc- 
trine of  the  ancient  Epicureans  and 
Atheists,  and  it  is,  alas  !  too  often 
the  doctrine  of  those  who  are  rich. 
They  think  that  all  that  is  valuable  in 
life  is  to  eat,  and  drink,  and  be  cheer- 
ful or  merry.  Hence  their  chief  anx- 
ict}^  is  to  obtain  the  "  delicacies  of  the 
season"— the  luxuries  of  the  world: 
to  secure  the  productions  of  every 
clime  at  any  expense,  and  to  be  dis- 
tinguished for  splendid  repasts  and  a 
magnificent  style  of  living.  What  a 
portion  is  this  for  an  immortal  soul ! 
What  folly  to  think  that  all  that  a 
man  lives  for  is  to  satisfy  his  sensual 


A.D.  32.] 


AFTER  XII. 


95 


those  things  be  which  thou  hast 
provided 

21  So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treas- 
ure for  himself,  ^  and  is  not  rich  " 
toward  God. 

22  And  he  said  unto  his  disci- 
ples, Therefore  I  say  unto  you. 
Take  no  thought,  for  your  life, 
what  ye  shall  eat ;  neither  for  the 
body,  what  ye  shall  put  on. 

23  The  life  is  more  than  meat, 
and  the  body  is  more  than  raiment. 

24  Consider  the  ravens:  *  for 


they  neither  sow  nor  reap ;  which 
neither  have  store-house  nor  barn ; 
and  God  feedeth  them.  How  much 
more  are  ye  better  than  the  fowls  ? 

25  And  which  of  you,  with  tak- 
ing thought,  can  add  to  his  stature 
one  cubit  ? 

26  If  ye,  then,  be  not  able  to  do 
that  thing  which  is  least,  why  take 
ye  thought  for  the  rest  ? 

27  Consider  the  lilies,  how  they 
grow ;  they  toil  not,  they  spin  not ; 
and  yet  I  say  unto  you  that  Solo- 
ed Matt.  6. 25,  etc. 

c  Job  38.41.    Psa.  147.9. 


appetites ;  to  forget  that  he  has  an  in- 
tellect to  be  cultivated,  a  heart  to  be 
purified,  a  soul  to  be  sa\5ed ! 

20.  Thou  fool.  If  there  is  any  su- 
preme folly,  it  is  this.  As  though 
riches  could  prolong  life,  or  avert  for 
a  moment  the  approach  of  pain  and 
death.  H  This  nighty  etc.  What  an 
awful  sentence  to  a  man  who,  as  he 
thought,  had  got  just  ready  to  live  and 
enjoy  himself!  In  a  single  moment 
aU  his  hopes  were  blasted,  and  his  soul 
summoned  to  the  bar  of  his  long-for- 
gotten God.  So,  many  are  surprised 
as  suddenly  and  as  unprepared.  They 
are  snatched  from  their  pleasures,  and 
hurried  to  a  world  where  there  is  no 
pleasure,  and  where  all  their  wealth 
can  not  purchase  one  moment's  ease 
from  the  gnawings  of  the  worm  that 
never  dies.  H  Shall  be  required  of  thee. 
Thou  Shalt  be  required  to  die,  to  go 
to  God,  and  to  give  up  your  account. 
•f[  Then  whose,  etc.  Whose  they  may 
be  is  of  little  consequence  to  the  man 
that  lost  his  soul  to  gain  them;  but 
they  are  often  left  to  heirs  that  dissi- 
pate them  much  sooner  than  the  fa- 
ther procured  them,  and  thus  they  se- 
cure their  ruin  as  well  as  his  own.  See 
Psa.  xxxix.  6.  Eccl.  ii.  18, 19. 

21.  So  is  he.  This  is  the  portion  or 
the  doom.  T[  Layeth  up  treasure  for 
himself.  Acquires  riches  for  his  own 
use — for  himself.  This  is  the  charac- 
teristic of  the  covetous  man.  It  is 
all  for  himself  His  plans  terminate 
there.  He  lives  only  for  himself,  and 
acts  only  with  regard  to  his  own  in- 
terest. 1[  Hich  toward  God.  Has  no 
inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  God — 
no  riches  laid  up  in  heaven.  His  af- 
fections are  all  fixed  on  this  world, 
and  he  has  none  for  God. 


From  this  instructive  parable  we 
learn — 1st.  That  wicked  men  are  often 
signally  prospered  —  their  ground 
brings  forth  plentifully.  God  gives 
them  their  desire,  but  sends  leanness 
into  their  souls.  2d.  That  riches  bring 
with  them  always  an  increasing  load 
of  cares  and  anxieties.  3d.  That  they 
steal  away  the  affections  from  God — 
are  sly,  insinuating,  and  dangerous  to 
the  soul.  4th.  That  the  anxiety  of 
a  covetous  man  is  not  what  good  he 
may  do  with  his  wealth,  but  where  he 
may  hoard  it,  and  keep  it  secure  from 
doing  any  good.  5th.  That  riches  can 
not  secure  their  haughty  owners  from 
the  grave.  Death  will  come  upon 
them  suddenly,  unexpectedly,  awful- 
ly. In  the  very  midst  of  the  bright- 
est anticipations — in  a  moment — in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye — it  may  come, 
and  all  the  wealth  that  has  been  accu- 
mulated can  not  alleviate  one  pang, 
or  drive  away  one  fear,  or  prolong  life 
for  one  moment.  6th.  That  the  man 
who  is  trusting  to  his  riches  in  this 
manner  is  a  fool  in  the  sight  of  God. 
Soon,  also,  he  will  be  a  fool  in  his 
own  sight,  and  will  go  to  hell  with  the 
consciousness  that  his  life  has  been 
one  of  eminent  folly.  7th.  That  the 
path  of  true  wisdom  is  to  seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  be  r«ady 
to  die  ;  and  then  it  matters  little  what 
is  our  portion  here,  or  how  suddenly 
or  soon  we  are  called  away  to  meet 
our  Judge.  If  our  affections  are  not 
fixed  on  our  riches,  we  shall  leave 
them  without  regret.  If  our  treasures 
are  laid  up  in  heaven,  death  will  be  but 
goioig  home,  and  happy  will  be  that  mo- 
ment when  we  are  called  to  our  rest. 

22-31.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  vi.  25-33. 


96 


LUKE.  ^ 


[A.D.  32. 


mon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  ar- 
rayed like  one  of  these. 
•  28  If,  then,  God  so  clothe  the 
grass,  which  is  to-day  in  the  field, 
and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the 
oven,  how  much  more  icill  Jie  clothe 
you,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ! 

29  And  seek  not  ye  what  ye  shall 
eat,  or  what  ye  shall  drink,  ^  nei- 
ther be  ye  of  doubtful  mind. 

30  For  all  these  things  do  the 

1  or,  live  not  in  careful  suspense.  a  Matt.  6.  33. 

6Psa.  34.  10.    Isa.33.  16.    Rom.  8.31,32. 
clsa.40. 11.    Jno.  10.  27,  28. 


nations  of  the  world  seek  after; 
and  your  Father  knoweth  that  ye 
have  need  of  these  things. 

31  But rather  seek  ye  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  all  *  these  things 
shall  be  added  unto  you. 

32  Fear  not,  little  flock;  for  it 
is  your  Fatheivs  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  the  kingdom.^ 

33  Sell  ^  that  ye  have,  and  give 
alms :  provide  yourselves  bags 

Matt.  25.  34.  Jno.  18.  36.  Heb.  12.  28.  Jas.  2.  5. 
2  Pet.  1.11.  Rev.  1.6;  22.5.  c  Matt.  19.  21.  Acts 
2.  45  ;  4.  34. 


WOMEN  OF  NAZAKETII  HEATING  THE  OVEN  WITH  DRY  GRAbS. 


28.  If,  then,  God  so  clothe  the  grass, 
etc.  The  above  cut,  from  a  drawing* 
by  the  Rev.  S.  C.  Malan,  well  illustrates 
this  passage. 

82.  Little  JlocJc.  Our  Saviour  often 
represents  himself  as  a  shepherd,  and 
his  followers  as  a  flock  or  as  sheep. 
The  figure  was  beautiful.  In  Judea  it 
was  a  common  employment  to  attend 
flocks.  The  shepherd  was  with  them, 
defended  them,  provided  for  them,  led 
them  to  green  pastures  and  beside  still 


waters.  In  all  these  things  Jesus  was 
and  is  eminently  the  Good  Shepherd. 
His  flock  was  small.  Few  really  fol- 
lowed him,  compared  with  the  multi- 
tude who  professed  to  love  him.  But, 
though  small  in  number,  they  were 
not  to  fear.  God  was  their  Friend. 
He  would  provide  for  them.  It  was 
his  purpose  to  give  them  the  kingdom, 
and  they  liad  nothing  to  fear.  See 
Matt.  vi.  19-21. 
33.  Sell  thai  ye  have.   Sell  your  prop- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


which  wax  not  old,  a  treasure 
the  heavens  that  faileth  not,  where 
no  thief  approacheth,  neither  moth 
corrupteth. 

34  For  where  your  treasure  is, 
there  will  your  heart  be  also. 

35  Let  *  your  loins  be  girded 
about,  and  your  lights  ^  burning ; 

36  And  ye  yourselv^es  like  unto 
men  that  wait  for  their  lord,  when 
he  will  return  from  the  wedding ; 
that,  when  he  cometh  and  knock- 
eth,  they  may  open  unto  him  im- 
mediately. 

a  Matt.  6.  20.    1  Tim.  6. 19. 
6Eph.6.14.   1  Pet.  1.13. 


erty.  Exchange  it  for  that  which  you 
can  use  in  distributing  charity.  This 
was  the  condition  of  their  being  dis- 
ciples. Their  property  they  gave  up ; 
they  forsook  it,  or  they  put  it  into 
common  stock,  for  tlie  sake  of  giving 
alms  to  the  poor.  Acts  ii.  44 ;  iv.  33. 
John  xii.  6.  Acts  v.  2.  T[  Bags  which 
wax  not  old.  The  word  hags.,  here, 
means  purses.,  or  tlie  bags  attaclied  to 
their  girdles,  in  which  they  carried 
their  money.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v. 
38.  By  bags  which  wax  not  old  Jesus 
means  that  we  should  lay  up  treasure 
in  heaven ;  that  our  aim  should  be  to 
be  prepared  to  enter  there,  where  all 
our  wants  will  be  forever  provided  for. 
Purses,  here,  grow  old  and  useless. 
Wealth  takes  to  itself  wings.  Riches 
are  easily  scattered,  or  we  must  soon 
leave  them ;  but  that  wealth  which  is 
in  heaven  abides  forever.  It  never  is 
corrupted ;  never  flies  away ;  never  is 
to  be  left.  IF  Wax.  This  word  is  from 
an  old  Saxon  word,  and  in  the  Bible 
means  to  grow. 

35,  36.  Let  your  loins.,  etc.  This  al- 
ludes to  the  ancient  manner  of  dress. 
They  wore  a  long  flowing  robe  as  their 
outer  garment.  See  Notes  on  Matt. 
V.  38-41.  When  they  labored,  or  walk- 
ed, or  ran,  it  was  necessary  to  gird  or 
tic  this  up  by  a  sash  or  girdle  about 
the  body,  that  it  might  not  impede 
their  progress.  Hence,  to  gird  up  the 
loins  means  to  be  ready ^  to  be  active, 
to  be  diligent.  Comp.  2  Kings  iv.  29 ; 
ix.  1.  Jer.  i.  17.  Acts  xii.  8.  H  Your 
lights  burning.  This  expresses  the 
same  meaning.  Be  ready  at  all  times 
to  leave  the  world  and  enter  into  rest, 
when  your  Lord  shall  call  you.  Let 
II.— E 


37  Blessed  ^  are  those  servants 
whom  the  lord,  when  he  cometh, 
shall  find  watching :  verily  I  say 
unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird  him- 
self, and  make  them  to  sit  down 
to  meat,  and  will  come  forth  and 
serve  them. 

38  And  if  he  shall  come  in  the 
second  watch,  or  come  in  the  third 
watch,  and  find  them  so,  blessed 
are  those  servants. 

39  And  this  know,  that  if  the 
good  man  of  the  house  had  known 
what  hour  the  thief  ^  would  come, 

c  Matt.  25.1,13.  d  Matt.  24. 46,  etc. 

elThess.  5.  2.    2  Pet.  3. 10.   Rev.  3.  3 ;  16. 15. 


every  obstacle  be  out  of  the  way ;  let 
every  earthly  care  be  removed,  and  be 
prepared  to  follow  him  into  his  rest. 
Servants  were  expected  to  be  ready 
for  the  coming  of  their  lord.  If  in 
the  night,  they  were  expected  to  keep 
their  lights  trimmed  and  burning. 
When  their  master  was  away  in  at- 
tendance on  a  wedding,  as  they  knew 
not  the  hour  when  he  would  return, 
they  were  to  be  continually  ready.  So 
we,  as  we  know  not  the  hour  when 
God  shall  call  us,  should  be  always 
ready  to  die.  Compare  Notes  on  Matt. 
XXV.  1-13. 

37.  Shall  gird  himself.  Shall  take  the 
place  of  the  servant  himself.  Servants 
who  waited  on  the  table  were  girded  in 
the  manner  described  above.  ^  Shall 
make  them  sit.,  etc.  Shall  place  them 
at  his  table  and  feast  them.  This  evi- 
dently means  that  if  we  are  faithful  to 
Christ,  and  are  ready  to  meet  him 
when  he  returns,  he  will  receive  us 
into  heaven — will  admit  us  to  all  its 
blessings,  and  make  us  happy  there — 
as  if  he  should  serve  us  and  minister 
to  our  wants.  It  will  be  as  if  a  mas- 
ter, nistead  of  sitting  down  at  the  ta- 
ble himself  should  place  his  faithful 
servants  there,  and  be  himself  the  serv- 
ant. This  shows  the  exceeding  kind- 
ness and  condescension  of  our  Lord. 
For  us,  poor  and  guilty  sinners,  he 
denied  himself,  took  the  form  of  a 
servant  (Phil.  ii.  7),  and  ministered  to 
our  wants.  In  our  nature  he  has 
wrought  out  salvation,  and  he  has 
done  it  in  one  of  the  humblest  condi- 
tions of  the  children  of  men.  How 
should  our  bosoms  burn  with  grati- 
tude to  him,  and  how  should  we  be 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


he  would  have  watched,  and  not 
have  suffered  his  house  to  be  bro- 
ken through. 

40  Be  ye  therefore  ready  "  also ; 
for  the  Son  of  man  cometh  at  an 
hour  when  ye  think  not. 

41  Then  Peter  said  unto  him, 
Lord,  speakest  thou  this  parable 
unto  us,  or  even  to  all  ? 

42  And  the  Lord  said.  Who,  then, 
is  that  faithful  and  wise  steward,^ 
whom  his  lord  shall  make  ruler 
over  his  household,  to  give  them 
their  portion  of  meat  in  due  sea- 
son ? 

43  Blessed  is  that  servant  whom 
his  lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find 
so  doing. 

44  Of  a  truth  I  say  unto  you, 
that  he  will  make  him  ruler  over 
all  that  he  hath. 

45  But  and  if  that  servant  say 
in  his  heart.  My  lord  delayeth  his 
coming ;  and  shall  begin  to  beat 
the  men-servants  and  maidens, 

a  c.  21.34,36.  ft  1  Cor.  4.  2.  c  ver.  37. 

d  Matt.  22. 6.  1  or,  ciU  him  off. 


willmg  to  serve  one  another !  See 
Notes  on  John  xiii.  1-17. 

38-46.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  42- 
51.  1"  Second  watch.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xiv.  25. 

47.  Which  knew  his  lord's  will.  Who 
knew  what  his  master  wished  him  to 
do.  He  that  knows  what  God  com- 
mands and  requires.  H  Ma7iy  stripes. 
Shall  be  severely  and  justly  punished. 
They  who  have  many  privileges,  who 
are  often  warned,  who  have  the  Gos- 
pel, and  do  not  repent  and  believe, 
shall  be  far  more  severely  punished 
than  others.  They  who  arc  early 
taught  in  Sunday-schools,  or  by  pi- 
ous parents,  or  in  other  ways,  and 
who  grow  up  in  sin  and  im|)enitcnce, 
will  have  much  more  to  answer  for 
than  those  who  have  no  such  i)rivi- 
leges. 

48.  Few  stripes.  The  Jews  never  in- 
flicted more  than  forty  stripes  for  one 
offence.  Deut.  xxv.  3.  For  smaller  of- 
fences they  inflicted  only  four,  (ivc;, 
six,  etc.,  according  to  the  nature  of 
the  crime.  In  allusion  to  this,  our 
Lord  says  that  he  that  knew  tiot — that 


and  to  eat  and  drink,  and  to  be 
drunken ; 

46  The  lord  of  that  servant  wdll 
come  in  a  day  when  he  looketh 
not  for  Aim,  and  at  an  hour  when 
he  is  not  aware,  and  will  ^  cut 
him  in  sunder,  *  and  will  appoint 
him  his  portion  with  the  mibe- 
lievers. 

47  And  that  servant  which/  knew 
his  lord's  will,  and  prepared  not 
himself^  neither  did  according  to 
his  wall,  shall  be  beaten  ^  with 
many  stripes. 

48  But  he  ^  that  knew  not,  and 
did  commit  things  worthy  of 
stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stri2}es.  For  *  unto  whomsoever 
much  is  given,  of  him  shall  be 
much  required ;  and  to  whom  men 
have  ^  committed  much,  of  him 
they  will  ask  the  more. 

49  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the 
earth  ;  and  what  will  I  if  it  be  al- 
ready kindled  ? 

e  Psa.  37.  9  ;  94. 14.  /Jas.4. 17.  </ Deut.  25.  2. 
A  Acts  17.  30.  i  Lev.  5. 17.  Jno.  15.  22.  1  Tim.  1.13. 
j  1  Tim.  6.  20. 

is,  he  who  ha5  comparativelj^  little 
knowledge  —  would  suflfer  a  punish- 
ment proportionally  light.  He  refers, 
doubtless,  to  those  who  have  fewer 
opportunities,  smaller  gifts,  or  fewer 
teachers.  H  Much  is  cjive7i.  They  who 
have  much  committed  to  their  dispo- 
sal, as  stewards,  etc.  See  the  parable 
of  the  talents  in  Matt.  xxv.  14-o0. 

49.  /  am  come,  etc.  The  result  of 
my  coming  will  be  that  there  will  be 
divisions  and  contentions.  He  does 
not  mean  that  he  came  for  that  pur- 
pose, or  that  he  sought  and  desired  it ; 
but  that  such  was  the  state  of  the  hu- 
man heart,  and  such  the  opposition 
of  men  to  the  truth,  that  that  Avould 
be  the  effect  of  his  coming.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  X.  34.  1)  Fire.  Fire,  here,  is 
the  emblem  of  discord  and  conten- 
tion, and  consequently  of  calamities. 
Thus  it  is  used  in  Psalm  Ixvi.  12.  Isa. 
xliii.  2.  And  ivhat  will  /,  etc.  This 
joassage  might  be  better  expressed  in 
tliis  manner :  "And  what  would  I,  but 
that  it  were  kindled.  Since  it  is  7i£ces- 
sary  for  the  advancement  of  religion 
that  such  divisions  should  take  place ; 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


99' 


50  But  I  have  a  baptism  to  be 
baptized  with ;  and  how  am  I  ^ 
straitened  till  it  be  accomplish- 
ed! 

51  Suppose* ye  that  I  am  come 
to  give  peace  on  earth  ?  I  tell  you, 
Nay ;  but  rather  division : 

52  For  from  henceforth  there 
shall  be  five  in  one  house  divided, 
three  against  two,  and  two  against 
three. 

53  The  father  *  shall  be  divided 
against  the  son,  and  the  son  against 
the  father ;  the  mother  against  the 
daughter,  and  the  daughter  against 
the  mother ;  the  mother  -  in  -  law 
against  her  daughter-in-law,  and 
the  daughter-in-law  against  her 
mother-in-law. 

54  And  he  said  also  to  the  peo- 
ple. When  ye  see  a  cloud  rise  out 
of  the  west,  straightway  ye  say, 

1  or,  pained.  a  Matt.  10.  34. 

b  Micah  7.  6.  c  Matt.  16.  2,  etc. 

since  the  Gospel  can  not  be  establish- 
ed without  conflicts,  and  strifes,  and 
hatreds,  I  am  even  desirous  that  they 
should  come.  Since  the  greatest  bless- 
ing which  mankind  can  receive  must 
be  attended  with  such  unhappy  divis- 
ions, I  am  willing,  nay,  desirous  that 
they  should  come."  He  did  not  wish 
evil  in  itself;  but,  as  it  was  the  occa- 
sion of  good,  he  was  desirous,  if  it 
must  take  place,  that  it  should  take 
place  soon.  From  this  we  learn — 1st. 
That  the  promotion  of  religion  may 
be  exx^ected  to  produce  many  contests 
and  bitter  feelings.  2d.  That  the  heart 
of  man  must  be  exceedingly  wicked, 
or  it  would  not  oppose  a  work  like  the 
Christian  religion.  3d.  That  though 
God  can  not  look  on  evil  with  appro- 
bation, yet,  for  the  sake  of  the  benefit 
which  may  grow  out  of  it,  he  is  will- 
ing to  permit  it,  and  suffer  it  to  come 
into  the  world. 

50.  A  baptism.  See  Notes  on  Matt. 
XX.  22.  *[[  Am  I  straitened.  How  do  I 
earnestly  desire  that  it  were  passed ! 
Since  these  sufferings  must  be  endured, 
how  anxious  am  I  that  the  time  should 
come !  Such  were  the  feelings  of  the 
Redeemer  in  view  of  his  approaching 
dying  hour.  We  may  leani  from  this 
— 1st.  That  it  is  not  improper  to  feel 
deejAy  at  the  prospect  of  dying.    It  is  I 


There  cometh  a  shower;  and  so 
it  is. 

55  And  when  ye  see  the  south 
wind  blow,  ye  say,  There  will  be 
heat ;  and  it  cometh  to  pass. 

56  Ye  hypocrites !  ye  can  dis- 
cern the  face  of  the  sky,  and  of 
the  earth ;  but  how  is  it  that  ye 
do  not  discern  this  time  ? 

57  Yea,  and  why  even  of  your- 
selves judge  ye  not  what  is  right  ? 

58  When  ^  thou  goest  with  thine 
adversary  to  the  magistrate,  as  thou 
art  in  f  the  way,  give  diligence  that 
thou  mayest  be  delivered  from 
him ;  lest  he  hale  thee  to  the 
judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee 
to  the  officer,  and  the  officer  cast 
thee  into  prison. 

59  I  tell  thee,  thou  shalt  not  de- 
part thence  till  thou  hast  paid  the 
very  ^  last  mite. 

rfl  Cor.  11.14.  e  Matt.  5.  25. 

/  Isa.  55.  6.  2  See  Mar.  12.  42. 

a  sad,  awful,  terrible  event;  and  it  is 
impossible  that  we  should  look  at  it 
aright  imthout  feeling — scarcely  with- 
out trenibling.  2d.  It  is  not  improper 
to  desire  that  the  time  should  come, 
and  that  the  day  of  our  release  should 
draw  nigh.  Phil.  i.  23.  To  the  Chris- 
tian, death  is  but  the  entrance  to  life ; 
and  since  the  pains  of  death  must  be 
endured,  and  since  they  lead  to  heav- 
en, it  matters  little  how  soon  he  pass- 
es through  these  sorrows,  and  rises  to 
his  eternal  rest. 

51-53.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  34- 
36. 

54-57.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xvi.  2, 3. 
^  South  wind.  To  the  south  and  south- 
west of  Judea  were  situated  Arabia, 
Egypt,  and  Ethiopia,  all  warm  or  hot 
regions,  and  consequently  the  air  that 
came  from  those  quarters  was  greatly 
heated.  T[  How  is  it  that  ye  do  not  dis- 
cern this  time^  You  see  a  cloud  rise, 
and  predict  a  shower ;  a  south  wind, 
and  expect  heat.  These  are  regular 
events.  So  you  see  m}^ miracles;  you 
hear  my  preaching;  you  have  the  pre- 
dictions of  me  in  the  prophets ;  why 
do  you  not,  in  like  manner,  infer  that 
thisis  the  time  when  the  Messiah  should 
appear  ? 

58,  59.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  25, 
26. 


100 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  32. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THERE  were  present  at  that 
season  some  that  told  hhn  of 
the  *  Galileans,  whose  blood  Pilate 
had  mingled  *  with  their  sacrifices. 
2  And  Jesus,  answering,  said 

a  Acts  5.  37.  b  Lam.  2.  20. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
1.  There  were  present.  That  is,  some 
persons  who  were  present,  and  who 
had  heard  the  discourse  recorded  in 
the  previous  chapter.  There  was  prob- 
abl}^  a  pause  in  his  discourse,  when 
they  mentioned  what  had  been  done 
b}^  Pilate  to  tlie  Galileans.  1  At  that 
season.  At  that  time — that  is,  the  time 
mentioned  in  the  last  chapter.  At 
what  period  of  our  Lord's  ministry 
this  was,  it  is  not  easy  to  determine. 
T[  Some  that  told  him.  This  Avas  doubt- 
less an  event  of  recent  occurrence. 
Jesus,  it  is  probable,  had  not  before 
heard  of  it.  Why  told  him  of  it 
can  only  be  a  matter  of  conjecture. 
It  might  be  from  the  desire  to  get  him 
to  express  an  opinion  respecting  the 
conduct  of  Pilate,  and  thus  to  involve 
him  in  difficulty  with  the  reigning 
powers  of  Judea.  It  might  be  as  a 
mere  matter  of  news.  But,  from  the 
answer  of  Jesus,  it  would  apnear  that 
they  supposed  that  the  Galileans  de- 
served it,  and  that  they  meant  to  pass 
a  judgment  on  the  character  of  those 
men — a  thing  of  which  they  were  ex- 
ceedingly fond.  The  answer  of  Jesus 
is  a  reproof  of  their  habit  of  hastily 
judging  the  character  of  others.  1  Gal- 
ileans. People  who  lived  in  Galilee. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii.  23.  They  were 
not  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Pilate, 
but  of  Herod.  The  Galileans,  in  the 
tim<^  of  Christ,  were  very  wicked. 
^  Whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled^  etc. 
That  is,  while  they  were  sacrificing  at 
Jerusalem,  Pilate  came  suddenly  upon 
them  and  slew  them,  and  their  blood 
was  mingled  with  the  blood  of  the  an- 
imals that  they  were  slaying  for  sacri- 
fice. It  does  not  mean  that  Pilate  of- 
fered their  blood  in  sacrifice,  but  only 
that  as  they  were  sacrificing  he  slew 
them.  The  fact  is  not  mentioned  by 
Josephus,  and  nothing  more  is  known 
of  it  than  what  is  here  recorded.  We 
learn,  however,  from  Jose^jhus  that 
the  Galileans  were  very  wicked,  and 
that  they  were  much  disposed  to  broils 
and  seditions.  It  appears,  also,  that 
Pilate  and  Herod  had  a  quarrel  with 


unto  them,  SupjDOse  ye  that  these 
Galileans  were  sinners  above  all 
the  Galileans,  because  they  suffer- 
ed such  things  ? 

3  I  tell  you,  Nay ;  but  except  ye 
repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish. 

c  Acts  3. 19.    Rev.  2.  21,22. 

each  other  (Luke  xxiii.  12),  and  it  is 
not  improbable  that  Pilate  might  feel 
a  particular  enmity  to  the  subjects  of 
Herod.  It  is  likely  that  the  Galileans 
excited  a  tumult  in  the  Temple,  and 
that  Pilate  took  occasion  to  come 
suddenly  upon  them,  and  show  his 
opposition  to  them  and  Herod  by 
slaying  them.  H  Pilate.  The  Roman 
governor  of  Judea.  See  Notes  on 
Matt,  xxvii.  2. 

2,  3.  Suppose  ye,  etc.  From  this  an- 
swer it  would  appear  that  they  sup- 
posed that  the  fact  that  these  men 
had  been  slain  in  this  manner  proved 
that  they  were  very  great  sinners. 
^  I  tell  you,  Nay.  Jesus  assured  them 
that  it  was  not  right  to  draw  such  a 
conclusion  respecting  these  men.  The 
fact  that  men  come  "to  a  sudden  and 
violent  death  is  not  proof  that  they 
are  peculiarly  wicked.  H  Except  ye  re- 
pent. Except  5^ou  forsake  your  sins 
and  turn  to  God.  Jesus  took  occa- 
sion, contrary  to  their  expectation,  to 
make  a  practical  use  of  that  f\ict,  and 
to  warn  them  of  their  own  danger. 
He  never  suffered  a  suitable  occasion 
to  pass  without  warning  the  wicked, 
and  entreating  them  to"  forsake  their 
evil  ways.  The  subject  of  religion 
was  always  present  to  his  mind.  He 
introduced  it  easil}^  freely,  fully.  In 
this  he  showed  his  love  for  the  souls 
of  men,  and  in  this  he  set  us  an  exam- 
ple that  we  should  walk  in  his  steps. 
1[  Ye  shall  all  likewise  perish.  You  shall 
all  be  destroyed  in  a  similar  manner. 
Here  he  had  reference,  no  doubt,  to 
the  calamities  that  were  coming  upon 
them,  when  thousands  of  the  people 
perished.  Perhaps  there  was  never 
any  reproof  more  delicate  and  yet 
more  severe  than  this.  They  came 
to  him  believing  that  these  men  who 
had  perished  were  peculiarlj'  wicked. 
He  did  not  tell  them  that  they  were 
as  bad  as  the  Galileans,  but  left  them 
to  infer  it,  for  if  they  did  not  repent, 
they  must  soon  likewise  be  destroyed. 
This  was  remarkably  fulfilled.  Many 
of  the  Jews  were  slain  in  the  Temple ; 
many  while  offering  sacrifice;  thou- 


A.D.  32.] 

4  Or  those  eighteen,  upon  whom 
the  tower  in  Siloam  fell,  and  slew 
them,  think  ye  that  they  w^ere 


sands  perished  in  a  way  yery  similar 
.to  the  Galileans.  Compare  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxiv.  From  this  account  of  the 
Galileans  we  may  learn  (1.)  That  men 
are  very  prone  to  infer,  when  any 
great  calamity  happens  to  others,  that 
they  are  peculiarly  guilty.  See  the 
Book  of  Job,  and  the  reasonings  of 
his  three  ''friends.''  (2.)  That  that 
conclusion,  in  the  way  in  which  it  is 
usually  drawn,  is  erroneous.  If  we 
see  a  man  bloated,  and  haggard,  and 
poor,  who  is  in  the  habit  of  intoxica- 
tion, we  may  infer  properly  that  he  is 
guilty,  and  that  God  hates  his  sin  and 
punishes  it.  So  we  may  infer  of  the  ef- 
fects of  licentiousness.  But  we  should 
not  thus  infer  when  a  man's  house  is 
burnt  down,  or  when  his  children  die, 
or  when  he  is  visited  with  a  loss  of 
health ;  nor  should  we  infer  it  of  the 
nations  that  are  afflicted  with  famine, 
or  the  plague,  or  with  the  ravages  of 
war;  nor  should  we  infer  it  when  a 
man  is  killed  by  lightning,  or  when 
he  perishes  by  the  blowing  up  of  a 
steam-boat.  Those  who  thus  perish 
may  be  far  more  virtuous  than  many 
that  live.  (3.)  This  is  not  a  world  of 
retribution.  Good  and  evil  are  min- 
gled; the  good  and  the  bad  suffer, 
and  all  are  exposed  here  to  calamity. 
(4.)  There  is  another  world — a  future 
state  —  a  world  where  the  good  will 
be  happy  and  the  wicked  punished. 
There  all  that  is  irregular  on  earth 
will  be  regulated ;  all  that  appears 
unequal  will  be  made  equal ;  all  that 
is  chaotic  will  be  reduced  to  order. 
(5.)  When  men  are  disposed  to  speak 
about  the  great  guilt  of  others,  and 
the  calamities  that  come  upon  them, 
they  should  inquire  about  themselves. 
What  is  their  character?  what  is  their 
condition?  It  may  he  that  they  are 
in  quite  as  much  danger  of  perishing 
as  those  are  whom  they  regard  as  so 
wicked.  (6.)  We  must  repent.  We 
must  ALL  repent  or  we  shall  perish. 
No  matter  what  befalls  others,  ive  are 
sinners ;  we  are  to  die ;  we  shall  be  lost 
unless  we  repent.  Let  us,  then,  think 
of  mirselves  rather  than  of  others;  and 
when  we  hear  of  any  signal  calamity 
happening  to  others,  let  us  remember 
that  there  is  calamity  in  another  world 


101 

^  sinners  above  all  men  that  dwelt 
in  Jerusalem  ? 
5  I  tell  you,  Nay;  but  except 

1  or,  debtors. 


as  well  as  here ;  and  that  while  our 
fellow  -  sinners  are  exposed  to  trials 
here,  we  ma}^  be  exposed  to  more  aw- 
ful woes  there.  Woe  there  is  eternal ; 
here,  a  calamity  like  that  produced 
by  a  falling  tower  is  soon  over. 

4.  Or  those  eighteeri.  Jesus  himself 
adds  another  similar  case,  to  warn 
them — a  case  which  had  probably  oc- 
curred not  long  before,  and  which  it 
is  likel}^  they  judged  in  the  same  man- 
ner. If  Upo7i  v)hom  the  tower  in  Siloam 
fell.  The  name  Siloah  or  Siloam  is 
found  only  three  times  in  the  Bible  as 
applied  to  water — once  in  Isa.  viii.  6, 
who  si:)eaks  of  it  as  running  water; 
once  as  a  pool  near  to  the  kfng's  gar- 
den, in  Nell.  iii.  15 ;  and  once  as"a  pool, 
in  the  account  of  the  Saviour's  heal- 
ing the  man  born  blind,  in  John  ix. 
7-11.  Josephus  mentions  the  fount- 
ain of  Siloam  frequentl}"  as  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Valley  of  Tyro- 
poeon,  or  the  Valley  of  Cheesemon- 
gers, where  the  fountain  long  indi- 
cated as  that  fountain  is  still  found. 
It  is  on  the  south  side  of  Mount  Mo- 
riah,  andl)etween  that  and  the  Valley 
of  Jehoshaphat.  The  water  at  pres- 
ent flows  out  of  a  small  artificial  basin 
under  the  clilf,  and  is  received  into 
a  large  reservoir  fifty-three  feet  in 
length  by  eighteen  in  breadth.  The 
small  upper  basin  or  fountain  exca- 
vated in  the  rock  is  merely  the  en- 
trance, or  rather  the  termination  of 
a  long  and  narrow  subterranean  pas- 
sage beyond,  by  which  the  water  comes 
from  the  Fountain  of  the  Virgin.  For 
what  purpose  the  tower  here  referred 
to  was  erected  is  not  known ;  nor  is 
it  known  at  what  time  the  event  here 
referred  to  occurred.  It  is  probable 
that  it  was  not  far  from  the  time  when 
the  Saviour  made  use  of  the  illustra- 
tion, for  the  manner  in  which  he  re- 
fers to  it  implies  that  it  was  fresh  in 
the  recollection  of  those  to  whom  he 
spoke. 

5.  I  tell  you,  Nay.  It  is  improper  to 
suppose  that  those  on  whom  lieavy 
judgments  fall  in  this  world  are  the 
worst  of  men.  This  is  not  a  world  of 
retribution.  Often  the  most  wicked 
are  suflfered  to  prosper  here,  and  their 
punishment  is  reserved  for  another 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


t 


102 

ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise 
perish. 

6  He  spake  also  this  parable :  -A 
«  certain  man  had  a  fig-tree  plant- 
ed in  his  vineyard ;  and  he  came 
and  sought  *  fruit  thereon,  and 
found  none. 

7  Then  said  he  unto  the  dress- 
er of  his  vineyard.  Behold,  these 
three  years  I  come  seeking  fruit 
on  this  fig-tree  and  find  none :  cut 

a  Isa.  5.  l,etc.   Matt.  21.19. 

6  John  15.  16.    Gal.  5.  22.    Phil.  4.  17. 


world;  while  the  righteous  are  called 
to  suffer  much,  and  appear  to  be  un- 
der the  sore  displeasure  of  God.  Psa. 
Ixxiii.  This  only  we  know,  that  the 
wicked  will  not  alwmja  escape;  that 
God  is  just,  and  that  none  who  do  suf- 
fer here  or  hereafter,  suffer  more  than 
they  deserve.  In  the  future  world,  all 
that  seems  to  be  unequal  here  will  be 
made  equal  and  plain. 

6.  This  parable.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xiii.  3.  1  Vineyard.  A  place  where 
vines  were  planted.  It  was  not  com- 
mon to  i^lant  fig-trees  in  them,  but 
our  Lord  represents  it  as  having  been 
sometimes  done. 

7.  The  dresser  of  7iis  vineyard.  The 
man  whose  duty  it  was  to  trim  the 
vines  and  take  care  of  his  vineyard. 
1  Tliese  three  years.  These  words  are 
not  to  be  referred  to  the  time  which 
Christ  had  been  preaching  the  Gos- 
l^el,  as  if  he  meant  to  specify  the  ex- 
act period.  They  mean,  as  applicable 
to  tlie  vineyard,  that  the  owner  had 
been  a  long  time  expecting  fruit  on  the 
tree.  For  three  successive  years  he 
had  been  disappointed.  In  his  view 
it  was  long  enough  to  show  that  the 
tree  was  barren  and  would  yield  no 
fruit,  and  that  tlierefore  it  should  be 
cut  down.  11  Why  cumhereth  it  the 
f/round?  The  word  cumber  here  means 
to  render  barren  or  sterile.  By  taking 
up  the  juices  of  the  earth,  this  useless 
tree  rendered  the  ground  sterile,  and 
prevented  the  growth  of  the  neigh- 
boring vines.  It  was  not  merely  nae- 
Zm,  but  was  doing  mischief,  which 
may  be  said  of  all  sinners  and  all  hyp- 
ocritical professors  of  religion.  Dr. 
Thomson  (Tlie  Land  and  the  Book, 
vol.  i.,  p.  539)  says  of  the  barren  fig- 
tree :  "There  arc  many  such  trees 
now;  and  if  the  ground  is  not  prop- 
erly cultivated,  especially  when  the 


[A.D.  32. 

it  down ;  why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground  ? 

8  And  he,  answering,  said  unto 
him.  Lord,  let  it  alone  ^  this  year 
also,  till  I  shall  dig  about  it  and 
dung  it : 

9  And  if  it  bear  fruit,  icell;  and* 
if  not,  then  after  that '  thou  slialt 
cut  it  down. 

10  And  he  was  teaching  in  one 
of  the  synagogues  on  the  sabbath. 

c  Exod.  32. 10.  d  Psa.  106.  23.    2  Pet.  3.  9. 

c  John  15.2.  Heb.6.8. 


trees  are  young — as  the  one  of  the 
parable  was,  for  only  three  years  are 
mentioned — they  do  not  bear  at  all; 
and  even  when  full  grown  they  quick- 
ly fail,  and  wither  away  if  neglected. 
Those  who  expect  to  gather  good 
crops  of  well-flavored  figs  are  particu- 
larly attentive  to  their  culture — not 
only  plow  and  dig  about  them  fre- 
quently, and  manure  them  plentifully, 
but  they  carefully  gather  out  the 
stones  from  the  orchards,  contrary  to 
their  general  slovenly  hal3its." 

This  parable  is  to  be  taken  in  con- 
nection with  what  goes  before,  and 
with  our  Saviour's  calling  the  Jewish 
nation  to  repentance.  It  Avas  spoken 
to  illustrate  the  dealings  of  God  with 
them,  and  their  own  wickedness  un- 
der all  his  kindness,  and  we  may  un- 
derstand the  diff*erent  parts  of  the 
parable  as  designed  to  represent— 1st. 
God,  by  the  man  who  owned  the  vine- 
yard. 2d.  The  vineyard  as  the  Jewish 
people.  3d.  The  coming  of  the  owner 
for  fruit,  the  desire  of  t^od  that  they 
should  produce  good  works.  4th.  The 
barrenness  of  the  tree,  the  Avickedness 
of  the  people.  5th.  The  dresser  was 
perhaps  intended  to  denote  the  Sa- 
viour and  the  other  messengers  of 
God,  pleading  that  God  Avould  spare 
the  Jews,  and  save  them  from  their 
enemies  that  stood  ready  to  destroy 
them,  as  soon  as  God  should  permit. 
6th.  His  waiting  denotes  the  delay  of 
vengeance,  to  give  them  an  opportu- 
nity of  repentance.  And,  7th.  The  re- 
mark of  the  dresser  that  he  might  then 
cut  it  down,  denotes  the  acquiescence 
of  all  in  the  belief  that  such  a  judg- 
ment would  be  just.  ^ 

We  may  also  remark  that  God  treats 
sinners  in  this  manner  now;  that  he 
spares  them  long;  that  he  gives  thcni 
opportunities  of  repentance;  that 


LUKE. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


103 


1 1  And,  behold,  there  was  a  wom- 
an which  had  a  spirit  of  infirmity  ^ 
eighteen  years,  and  was  bowed  to- 
gether, and  could  in  no  wise  lift 
up  lierself. 

12  And  when  Jesus  saw  her,  he 
called  lier  to  him^  and  said  unto 
her,  Woman,  thou  *  art  loosed  from 
thine  infirmity. 

13  And "  he  laid  Ms  hands  on  her ; 
and  immediately  she  was  made 
straight,  and  glorified  God. 

a  Psa.  6.  2.  b  Joel  3. 10. 

c  Mar.  16. 18.   Acts  9. 17. 


many  Uve  but  to  cumber  the  ground; 
that  they  arc  not  only  useless  to  the 
Church,  but  pernicious  to  the  world; 
that  in  due  time,  when  they  are  fairly 
tried,  they  shall  be  cut  down ;  and 
that  the  universe  will  bow  to  the  aw- 
ful decree  of  God,  and  say  that  their 
damnation  is  just. 

11.  There  was  a  woman  which  had  a 
spirit  of  infirmity.  Was  infirm,  or  was 
weak  and  afflicted.  This  was  praduced 
by  Satan  (verse  16).  ^  Eighteen  years. 
This  affliction  had  continued  a  long 
time.  This  shows  that  the  miracle 
was  real;  that  the  disease  was  not 
feigned.  Though  thus  afflicted,  yet 
it  seems  she  was  regular  in  attending 
the  worship  of  God  in  the  synagogue. 
There,  in  the  sanctuary,  is  the  place 
where  the  afflicted  find  consolation ; 
and  there  it  was  that  the  Saviour  met 
her  and  restored  her  to  health.  It  is 
in  the  sanctuary  and  on  the  Sabbath, 
also,  that  he  commonly  meets  his  peo- 
ple, and  gives  them  the  joys  of  his 
salvation. 

12.  Thou  art  loosed  from  thine  infirm- 
ity. This  was  a  remarkable  declara- 
tion. It  does  not  appear  that  the 
woman  applied  to  him  for  a  cure  ;  yet 
Jesus  addressed  her,  and  the  disease 
departed.  How  clear  would  be  the 
proofs  from  such  a  case  that  he  was 
the  Messiah  !  And  how  mighty  the 
power  of  him  that  by  a  word  could 
restore  her  to  health  ! 

13.  Glorified  God.  Praised  God.  Gave 
thanks  to  him  for  healing  her.  They 
who  are  restored  to  health  from  sick- 
ness owe  it  to  God;  and  they  should 
devote  their  lives  to  his  service,  as  ex- 
pressive of  their  sense  of  gratitude  to 
him  who  has  spared  them. 

14.  Answered  with  indignation^  because^ 


14  And  the  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue answered  with  indignation, 
because  that  Jesus  had  healed  on 
the  sabbath  day,  and  said  unto  the 
people,  There  *  are  six  days  in 
which  men  ought  to  work :  in 
them,  therefore,  come  and  be  heal- 
ed, and  not  on  the  sabbath  day. 

15  The  Lord  then  answered  him, 
and  said,  Tlwu  hypocrite  !  f  doth 
not  each  one  of  you  on  the  sabbath 
loose  ^  his  ox  or  Ms  ass  from  the 

Matt.12.10.    Mar.3.2.    c.6.7;14.3.  Jno.5.16, 
e  Ex.  20.9.        /Prov.  11.9.    Matt.  7.  5  ;  23. 13,  28. 
c.  12. 1.  jfc.14.5. 


etc.  He  considered  this  a  violation  of 
the  Sabbath,  doing  work  contrary  to 
the  fourth  commandment.  If  he  had 
reasoned  aright,  he  would  have  seen 
that  he  who  could  perform  sucb  a 
miracle  could  not  be  a  violator  of  the 
law  of  God.  From  this  conduct  of 
the  ruler  we  learn — 1st.  That  men  are 
often  opposed  to  good  being  done, 
because  it  is  not  done  in  their  ow?i  way 
and  accoy^ding  to  their  own  views.  2d. 
That  they  are  more  apt  to  look  at 
what  they  consider  a  violation  of  the 
law  m  others,  than  at  the  good  which 
others  may  do.  3d.  That  this  oppo- 
sition is  manifested  not  only  against 
those  who  do  good^  but  also  against 
those  who  are  benefited.  The  ruler  of 
the  synagogue  seemed  particularly  in- 
di2;nant  that  the  people  would  come  to 
Christ  to  be  healed.  4th.  That  this 
conduct  is  often  the  result  of  envy. 
In  this  case  it  was  rather  hatred  that 
the  xDcople  should  follow  Christ  in- 
stead of  the  Jewish  rulers,  and  there- 
fore envy  at  the  popularity  of  Jesus, 
than  any  real  regard  for  religion.  5th. 
That  opposition  to  the  work  of  Jesus 
may  put  on  the  appearance  of  great 
professed  regard  for  religion.  Many 
men  oppose  revivals,  missions,  Bible 
societies,  and  Sun da}^- schools  — 
strange  as  it  may  seem — from  pro- 
fessed regard  to  the  purity  of  religion. 
They,  like  the  ruler  here,  have  form- 
ed their  notions  of  religion  as  consist- 
ing in  something  very  different  from 
doing  good,  and  they  oppose  those 
who  are  attempting  to  spread  the 
Gospel  throughout  the  world. 

15.  Tho2i  hyjiocrite!  You  condemn 
me  for  an  action,  and  yet  you  perform 
one  exactly  similar.  You  condemn 
me  for  doing  to  a  woman  what  you  do 


104 


stall,  and  lead  Mm  away  to  water- 
ing? 

16  And  ought  not  this  woman, 
being  a  daughter  "  of  Abraham, 
whom  Satan  hath  bound,  lo,  these 
eighteen  years,  be  loosed  from  this 
bond  on  the  sabbath  day  ? 

17  And  when  he  had  said  these 
things,  all  his  adversaries  were 
ashamed :  ^  and  all  the  people  re- 
joiced for  all  the  ^  glorious  things 
that  were  done  by  him. 

18  Then  said  he,  Unto  ^  what  is 
the  kingdom  of  God  like  ?  and 
whereunto  shall  I  resemble  it  ? 

19  It  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard- 

ac.19.9.  6Isa.45.24.    1  Pet.  3. 16. 

cExod.15.11.   Psa.111.3-  lsa.4.2. 


LUKE.  [A.D.32. 

seed,  which  a  man  took  and  cast 
into  his  garden ;  and  it  grew,  and 
waxed  a  great  tree ;  and  the  fowls 
of  the  air  lodged  in  the  branches 
of  it. 

20  And  again  he  said,  Where- 
unto shall  I  liken  the  kingdom  of 
God? 

21  It  is  like  leaven,  which  a  wom- 
an took  and  hid  in  three  ^  meas- 
ures of  meal,  till  the  whole  was 
leavened. 

22  And  he  went  through  the 
cities  and  villages,  teaching,  and 
journeying  toward  Jerusalem. 

23  Then  said  one  unto  him.  Lord, 

<iMatt.l3.3L    Mar.  4. 30,  etc. 
1  See  Matt.  13. 33. 


to  -a  beast.  To  her  I  have  done  good 
on  the  Sabbath ;  you  provide  for  your 
cattle,  and  yet  blame  me  for  working 
a  miracle  to  relieve  a  sufferer  on  that 
day.  T[  Stall.  A  place  where  cattle 
are  kept  to  be  fed,  and  sheltered  from 
the  weather. 

16.  A  daughter  of  Abraham.  A  de- 
scendant of  Abraham.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  i.  1.  She  was  therefore  a  Jew- 
ess ;  and  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue, 
professing  a  peculiar  regard  for  the 
Jewish  people,  considering  them  as 
peculiarly  favored  of  God,  should  have 
rejoiced  that  she  was  loosed  from  this 
infirmity.  H  Whom  Sata7i  hath  bo2mcl. 
Satan  is  the  name  given  to  the  prince 
or  leader  of  evil  spirits,  called  also  the 
devil,  Beelzebub,  and  the  old  serpent. 
Matt.  xii.  24.  Rev.  xii.  9 ;  xx.  2.  By  his 
bindmfj  her  is  meant  that  he  had  in- 
tlicteci  this  disease  upon  her.  It  was 
not  properly  a  possession  of  the  devil, 
for  that  commonly  produced  derange- 
ment; but  God  had  suffered  him  to  af- 
llict  her  in  this  manner,  similar  to  the 
way  in  which  he  was  permitted  to  try 
Job.  See  Notes  on  Job  i.  12;  ii.  6,  7. 
It  is  no  more  improbable  that  God 
would  suffer  Sataii  to  inflict  pain,  than 
that  he  would  suffer  a  wicked  man  to 
do  it ;  yet  nothing  is  more  common 
than  for  one  m«n  to  be  the  occasion 
of  bringing  on  a  disease  in  another 
wliich  may  terminate  only  with  the 
life.  He  that  seduces  a  virtuous  man 
and  leads  him  to  intemperance,  or  he 
that  wounds  him  or  strikes  him,  may 
disable  him  as  much  as  Satan  did  this 
woman.   If  God  permits  it  in  one 


case,  he  may,  for  the  same  reason,  in 
another. 

17.  Adversaries.  The  ruler  of  the 
synagogue,  and  those  who  felt  as  he 
did.  H  All  the  people.  The  persons 
who  attended  the  synagogue,  and  who 
had  witnessed  the  miracle.  It  is  to 
be  remarked — 1st.  That  those  who  op- 
posed Christ  were  chiefly  the  riders. 
They  had  an  interest  in  doing  it.  Their 
popularity  was  at  stake.  They  were 
afraid  that  he  would  draw  off  the  peo- 
ple from  them.  2d.  The  common  peo- 
ple heard  him  gladly.  Many  of  them 
believed  in  him.  The  condition  of 
the  poor,  and  of  those  in  humble  life, 
is  by  far  the  most  favorable  for  relig- 
ion, and  most  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
have  been  found  there. 

18-21.  See  these  parables  explained 
ill  the  Notes  on  Matt.  xiii.  31,  32. 

22.  Cities  and  villages.  Chiefly  of 
Galilee,  and  those  which  were  between 
Galilee  and  Jerusalem.  ■[]  Teaching  and 
journeying.  This  evinces  the  diligence 
of  our  Lord.  Though  on  a  journej^ 
yet  he  remembered  his  work.  He  did 
not  excuse  himself  on  the  plea  that  he 
was  in  haste.  Christians  and  Chris- 
tian ministers  should  remember  that 
when  their  Master  traveled  he  did  not 
eo7iceal  his  character,  or  think  that  he 
was  then  freed  from  obligation  to  do 
good. 

23.  Then  said  one.  Who  this  was 
does  not  appear.  It  is  probable  that 
he  was  not  one  of  frhe  disciples,  but 
one  of  the  Jews,  who  came  either  to 
perplex  him,  or  to  involve  liim  in  a 
controversy  with  the  Pharisees.  H  Are 


A.D.  32.] 

are  there  few  that  be  saved  ?  And 
he  said  unto  them, 

24  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate ;  for  *  many,  I  say  unto 
you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able. 

25  When  once  the  master  of  the 
house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  ^ 

a  Matt,  7.  13.  6  Jno.  7.  34 ;  8.  21.    Rom.  9.  31. 

c  Psa.  32.  6.    Isa.  55.  6. 

there  few  that  be  saved  ^  It  was  th  e  prev- 
alent opinion  among  the  J ews  that  few 
would  enter  heaven.  As  but  two  of 
all  the  hosts  that  came  out  of  Egypt 
entered  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  so 
some  of  them  maintained  that  a  pro- 
portionally small  number  would  enter 
into  heaven. — Lightfoot.  On  this  sub- 
ject the  man  wished  the  opinion  of 
Jesus.  It  was  a  question  of  idle  cu- 
riosity. The  answer  to  it  would  have 
done  little  good.  It  was  far  more  im- 
portant for'the  man  to  secure  his  own 
salvation,  than  to  indulge  in  such  idle 
inquiries  and  vain  speculations.  Our 
Lord  therefore  advised  him^  as  he  does 
all^  to  drive  to  enter  into  heaven. 

24.  Strive.  Literally,  agonize.  The 
word  is  taken  from  the  Grecian  games. 
In  their  races,  and  wrestlings,  and  va- 
rious athletic  exercises,  they  strove  or 
agonized^  or  put  forth  all  their  powers 
to  gain  the  victory.  Thousands  wit- 
nessed them.  They  were  long  trained 
for  the  conflict,  and  the  honor  of  vic- 
tory was  one  of  the  highest  honors 
among  the  people.  So  Jesus  says  that 
we  should  strive  to  enter  in ;  and  he 
means  by  it  that  Ave  should  be  dili- 
gent, be  active,  be  earnest ;  that  we 
should  make  it  our  first  and  chief 
business  to  overcome  our  sinful  pro- 
pensities, and  to  endeavor  to  enter 
into  heaven.  This  same  figure  or  al- 
lusion to  the  Grecian  games  is  often 
used  in  the  New  Testament.  1  Cor.  ix. 
24-26.  Phil.  ii.  16.  Heb.  xii.  1.  Strait 
gate.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vii.  13,  14. 
Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and  the  Book, 
vol.  i.,  p.  32)  says  :  "I  have  seen  these 
strait  gates  and  narrow  ways,  'with 
liere  and  there  a  traveler.'  They  are 
in  retired  corners,  and  must  be  sought 
for,  and  are  opened  onty  to  those  who 
knock ;  and  when  the  sun  goes  down 
and  the  night  comes  on,  they  are  shut 
and  locked.  It*  is  then  too  late." 
1[  Will  seek  to  enter  in.  Many  in  vari- 
ous ways  manifest  some  desire  to  be 
saved.    They  seek  it,  but  do  not  ago- 


105 

to  the  door,  and  ye  begin  to  stand 
without,  and  to  knock  at  the  door, 
saying.  Lord, '  Lord,  open  unto  us ; 
and  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto 
you,  I  know  you  not  whence  ye 
are ; 

26  Then  shall  ye  begin  to  say, 
We  have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy 

d  Matt.  25. 10.  e  Lu.  6.  46. 


nize  for  it,  and  hence  they  are  shut 
out.  But  a  more  probable  meaning 
of  this  passage  is  that  which  refers 
this  seeking  to  a  time  that  shall  be^oo 
late;  to  the  time  when  the  master  has 
risen  up,  etc.  In  this  life  they  neglect 
religion,  and  are  engaged  about  other 
things.  At  death,  or  at  the  judgment, 
they  will  seek  to  enter  in ;  but  it  will 
be  too  late — the  door  will  be  shut; 
and  because  they  did  not  make  relig- 
ion the  chief  business  of  their  life, 
they  can  not  then  enter  in.  T[  Shall 
not  be  able.  This  is  not  designed  to  af- 
firm any  thing  respecting  the  inability 
of  the  sinner,  provided  he  seeks  salva- 
tion in  a  proper  time  and  manner.  It 
means  that  at  the  time  when  many 
ivill  seek — when  the  door  is  shut — • 
they  will  not  be  able  then  to  enter  in, 
agreeable  lo  Matt.  vii.  22.  In  the  prop- 
er time,  when  the  day  of  grace  was 
lengthened  out,  they  might  have  en- 
tered in ;  but  there  ivill  be  a  time  wiien 
it  will  be  too  late.  The  day  of  mercy 
will  be  ended,  and  death  will  come, 
and  the  doors  of  heaven  barred  against 
them.  How  important,  then,  to  strive 
to  enter  in  while  we  have  opportuni- 
ty, and  before  it  shall  be  too  late  ! 

25.  When  07ice  the  master^  etc.  The 
figure  here  used  is  taken  from  tho 
conduct  of  a  housekeeper,  who  is  will- 
ing to  see  his  friends,  and  who  at  the 
proper  time  keeps  his  doors  open. 
But  there  is  a  proper  time  for  closing 
them,  when  he  will  not  see  his  guests. 
At  night  it  would  be  imi)roper  and 
vain  to  seek  an  entrance — the  house 
would  be  shut.  So  there  is  a  proper 
time  to  seek  an  entrance  into  heaven ; 
but  there  will  be  a  time  when  it  Avill 
be  too  late.  At  death  the  time  will 
have  passed  by,  and  God  will  be  no 
longer  gracious  to  the  sinner's  soul. 

26.  We  have  eateoi^  etc.  Comp.  Matt, 
vii.  22,  23.  To  have  eaten  with  one 
is  evidence  of  acquaintanceship  or 
friendship.  So  the  sinner  may  allege 
that  he  was  a  professed  follower  of 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


106 

presence,  and  tliou  hast  taught  in 
our  streets. 

27  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you, 
I  know  you  not  whence  ye  are ; 
depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  * 
of  iniquity. 

28  There  <^  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall 
see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Ja- 
cob, and  all  the  prophets,  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  you  your- 
selves thrust  out. 

29  And  they  ^  shall  come  from 
the  east,  and  from  the  west,  and 
from  the  north,  and  from  the 

a  Matt.  7.  22,  23  ;  25. 12, 41.  b  Psa.  6.  8  ;  101.8. 

c  Matt.  8. 12  ;  13.  42  ;  24.  51.  d  Rev.  7.  9,  10. 


Jesus,  and  had  some  evidence  that  Je- 
sus was  his  friend.  There  is  no  allu- 
sion here,  however,  to  the  sacrament. 
The  lig'ure  is  taken  from  the  customs 
of  men,  and  means  simply  that  they 
had  professed  attachment,  and  per- 
haps supposed  that  Jesus  was  their 
friend.  In  thy  presence.  With  thee 
— as  one  friend  does  with  another. 
T[  Thou  had  tanght.  Thou  didst  fa- 
vor us,  as  though  thou  didst  love  us. 
Thou  didst  not  turn  away  from  us, 
and  we  did  not  drive  thee  away.  All 
this  is  alleged  as  proof  of  friendship. 
It  shows  us — 1st.  On  how  slight  evi- 
dence men  will  suppose  themselves 
ready  to  die.  How  slender  is  the  prep- 
aration which  even  many  professed 
friends  of  Jesus  have  for  death  !  How 
easily  they  arc  satisfied  about  their 
own  piety  !  A  profession  of  religion, 
attendance  on  the  preaching  of  the 
Word  or  at  the  sacraments,  or  a  de- 
cent external  life,  is  all  they  have  and 
all  they  seek.  With  this  they  go  qui- 
etly on  to  eternity — go  to  disappoint- 
ment, wretchedness,  and  woe !  2d. 
None  of  these  things  will  avail  in  the 
day  of  judgment.  It  will  be  only  true 
love  to  God,  a  real  change  of  heart, 
and  a  life  of  piety,  that  can  save  the 
soul  from  death.  And  oh !  how  im- 
l)ortant  it  is  that  all  should  search 
theinselves  and  see  what  is  the  real 
foundation  of  their  hope  that  they 
shall  enter  into' heaven  ! 

27.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vii.  23. 

28-30.  Sec  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  11, 12. 

31.  Came  certahi  of  the  Pharisees. 
Their  coming  to  him  in  this  manner 
would  have  the  appearance  of  friend- 


[A.D.  32. 

south,  and  shall  sit  down  in  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

30  And,  behold,  there  *  are  last 
which  shall  be  first,  and  there  are 
first  which  shall  be  last. 

31  The  same  day  there  came  cer- 
tain of  the  Pharisees,  saying  unto 
him.  Get  thee  out  and  depart 
hence ;  for  Herod  will  kill  thee. 

32  And  he  said  unto  them,  Go 
ye  and  tell  that  fox,  >"  Behold,  I 
cast  out  devils,  and  I  do  cures  to- 
day and  to-morrow,  and  the  third 
day  I  shall  be  ^  perfected. 

33  Nevertheless,  I  must  walk  to- 

c  Matt.  19.30.  /Zeph.3.3.  Heb.  2. 10. 


ship,  as  if  the}-  had  conjectured  or  se- 
cretly learned  that  it  was  Herod's  in- 
tention to  kill  him.  Their  suggestion 
had  much  appearance  of  probabilit3\ 
Herod  had  killed  John.  He  knew 
that  Jesus  made  many  disciples,  and 
was  drawing  awaj-  many  of  the  peo- 
ple. He  was  a  wicked  man,  and  he 
might  be  supposed  to  fear  the  pres- 
ence of  one  who  had  so  strong  a  re- 
semblance to  John,  whom  he  had  slain. 
It  might  seem  probable,  therefore,  that 
he  intended  to  take  the  life  of  Jesus, 
and  this  might  appear  as  a  friendly 
hint  to  escape  him.  Yet  it  is  more 
than  possible  that  Herod  might  have 
sent  these  Pharisees  to  Jesus.  Jesus 
was  eminently  popular,  and  Herod 
might  not  dare  openly  to  put  him  to 
death ;  yet  he  desired  his  removal,  and 
for  this  purpose  he  sent  these  men,  as 
if  in  a  friendly  way,  to  advise  him  to 
retire.  This  was  probably  the  reason 
why  Jesus  called  him  a  fox.  ^  Herod. 
Herod  Antipas,  a  son  of  Herod  the 
Great.  He  ruled  over  Galilee  and  Pe- 
rea,  and  wished  Jesus  to  retire  beyond 
these  regions.   See  Notes  on  ch.  iii.  1. 

32.  Tell  thai  fox.  A  fox  is  an  emblem 
of  slyness,  of  cunning,  and  of  artful 
mischief  The  word  is  also  used  to 
denote  a  dissembler.  Herod  was  a 
wicked  man,  but  the  jycirticular  thiny 
to  which  Jesus  here  alludes  is  not  his 
vices^  but  his  cmtning^  his  artljice^  in  en- 
deavoring to  remove  him  out  of  his 
territory.  He  liad  endeavored  to  do 
it  by  stratagem  —  by  sending  tlicse 
men  who  pretended  great  friendship 
for  his  life.  ^  Behold^  I  cast  out  devils^ 
etc.    Announce  to  him  the  fact  that 


LUKE. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


107 


day,  and  to-morrow,  and  the  day 
following ;  for  it  can  not  be  that  a 
prophet  perish  out  of  Jerusalem. 

34  O  "  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 
which  killest  the  prophets,  and 
stonest  them  that  are  sent  unto 
thee ;  how  often  would  I  have 
gathered  thy  children  together, 

a  Matt.  23.  37. 


I  am  working  miracles  in  his  terri- 
tory, and  that  I  shall  continue  to  do 
it.  I  am  not  afraid  of  his  art  or  his 
enmity.  I  am  engaged  in  my  appro- 
priate work,  and  shall  continue  to  be 
as  long  as  is  proper,  in  spite  of  his  arts 
and  his  threats.  ^  To-day  mid  to-mor- 
row. A  little  time.  The  words  seem 
here  to  be  used  not  strictl}^,  ])ut  pro- 
verbially— to  denote  a  short  space  of 
time.  Let  not  Herod  be  uneasy.  I  am 
doing  no  evil ;  I  am  not  violating  the 
laws.  I  only  cure  the  sick,  etc.  In  a 
little  time  this  part  of  my  work  will 
be  done,  and  I  shall  retire  from  his 
dominions.  ^  The  third  day.  After 
a  little  time.  Perhaps,  however,  he 
meant  literally  that  he  would  depart 
on  that  day  for  Jerusalem ;  that  for 
two  or  three  days  more  he  would  re- 
main in  the  villages  of  Galilee,  and 
then  go  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem. 
^  I  shall  he  j^erfected.  Rather,  I  shall 
have  ended  my  course  Tiere ;  I  shall 
have  perfected  what  I  purpose  to  do  in 
Galilee.  It  does  not  refer  to  his  per- 
aonal  perfection,  for  he  was  always 
perfect,  but  it  means  that  he  would 
hiiY G  fi7mhed  or  completed  what  he  pur- 
posed to  do  in  the  regions  of  Herod. 
He  would  have  completed  his  work, 
and  would  be  ready  then  to  go. 

33.  I  mud  walk^  etc.  I  must  remain 
here  this  short  time.  These  three 
days  I  must  do  cures  here,  and  then  I 
shall  depart,  though  not  for  fear  of 
Herod.  It  will  be  because  my  time 
will  have  come,  and  I  shall  go  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  die.  T[  For  it  can  tiot  be 
that  a  prophet  should  2^erish  out  of  Jeru- 
salem., I  have  no  fear  that  Herod  will 
put  me  to  death  in  Galilee.  I  shall 
not  depart  on  that  account.  Jerusa- 
lem is  the  place  where  the  prophets 
die,  and  where  /  am  to  die.  I  am  not 
at  all  alarmed,  therefore,  at  any  threats 
oIl  Herod,  for  my  life  is  safe  until  I  ar- 
rive at  Jerusalem.  Go  and  tell  him, 
therefore,  that  I  fear  him  not.  I  shall 
work  here  as  long  as  it  is  proper,  and 


as  a  hen  doth  gather  her  brood  un- 
der her  wings,  and  ye  would  not ! 

35  Behold,  *  your  house  is  left 
unto  you  desolate ;  and  verily  I 
say  unto  you.  Ye  shall  not  see  me, 
until  the  time  come  when  ye  shall 
say.  Blessed "  is  he  that  cometli  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord. 

A  Lev.  26.31,32.  Psa.  69.  25.  Isa.  1.  7  ;  5.  5,  6.  Dan. 
9.  27.   Micah  3.  12.  cc.  19.38.   Jno.  12.  13. 


shall  then  go  u-p  to  Jerusalem  to  die. 
The  reason  why  he  said  that  a  proi)h- 
et  could  not  perish  elsewhere  than 
in  Jerusalem  might  be— 1st.  That  he 
knew  that  he  would  be  tried  on  a 
charge  of  blasphemy,  and  no  other 
court  could  have  cognizance  of  that 
crime  but  the  great  council  or  Sanhe- 
drim, and  so  he  was  not  afraid  of  any 
threats  of  Herod.  2d.  It  had  heeu  the 
fact  that  the  prophets  had  been  chief!}' 
slain  there.  The  meaning  is,  "  It  can 
not  easily  be  done  elsewhere ;  it  is  not 
usually  done.  Prophets  have  general- 
ly perished  there,  and  there  /  am  to 
die.  I  am  safe,  therefore,  from  the 
fear  of  Herod,  and  shall  not  take  the 
advice  given  and  leave  his  territory." 

34,  35.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  37- 
39. 

From  the  message  which  Jesus  sent 
to  Herod  we  may  learn — 1st.  That  our 
lives  are  safe  in  the  hands  of  God,  and 
that  wicked  men  can  do  no  more  to 
injure  us  than  he  shall  permit.  Com- 
pare John  xix.  11.  2d.  That  we  should 
go  on  fearlessly  in  doing  our  duty,  and 
especially  if  we  are  doing  good.  We 
should  not  regard  the  threats  of  men. 
God  is  to  be  obeyed;  and  even  if  obe- 
dience shoidd  involve  us  m  difficulty 
and  trials,  still  we  should  not  hesitate 
to  commit  our  cause  to  God  and  go 
forward.  3d.  We  should  be  on  our 
guard  against  crafty  and  unprincipled 
men.  They  often  prf>/m  to  seek  our 
good  when  they  are  only  plotting  our 
ruin.  Even  those  professedly^  coming 
from  our  enemies  to  caution  us  are 
often  also  our  enemies,  and  are  secret- 
ly^ plotting  our  ruin  or  endeavoring 
to  prevent  our  doing  good.  4th.  We 
see  here  the  nature  of  religion.  It 
shrinks  at  nothing  which  is  dut3^  It 
goes  forward  trusting  in  God.  It 
comes  out  boldly  and  faces  the  world. 
And,  5th.  How  beautiful  and  consist- 
ent is  the  example  of  Christ !  How 
wise  was  he  to  detect  the  arts  of  his 
foes !  how  fearless  in  going  forward, 


108 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

AND  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  went 
into  the  house  of  one  of  the 
chief  Pharisees,  to  eat  bread  on 
the  sabbath  clay,  that  they  watch- 
eel  him. 

2  And,  behold,  there  was  a  cer- 
tain man  before  him  which  had 
the  dropsy. 

a  Psa.  37.  32.    Isa.  29. 20,  21.   Jer.  20. 10, 11; 

in  spite  of  all  their  machinations,  to 
do  what  God  had  appointed  for  him 
to  do! 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
1.  It  came  to  pass.  It  so  happened 
or  occurred.  Il  As  he  went^  etc.  It  is 
probable  that  he  was  invited  to  go,  be- 
ing in  the  neighborhood  (verse  12) ; 
and  it  is  also  probable  that  the  Phari- 
see invited  him  for  the  purpose  of  get- 
ting him  to  say  something  that  would 
involve  him  in  difficulty.  07ie  of  the 
chief  Pharisees.  One  of  the  Pharisees 
who  were  rulers^  or  members  of  the 
Great  Council  or  the  Sanhedrim.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  v.  23.  It  does  not 
mean  that  he  was  the  head  of  the  sect 
of  the  Pharisees,  but  one  of  those  who 
happened  to  be  a  member  of  the  San- 
hedrim. He  was  therefore  a  man  of 
influence  and  reputation.  T[  To  eat 
bread.  To  dine.  To  partake  of  the 
liospitalities  of  his  house.  TI  On  the 
Sabbath  day.  It  may  seem  strange 
that  our  Saviour  should  have  gone  to 
dine  with  a  man  who  was  a  stranger 
on  the  Sabbath ;  but  we  are  to  remem- 
ber— 1st,  That  he  was  traveling,  hav- 
ing no  home  of  his  own,  and  that  it 
was  no  more  improper  to  go  there 
than  to  any  other  place.  2d.  That  he 
did  not  go  there  for  the  purpose  of 
feasting  and  amusement,  but  to  do 
good.  3d.  That  as  several  of  that  class 
of  persons  were  together,  it  gave  him 
an  opportunity  to  address  them  on 
the  subject  of  religion,  and  to  reprove 
their  vices.  If,  therefore,  the  exam- 
ple of  Jesus  should  be  plead  to  au- 
thorize accepting  an  invitation  to  dine 
on  the  Sabbath,  it  should  be  plead 
JUST  AS  IT  WAS.  If  we  cau  go  ^ust  as 
he  did^  it  is  right.  If  when  away  from 
home ;  if  we  go  to  do  good ;  if  we 
make  it  an  occasion  to  discourse  on 
tlie  subject  of  religion  and  to  persuade 
men  to  repent,  then  it  is  not  improp- 
er. Farther  than  this  we  can  not 
plead  the  example  of  Christ.  And 
surely  this  should  be  the  last  instance 


3  And  Jesus,  answering,  spake 
mito  the  lawyers  and  Pharisees, 
saying.  Is  *  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the 
sabbath  day  ? 

4  And  they  held  their  peace. 
And  he  took  Aim,  and  healed  him, 
and  let  him  go ; 

5  And  answered  them,  saying,'^ 
Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ass  or 

h  C.13.  14.    cc.  13. 15. 

in  the  world  to  be  adduced  to  justify 
dinner-parties,  and  scenes  of  riot  and 
gluttony  on  the  Sabbath,  t  They 
watched  him.  They  malignantly  fixed 
their  eyes  on  him,  to  see^if  he  did  any 
thing  on  which  they  could  lay  hold  to 
accuse  him. 

2.  A  certain  man  before  Mm.  In  what 
way  he  came  there  we  know  not.  He 
might  have  been  one  of  the  Pharisee's 
family,  or  might  have  been  placed 
there  by  the  Pharisees  to  see  whether 
he  would  heal  him.  This  last  suppo- 
sition is  not  improbable,  since  it  is 
said  in  verse  1  that  they  watched  him. 
U  The  dropsy.  A  disease  produced  by 
the  accumulation  of  water  in  various 
parts  of  the  body ;  very  distressing, 
and  commonly  incurable. 

3.  Jesus^  answering.  To  answer.,  in 
the  Scriptures,  docs  not  always  im- 
ply, as  among  us,  that  any  thing  had 
been  said  before.  It  means  often  mere- 
ly to  begin  or  to  take  up  a  subject,  or, 
as  here,  to  remark  on  the  case  that 
was  present.  *|I  Is  it  laiifid^  etc.  He 
knew  that  they  were  watching  him. 
If  he  healed  the  man  at  once,  they 
would  accuse  him.  He  therefore  pro- 
posed the  question  to  them,  and  when 
it  was  asked,  they  could  not  saj^  that 
it  was  not  lawful. 

4.  They  held  their  peace.  They  were 
silent.  They  coidd  not  say  it  was  not 
lawful,  for  the  law  did  not  forbid  it. 
If  it  had  they  would  have  said  it. 
Here  was  the  time  for  them  to  make 
objections  if  they  had  any,  and  not 
after  the  man  was  healed ;  and  as  they 
made  no  objection  then.,  they  could 
not  with  consistency  afterward.  .They 
were  therefore  effectually  silenced  and 
confounded  by  the  Saviour.  II  He  took 
him.  Took  hold  of  the  man,  or  per- 
haps took  him  apart  into  another 
room.  By  taking  hold  of  him,  or 
touching  him,  he  showed  that  tho 
power  of  healing  went  forth  from 
himself 

5.  6.  See  Notes  on  Matthew  xii.  11. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 


109 


an  ox  fallen  into  a  pit,  and  will 
not  straightway  pull  him  out  on 
the  sabbath  day  ? 

6  And  they  could  not  answer 
him  again  to  these  things. 

7  And  he  put  forth  a  parable  to 
those  which  were  bidden,  when  he 
marked  how  they  chose  out  the 
chief  rooms ;  saying  unto  them, 

8  When thou  art  bidden  of  any 
man  to  a  wedding,  sit  not  down 
in  the  highest  room ;  lest  a  more 
honourable  man  than  thou  be  bid- 
den of  him ; 

9  And  he  that  bade  thee  and 

a  Prov.  25.  6,  7. 


If  Which  of  yotc^  etc.  In  this  way  Je- 
sus refuted  the  notion  of  the  Phari- 
sees. If  it  was  lawful  to  save  an  ox 
on  the  Sabbath,  it  was  also  to  save 
the  life  of  a  man.  To  this  the  Jews 
had  nothing  to  answer. 

7.  A  parable.  The  word  parable, 
here,  means  ratlier  a  precept^  an  i7ijimc- 
tion.  He  gave  a  rule  or  preempt  about 
the  proper  manner  of  attending  a 
feast,  or  about  the  humility  which 
ought  to  be  manifested  on  such  occa- 
sions. That  ivere  hidden.  That  were 
invited  by  the  Pharisee.  It  seems 
that  he  had  invited  his  friends  to  dine 
with  him  on  that  day.  W7ien  he 
marked.  When  he  observed  or  saw. 
T[  Chief  rooms.  The  word  rooms  here 
does  not  express  the  meaning  of  the 
original.  It  does  not  mean  apart- 
ments^ but  the  higher  places  at  the  ta- 
ble ;  those  which  were  nearest  the 
head  of  the  table  and  to  him  who 
had  invited  them.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxiii.  6.  That  this  was  the  common 
character  of  the  Pharisees  appears 
from  Matt,  xxiii.  6. 

8,  9.  Art  hidden.  Art  invited.  1[  To 
a  wedding.  A  wedding  was  common- 
ly attended  with  a  feast  or  banquet. 
H  The  highest  room.  The  seat  at  tlie 
table  nearest  the  head.  If  A  more  hon- 
orahle  man.  A  more  aged  man,  or  a 
man  of  higher  rank.  It  is  to  be  re- 
marked that  our  Saviour  did  not  con- 
sider the  courtesies  of  life  to  be  be- 
neath his  notice.  His  chief  design 
here  was,  no  doubt,  to  reprove  the 
pride  and  ambition  of  the  Pharisees ; 
but,  in  doing  it,  he  teaches  us  that  re- 
ligion does  not  violate  the  courtesies 


him  come  and  say  to  thee,  Give 
this  man  place;  and  thou  begin 
with  shame  to  take  the  lowest 
room. 

10  But  when  thou  art  bidden,  go 
and  sit  down  in  the  lowest  room ; 
that  when  he  that  bade  thee  com- 
eth,  he  may  say  unto  thee.  Friend, 
go  up  higher ;  then  shalt  thou  have 
worship  in  the  f)resence  of  them 
that  sit  at  meat  with  thee. 

11  For  *  whosoever  exalteth  him- 
self shall  be  abased ;  and  he  that 
humbletli  himself  shall  be  exalted. 

12  Then  said  he  also  to  him  that 

b  1  Sam.46. 17.  Job  22.  29.  Psa.  18.  27.  Prov.  15.  33; 
29.23.  Matt.  23. 12.  c.  18.14.  Jas.4.6.  1  Pet.  5.  5. 


of  life.  It  does  not  teach  us  to  be 
rude,  forward,  pert,  assuming,  and  de- 
spising the  proprieties  of  refined  in- 
tercourse. It  teaches  humility  and 
kindness,  and  a  desire  to  make  all 
happy,  and  a  willingness  to  occupy 
our  appropriate  situation  and  rank  in 
life ;  and  this  is  true  politeness^  for  true 
politeness  is  a  desire  to  make  all  oth- 
ers happy,  and  a  readiness  to  do  what- 
ever is  necessary  to  make  them  so. 
They  have  utterly  mistaken  the  na- 
ture of  religion  who  suppose  that  be- 
cause they  are  professed  Christians, 
they  must  be  rude  and  uncivil,  and 
violate  all  the  distinctions  in  society. 
The  example  and  precepts  of  Jesus 
Christ  were  utterly  unlike  such  con- 
duct. He  teaches  us  to  be  kind,  and 
to  treat  men  according  to  their  rank 
and  character.  Compare  Matt.  xxii. 
21.  Kom.xiii.  7.  1  Pet.  ii.  17. 

10.  The  lowest  room.  The  lowest  seat 
at  the  table ;  showing  that  you  are 
not  desirous  of  distinctions,  or  greedy 
of  that  honor  which  may  properly  be- 
long to  you.  H  Shalt  have  -worship. 
The  word  worship  here  means  honor. 
They  who  are  sitting  with  you  shall 
treat  you  with  respect.  They  will 
learn  your  rank  by  your  being  invited 
nearer  to  the  head  of  the  table,  and  it 
will  be  better  to  learn  it  thus  than  by 
putting  yourself  forward.  They  will 
do  you  honor  because  you  have  shown 
a  humble  spirit. 

11.  Whosoever  exalteth^  etc.  This  is 
universal  among  men,  and  it  is  also 
the  way  in  which  God  will  deal  with 
men.  Men  will  perpetually  endeavor 
to  bring  down  those  who  endeavor  to 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


bade  Mm,  When  thou  makest  a 
dinner  or  a  supper,  call  not  thy 
friends,  nor  thy  brethren,  neither 
thy  kinsmen,  nor  thy  *  rich  neigh- 
bours ;  lest  they  also  bid  thee 
again,  and  a  recompense  be  made 
thee. 

13  But  when  thou  makest  a 
feast,  call  the  *  poor,  the  maimed, 
the  lame,  the  bliiKl : 

14  And  thou  shalt  be  blessed, 

aProv.  22. 16.  ^>  Neh.  8.  10. 12. 


exalt  themselves ;  and  it  is  a  part  of 
God's  regular  plan  to  abase  the  proud, 
to  bring  down  the  lofty,  to  raise  up 
those  that  be  bowed  down,  aj^d  show 
his  favors  to  those  who  are  poor  and 
needy. 

12.  Call  not  thij  friends^  etc.  This  is 
not  to  be  understood  as  commanding 
us  not  to  entertain  at  all  our  relatives 
and  friends  ;  but  we  are  to  remember 
the  design  with  which  our  Lord  spoke. 
He  intended,  doubtless,  to  reprove 
those  who  sought  the  society  of  the 
wealthy,  and  particularly  rich  rela- 
tives, and  those  wlio  claimed  to  be  in- 
timate witli  the  great  and  honorable, 
and  who,  to  show  their  intimac}^,  were 
in  the  habit  of  seeking  tlieir  society, 
and  making  for  them  expensive  enter- 
tainments. He  meant,  also,  to  com- 
mend charity  shown  to  the  poor.  Tlie 
passage  means,  tlierefore,  call  7iot  only 
your  "friends,  but  call  also  the  poor, 
etc.  Compare  Exod.  xvi.  8.  1  Sam. 
XV.  22.  Jer.  vii.  22,  23.  Matt.  ix.  13. 
^  Thy  kinsmeri.  Thy  relations.  H  A 
recompense.  Lest  they  feel  themselves 
bound  to  treat  you  with  the  same 
kindness,  and,  in  so  doing,  neither 
you  nor  they  will  show  any  kind 
spirit,  or  any  disi)osition  to  do  good 
beyond  what  is  repaid. 

13.  The  poor.  Those  who  are  des- 
titute of  comfortable  food.  1[  The 
maimed.  Those  who  are  deprived  of 
any  member  of  their  body,  as  an  arm 
or  a  leg,  or  who  have  not  the  use  of 
them  so  that  they  can  labor  for  their 
own  support. 

14.  Shalt  he  blessed.  Blessed  in  the 
act  of  doing  good,  which  furnishes 
more  happiness  than  riches  can  give, 
and  blessed  or  rewarded  by  God  in  the 
day  of  judgment.  ^  They  can  not  rec- 
ompense thee.  They  can  not  invite  you 
a^ain,  and  thus  pay  you ;  and  by  in- 
viting them  you  show  that  you  have  a 


for  they  can  not  recompense  thee ; 
for  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  at 
the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

15  And  when  one  of  them  that 
sat  at"  meat  with  him  heard  these 
things,  he  said  unto  him.  Blessed 
is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

16  Then  said  he  unto  him,  A'^ 
certain  man  made  a  great  supper,^ 
and  bade  many ; 

c  Rev.  19.  9.       d  Matt.  22.  2,  etc.        e  Isa.  25. 6, 7. 

disposition  to  do  good.  ^  The  resur- 
rection of  the  just.  When  the  just  or 
holy  shall  be  raised  from  the  dead. 
Then  God  shall  reward  those  who  have 
done  good  to  the  poor  and  needy  from 
love  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Matt, 
x.  42;  XXV.  34-36. 

15.  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in 
the  kingdom  of  God.  The  kingdom  of 
God  here  means  the  kingdom  which 
the  Messiah  was  to  set  up.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  iii.  2.  The  Jews  supposed 
that  he  would  be  a  temporal  prince, 
and  that  his  reign  would  be  one  of 
great  mftgnificencc  and  splendor. 
They  supposed  that  the  Jews  then 
would  be  delivered  from  all  their  op- 
pressions, and  that,  from  being  a  de- 
graded people,  they  would  become 
the  most  distinguished  and  happ}^  na- 
tion of  the  earth.  To  that  period  they 
looked  forward  as  one  of  great  happi- 
ness. There  is  some  reason  to  think 
that  they  supposed  that  the  ancient 
just  men  would  then  be  raised  up  to 
enjoy  the  blessings  of  the  reign  of  the 
Messiah.  Our  Saviour  having  men- 
tioned the  7'esurrectio7i  of  thejust^  this 
man  understood  it  in  the  common  way 
of  the  Jews,  and  spoke  of  the  peculiar 
happiness  which  they  expected  at  that 
time.  The  Jews  ordy^  he  expected, 
would  partake  of  those  blessings. 
Those  notions  the  Saviour  corrects 
in  the  parable  which  follows. 

16.  A  great  supper.  Or  great  feast. 
It  is  said  to  be  great  on  account  of 
the  number  who  were  invited.  ^  Bade 
many.  Invited  many  beforehand. 
There  is  little  difficulty  in  understand- 
ing this  parable.  The  man  who  made 
the  supper  is,  without  doubt,  design- 
ed to  represent  God ;  the  supper,  the 
provisions  which  he  has  made  for  the 
salvation  of  men ;  and  the  invitation, 
the  offers  which  he  made  to  men,  par- 
ticularly to  the  Jews,  of  salvation. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Ill 


17  And  sent  his  servant  at  sup- 
per-time to  say  unto  them  that 
were  bidden,  Come,  for  «  all  things 
are  now  ready. 

18  And  they  all  with  one  consent 
began  to  make  excuse.  The  *  first 
said  unto  him,  I  have  bought  a 
piece  of  ground,  and  I  must  needs 
go  and  see  it :  I  pray  thee  have 
me  excused. 

19  And  another  said,  I  have 

aProv.9,  2,5.  Cant.  5.1.  I9a.55.1,2.  ft  c.  8. 14. 

See  a  similar  parable  explained  in  the 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxii.  1-14. 

17.  Sent  his  servant.  An  invitation 
liad  been  sent  before,  but  this  servant 
was  sent  at  the  time  that  the  supper 
was  ready.  From  this  it  would  seem 
that  it  was  the  custom  to  announce 
to  those  invited  just  the  time  when 
the  feast  was  i3repared.  The  custom 
here  referred  to  still  prevails  in  Pales- 
tine. Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and 
the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  178)  says :  "If  a 
sheikh,  beg,  or  emeer  invites,  he  al- 
ways sends  a  servant  to  call  jovl  at 
the  proper  time.  This  servant  often 
repeats  the  very  formula  mentioned 
in  Luke  xiv.  17 :  Tefuddulu,  el  'asha 
hader — Come,  for  the  supper  is  ready. 
The  fact  that  this  custom  is  mainly 
confined  to  the  wealthy  and  to  the  no- 
bility is  in  strict  agreement  with  the 
i:)arable,  where  the  certain  man  who 
made  the  great  supper  and  bade  many 
is  supposed  to  be  of  this  class.  It  is 
true  now,  as  then,  that  to  refuse  is  a 
high  insult  to  the  maker  of  the  feast, 
nor  would  such  excuses  as  those  in 
the  parable  be  more  acceptable  to  a 
Druse  emeer  than  they  were  to  the 
lord  of  this  'great  supper.'  " 

18.  /  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground. 
Perhaps  he  had  purchased  it  on  con- 
dition that  he  found  it  as  good  as  it 
had  been  represented  to  him.  ^  / 
must  needs  go.  I  have  necessity,  or 
am  obliged  to  go  and  see  it ;  possibly 
pleading  a  contract  or  an  agreement 
that  he  would  go  soon  and  examine 
it.  However,  we  may  learn  from  this 
that  sinners  sometimes  plead  that  they 
are  under  a  necessity  to  neglect  the  af- 
fairs of  religion.  The  affairs  of  the 
world  they  pretend  arc  so  pressing 
that  they  can  not  find  time  to  attend 
to  their  souls.  They  have  no  time  to 
pray,  or  read  the  Scriptures,  or  keep 
up  the^worship  of  God.    In  this  way 


bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I 
go  to  prove  them :  I  pray  thee 
have  me  excused. 

2Q||^nd  another  said,  I  havC 
married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I 
can  not  come. 

21  So  that  servant  came  and 
showed  his  lord  these  things. 
Then  the  master  of  the  house,  be- 
ing angry,  ^  said  ^o  his  servant, 
Go  out  quickly  into  the  streets^ 

ever.  26.  1  Cor.  7.33.      rfPsa.  2. 12.      c  Rev.  22. 17. 


many  lose  their  souls.  God  can  not 
regard  such  an  excuse  for  neglecting 
religion  with  approbation.  He  com- 
mands us  to  seek^rs^  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  his  righteousness,  nor  can 
he  approve  Qx\y  excuse  that  men  may 
make  for  not  doing  it. 

19.  I  go  to  prove  them.  To  try  them, 
to  see  if  he  had  made  a  good  bargain. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  this  ex- 
cuse was  very  trifling.  He  could  as 
easily  have  tried  them  at  any  other 
time  as  then,  and  his  whole  conduct 
shows  that  he  was  more  disposed  to 
gratify  himself  than  to  accept  the  in- 
vitation of  his  friend.  He  was  selfish 
just  as  all  sinners  are,  who,  to  gratify 
their  own  worldliness  and  sins,  refuse 
to  accept  the  offers  of  the  Gospel. 

20.  /  have  married  a  wife^  etc.  Our 
Saviour  here  doubtless  intends  to 
teach  us  that  the  love  of  earthly  rela- 
tives and  friends  often  takes  off  the 
affections  from  God,  and  prevents 
our  accepting  the  blessings  which  he 
would  bestow  on  us.  This  was  the 
most  trifling  excuse  of  all;  and  we 
can  not  but  be  amazed  that  such  ex- 
cuses are  suffered  to  interfere  with 
our  salvation,  and  that  men  can  be 
satisfied  for  such  reasons  to  exclude 
themselves  from  the  kingdom  of  God. 

21.  Showed  his  lord.  Told  his  mas- 
ter of  the  excuses  of  those  who  had 
been  invited.  Their  conduct  was  re- 
markable, and  it  was  his  duty  to  ac- 
quaint him  with  the  manner  in  which 
his  invitation  had  been  received. 
1[  Bei7ig  angry.  Being  angry  at  the 
men  who  had  slighted  his  invitation  ; 
who  had  so  insulted  him  by  neglect- 
ing his  feast,  and  preferring  for  such 
reasons  their  own  gratilication  to  his 
friendship  and  hospitality.  So  it  is 
no  wonder  that  God  is  angry  with  the 
wicked  every  day.  So  foolish  as  well 
as  wicked  is  the  conduct  of  the  sin- 


112 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


and  lanes  of  the  city,  and  bring  in 
hither  the  poor,  *  and  the  maimed, 
and  the  halt,  *  and  the  blind. 
32  And  the  servant  said,  Lqj|f,  it 

a  1  Sam.  2.8.    Psa.  113.  7,8. 


ner,  so  trifling  is  his  excuse  for  not 
repenting  and  turning  to  God,  that  it 
is  no  wonder  if  God  can  not  look  upon 
their  conduct  but  with  abhorrence. 
H  Go  out  quickly.  The  feast  is  ready. 
There  is  no  time  to  lose.  They  who 
partake  of  it  must  do  it  soon.  So  the 
Gospel  is  ready ;  time  flies ;  and  they 
who  partake  of  the  Gospel  must  do  it 
soon,  and  they  who  preach  it  must 
give  diligence  to  proclaim  it  to  their 
fellow-men.  T[  The  streets  and  lanes  of 
the  city.  The  places  where  the  poor, 
etc.,  would  be  found.  Those  first  in- 
vited were  the  rich,  who  dwelt  at  ease 
in  their  own  houses.  By  these  the 
Jews  were  intended ;  by  those  who 
were  in  the  streets,  the  Gentiles.  Our 
Lord  delivered  this  parable  to  show 
the  Jews  that  the  Gentiles  Avould  be 
called  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  They 
despised  the  Gentiles,  and  considered 
them  cast  out  and  worthless,  as  they 
did  those  who  were  in  the  lanes  of  the 
city.  H  The  maimed^  etc.  See  Notes 
on  verse  13. 

22.  Yet  there  is  room.  He  went  out 
and  invited  all  he  found  in  the  lanes, 
and  yet  the  table  was  not  full.  This 
he  also  reported  to  his  master.  There 
is  room!  What  a  glorious  declaration 
is  this  in  regard  to'the  Gospel !  There 
yet  is  room.  Millions  have  been  saved, 
but  there  yet  is  room.  Millions  have 
been  invited,  and  have  come,  and  have 
gone  to  heaven,  but  heaven  is  not  yet 
full.  There  is  a  banquet  there  which 
no  number  can  exhaust ;  there  are 
fountains  which  no  number  can  drink 
dry;  there  arc  harps  tlierc  which  oth- 
er hands  may  strilce ;  and  there  are 
seats  tlicre  which  others  may  occupy. 
Heaven  is  not  full,  and  there  yet  is 
room.  The  Sabbath  -  school  teacher 
may  say  to  his  class,  there  yet  is  room ; 
the  parent  may  say  to  his  children, 
there  yet  is  room;  the  minister  of  the 
Gospel  may  go  and  say  to  the  wide 
world,  there  yet  is  room.  The  mercy 
of  God  is  not  exhausted ;  the  blood  of 
the  atonement  has  not  lost  its  effica- 
cy; heaven  is  not  full.  What  a  sad 
message  it  would  be  if  we  were  com- 
pelled to  go  and  say,  "  There  is  no 
more  room — heaven  is  full — not  an- 


is  done  as  thou  hast  commanded, 
and  yet  there  is  room. 

23  And  the  lord  said  unto  the 
servant,  Go  out  into  the  highways 

i  Psa.  38.  7.  Isa.  33.  23  ;  35.  6..       c  Psa.  103.  6  ;  130.  7. 


other  one  can  be  saved.  No  matter 
what  their  prayers,  or  tears,  or  sighs, 
they  can  not  be  saved.  Every  place  is 
filled;  every  seat  is  occupied.''  But, 
thanks  be  to  God,  this  is  not  the  mes- 
sage which  we  are  to  bear;  and  if 
there  yet  is  room,  come,  sinners, 
young  and  old,  and  enter  into  heaven. 
Fill  up  that  room,  that  heaven  may  be 
full  of  the  happ)'  and  the  blessed.  If 
any  part  of  the  universe  is  to  be  va- 
cant, O  let  it  be  the  dark  world  of 
woe ! 

23.  Go  mtt  into  the  highways.  Since 
enough  had  not  been  found  in  the 
lanes  and  streets,  he  commands  the 
servant  to  go  into  the  roads — the  pub- 
lic highways  out  of  the  city,  as  w^ell  as 
to  the  streets  in  it — and  invite  them 
also.  T[  Hedges.  A  hedge  is  the  in- 
closure  around  a  field  or  vinej^ard.  It 
was  commonly  made  of  thorns,  which 
were  planted  thick,  and  which  kept 
the  cattle  out  of  the  vineyard.  "A 
common  plant  for  this  purpose  is  the 
prickly  pear,  a  species  of  cactus,  which 
grows  several  feet  high,  and  as  thick 
as  a  man's  body,  armed  with  sharp 
thorns,  and  thus  forming  an  almost  im- 
pervious defence." — Professor  Hack- 
ett.  Scripture  Illustratio7is.^  V'^K^  l'^^. 
Those  in  the  hedges  were  poor  labor- 
ers employed  in  planting  them  or 
trimming  them — men  of  the  lowest 
class  and  of  great  poverty.  By  his  di- 
recting them  to  go  first  into  the  streets 
of  the  city  and  then  into  the  highways, 
we  are  not  to  understand  our  Saviour 
as  referring  to  diflTerent  classes  of  men, 
but  only  as  denoting  the  earyiestness 
with  which  God  ofi'ers  salvation  to 
men,  and  his  willingness  that  the 
most  despised  should  come  and  live. 
Some  parts  of  parables  are  thrown  in 
for  the  sake  of  keeping^  and  they  should 
not  be  pressed  or  forced  to  obtain  any 
obscure  or  fanciful  signification.  The 
great  point  in  this  parable  was,  that 
God  would  call  in  the  Gentiles  after 
the  Jews  had  rejected  the  Gospel. 
This  should  be  kept  always  in  view  in 
interpreting  all  the  parts  of  the  par- 
able. 1[  Compel  them.  That  is,  urge 
them,  press  them  earnestly,  one  and 
all.    Do  not  hear  their  excuse*  on  ac- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


113 


and  hedges,  and  compel  them  to 
come  in,  that  my  house  may  be 
filled. 

24  For  I  say  unto  you,  that^ 
none  of  those  mefl  which  were 
bidden  shall  taste  of  my  supper. 

25  And  there  went  great  multi- 
tudes with  him ;  and  he  turned 
and  said  unto  them, 

26  If  any  man  come  to  me,  and  ^ 
hate  not  his  father,  and  mother, 

•and  wife,  and  children,  and  breth- 
ren, and  sisters,  yea,  and  his  own 
life  ^  also,  he  can  not  be  my  dis- 
ciple. 

27  And  *  whosoever  doth  not  bear 

a  Psa.  110.  3.  h  Prov.  1.  24.  Matt.  21. 43.  Heb.  12.  25. 
c  Deut.  33. 9.  Matt.  10. 37.    d  Acts  20.  24.  Rev.  12. 11. 


count  of  their  poverty  and  low  rank 
of  life,  but  ur^e  them  so  as  to  over- 
come their  objections  and  lead  them 
to  the  feast.  This  expresses  the  earn- 
estness of  the  man ;  his  anxiety  that 
his  table  should  be  filled,  and  his  pur- 
pose not  to  reject  any  on  account  of 
their  poverty,  or  ignorance,  or  want 
of  apparel.  So  God  is  earnest  in  re- 
gard to  the  most  polluted  and  vile. 
He  commands  his  servants,  his  minis- 
ters, to  urge  them  to  cbme,  to  press  on 
tliem  the  salvation  of  the  Gosi^el,  and 
to  use  ALL  the  means  in  their  poAver 
to  bring  into  heaven  poor  and  needy 
sinners. 

24.  For  I  say  unto  you.  These  may 
be  considered  as  the  words  of  Jesus, 
making  an  application  of  the  i:)arable 
to  the  Pharisees  before  him.  ^  ]Vo7ie 
of  those  men.  This  can  not  be  under- 
stood as  meaning  that  no  Jews  would 
be  saved,  but  that  none  of  those  who 
liad  treated  him  in  that  manner — none 
who  had  so  decidedly  rejected  the  offer 
of  the  Gospel — would  be  saved.  We 
may  here  see  how  dangerous  it  is  07ice 
to  reject  the  Gospel ;  how  dangerous 
to  grieve  away  the  Holy  Spirit.  How 
often  God  forsakes  forever  the  sinner 
who  has  been  once  awakened,  and  who 
grieves  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  invita- 
tion is  full  and  free ;  but  when  it  is 
rejected,  and  men  turn  willfully  away 
from  it,  God  leaves  them  to  their  cho- 
sen way,  and  they  are  drowned  in 
destruction  and  perdition.  How  im- 
portant, then,  is  it  to  embrace  the 
Gospel  at  once;  to  accept  the  gracious 


his  cross,  and  come  after  me,  can 
not  be  my  disciple. 

28  For  which  of  you,  intending/ 
to  build  a  tower,  sitteth  not  down 
first  and  counteth  the  cost,  wheth- 
er ye  have  sufficient  to  finish  it  f 

29  Lest  haply,  after  he  hath  laid 
the  foundation,  and  is  not  able  to 
finish  it^  all  that  behold  it  begin 
to  mock  him, 

30  Saying,  This  man  began  to 
build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish.^ 

31  Or  what  king,  going  to  make 
war  against  another  king,  sitteth 
not  down  first,  and  consulteth* 
whether  he  be  able  with  ten  thou- 

e  Matt.  16.24.  Mar.  8. 34.  c.  9.  23.  2  Tim.  3. 12. 
/Prov.  24.  27.  Heb.  7. 11.         A  Prov.  20. 18. 


invitation,  and  enter  without  delay 
the  path  that  conducts  to  heaven  ! 

25,  26,  27.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  37, 
38. 

26.  And  hate  not.  The  word  hate., 
here,  means  simply  to  love  less.  See 
the  meaning  of  the  verse  in  Matt.  x. 
37.  It  may  be  thus  expressed:  "He 
that  comes  after  me,  and  does  not  love 
his  father  less  than  he  loves  me,  etc., 
can  not  be  mj  disciple."  We  are  not 
at  liberty  literally  to  Jiate  our  parents. 
This  would  be  expressly  contrary  to 
the  fifth  commandment.  See  also  Eph. 
vi.  1-3.  Col.  iii.  20.  But  we  are  to  love 
them  less  than  we  love  Christ ;  we  are 
to  obey  Christ  rather  than  them  ;  we 
are  to  be  willing  to  forsake  them  if  he 
calls  us  to  go  and  preach  his  GosidcI;. 
and  we  are  to  submit,  without  a  mur- 
mur, to  him  when  he  takes  them  away 
from  us.  This  is  not  an  uncommon 
meaning  of  the  word  hate  in  the  Script- 
ures. Compare  Mai.  i.  2, 3.  Gen.  xxix. 
30,  31.  Deut.  xxi.  15-17. 

28.  Intending  to  hiiild  a  tower.  See 
Matt.  21.  33.  A  tower  was  a  place  of 
defence  or  observation,  erected  on 
high  places  or  in  vineyards,  to  guard 
against  enemies.  It  was  made  high., 
so  as  to  enable  one  to  see  an  enemy 
when  he  approached;  and  strong^  so 
that  it  could  not  be  easily  taken. 
^  Counteth  the  cost.  Makes  a  calcula- 
tion how  much  it  will  cost  to  build 
it. 

29.  Haply.  Perhaps.  If  To  mock  him. 
To  ridicule  him.  To  laugh  at  him. 

31.  Witli  ten  thousand  to  meet^  etc. 


114 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


sand  to  meet  him  that  cometh 
against  him  with  twenty  thou- 
sand ? 

32  Or  else,  while  the  other  is  yet 
a  great  way  off,  he  sendeth  an  am- 
bassage,  and  desireth  conditions 
of  peace. 

33  So  likewise,  whosoever  he  be 
of  you  that  forsaketli  not  all « that 

a  Phil.  3.  7, 8. 

Whether  he  will  be  able,  with  the 
forces  which  he  A^s,  to  meet  his  en- 
emy. Christ  here  perhaps  intends  to 
denote  that  tlie  enemies  whicli  we 
have  to  encounter  in  following  him 
are  many  and  strong,  and  tliat  otir 
strength  is  comparatively  feeble.  ^  To 
meet  him.  To  contend  with  him.  To 
gain  a  victory  over  him. 

82.  Or  eUe.  If  he  is  not  able.  If  he 
is  satisfied  that  he  would  be  defeated. 

An  ambassage.  Persons  to  treat  with 
an  enemy  and  propose  terms  of  peace. 
These  expressions  are  not  to  be  im- 
properly pressed  in  order  to  obtain 
from  them  a  spiritual  signification. 
The  general  scope  of  the  parable  is  to 
be  learned  from  the  connection,  and 
may  be  thus  expressed  :  1st.  Every 
man  who  becomes  a  follower  of  Jesus 
should  calmly  and  deliberately  look 
at  all  the  consequences  of  such  an  act 
and  be  prepared  to  meet  them.  2d. 
Men  in  other  things  act  with  pru- 
dence and  forethought.  They  do  not 
begin  to  build  without  a  reasonable 
prospect  of  being  able  to  finish.  They 
do  not  go  to  war  when  there  is  ever}^ 
prospect  that  they  will  be  defeated. 
3d.  Religion  is  a  work  of  soberness, 
of  thought,  of  calm  and  fixed  purpose, 
and  no  man  can  properl}^  enter  on  it 
who  does  not  resolve  by  the  grace  of 
God  to  fulfill  all  its  requirements  and 
make  it  the  business  of  his  life.  4th. 
We  are  to  expect  difficulties  in  relig- 
ion. It  will  cost  us  the  mortification 
of  our  sins,  and  a  life  of  self-denial, 
and  a  conflict  with  our  lusts,  and  the 
enmity  and  ridicule  of  the  world. 
Perhaps  it  may  cost  us  our  reputa- 
tion, or  possibly  our  lives  and  liber- 
ties, and  all  that  is  dear  to  us ;  but  we 
must  cheerfully  undertake  all  this, 
and  be  prepared  for  it  all.  5th.  If  we 
do  not  deliberately  resolve  to  leave 
all  things,  to  suffer  all  things  that 
may  be  laid  on  us,  and  to  persevere 
to  the  end  of  our  days  in  the  service 


he  hath,  he  can  not  be  my  dis- 
ciple. 

34  Salt  *  is  good ;  but  if  the  salt 
have  lost  his  savour,  wherewith 
shall  it  be  seasoned  ? 

35  It  is  neither  fit  for  the  land, 
nor  yet  for  the  dunghill ;  hut  men 
cast  it  out.    He  that  hath  ears  to 
hear,  let  him  hear. 

6Matt.  5. 13.    Mar.  9.  50.  cJno.  15.  6. 


of  Christ,  we  can  not  be  his  disciples. 
No  man  can  be  a  Christian  who,  when 
he  makes  a  profession,  is  resolved  after 
a  while  to  turn  back  to  the  world ; 
nor  can  he  be  a  true  Christian  if  he 
exjjects  that  he  %oill  turn  back.  If  he 
comes  not  with  ^full  purpose  always 
to  be  a  Christian ;  if  he  means  not 
to  persevere,  hy  the  grace  of  God, 
through  all  hazards,  and  trials,  and 
temptations ;  if  he  is  not  willing  to 
bear  his  cross,  and  meet  contempt, 
and  poverty,  and  pain,  and  death 
without  turning  back,  he  can  not  be 
a  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

84,  35.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  13. 
Mark  ix.  49,  50.  Salt  is  good.  It  is 
useful.  It  is  good  to  preserve  life 
and  health,  and  to  keep  from  putre- 
faction. *1I  His  savor.  Its  saltness. 
It  becomes  tasteless  or  insipid.  •[[  Be 
seasoned.  Be  sAlted  again.  ^  Fit  for 
the  land.  Rather,  it  is  not  fit /or  Imid 
— that  is,  it  will  not  bear  fruit  of  it- 
self. You  can  not  sow  or  plant  on  it. 
■f[  Nor  for  the  dunghill.  It  is  not  good 
for  manure.  It  will  not  enrich  the 
land.  U  Cast  it  out.  They  throw  it 
away  as  useless.  T[  He  that  hath  ears^ 
etc.  See  Matt.  xi.  15.  You  are  to  un- 
derstand that  he  that  has  not  grace 
in  his  heart ;  who  merely  makes  a  pro- 
fession of  religion,  and  who  sustains 
the  same  relation  to  true  piety  that 
this  insipid  and  useless  mass  does  to 
good  salt,  is  useless  in  the  Church, 
and  will  be  rejected.  Real  piety,  true 
religion,  i«  of  vast  value  in  the  world. 
It  keeps  it  pure,  and  saves  it  from  cor- 
ruption, as  salt  does  meat;  but  a  mere 
profession  of  religion  is  fit  for  nothing. 
It  does  no  good.  It  is  a  mere  encum- 
brance, and  all  such  professors  are  fit 
only  to  be  cast  out  and  rejected.  All 
such  must  be  rejected  by  the  Son  of 
God,  and  cast  into  a  world  of  wretch- 
edness and  despair.  Compare  Matt, 
vii.  22,23;  viii.  12  ;  xxiii.30;  xxv.  30. 
Rev.  iii.  16.  Job  viii.  13 ;  xxxvi.  13. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


115 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THEN  "  drew  near  unto  him  all 
the  publicans  and  sinners,  for 
to  hear  him. 

^And  the  Pharisees  and  scribes 
UTOrmured,  saying,  This  man  re- 
ceiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  *  with 
them. 

3  And  he  spake  this  parable  unto 
them,  saying. 

4  What  man  of  you,  haying  an 
hundred  sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of 
them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety 
and  nine  in  the  wilderness,  and  go 

a  Miitt.  9. 10,  etc.  6  Acts  11.3.    1  Cor.  5.  9-11. 

Gal.  2. 12.  cMatt.  18. 12. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

1.  Piiblicans  and  sinnei's.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  ix.  10. 

3.  Mimmired.  They  affected  to  sup- 
pose that  if  Jesus  treated  sinners  kind- 
ly he  must  be  fond  of  their  society, 
and  be  a  man  of  similar  character. 
They  considered  it  disgraceful  to  be 
with  tliem  or  to  eat  with  them,  and 
tliey  therefore  brought  a  charge 
against  him  for  it.  They  would  not 
suppose  that  he  admitted  them  to  his 
society  for  the  purpose  of  doing  them 
good;  nor  did  tliey  remember  that 
the  very  object  of  his  coming  was  to 
call  the  wicked  from  their  ways  and 
to  save  tliem  from  death.  T[  Receiveth 
sinners.  Receives  tliem  in  a  tender 
manner ;  treats  tliem  with  kindness  ; 
does  not  drive  them  from  his  pres- 
ence. 11  And  eateth  with  them.  Con- 
trary to  the  received  maxims  of  the 
scribes.  By  eating  with  them  he 
showed  that  he  did  not  despise  or 
overlook  them. 

3.  This  parable.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xiii.  3. 

4-6.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xviii.  12, 13. 

7.  Likewise  joij^  etc.  It  is  a  princi- 
ple of  human  nature  that  the  i^ecovery 
of  an  object  in  danger  of  being  lost, 
affords  much  more  intense  joy  than 
the  quiet  possession  of  many  that  are 
safe.  This  our  Saviour  illustrated  by 
the  ease  of  the  lost  sheep  and  of  the 
piece  of  silver.  It  might  also  be  illus- 
trated by  many  other  things.  Thus 
we  rejoice  most  in  our  health  when 
we  recover  from  a  dangerous  disease ; 
we  rejoice  over  a  child  rescued  from 
danger  or  disease  more  than  over 
those  who  aj-e  in  health  or  safety. 


after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he 
find  it  ? 

5  And  when  he  hath  found  it.,  he 
layeth  it  on  his  shoulders, rejoicing. 

6  And  when  he  cometh  home, 
he  calleth  together  Ms  friends  and 
neighbours,  saying  unto  them,  Re- 
joice with  me;  for  I  have  found 
my  sheep  ^  which  was  lost. 

7  I  say  unto  you,  that  likewise 
joy  shall  be  in  heaven  over  one 
sinner  that  repenteth,  more  than 
over  ninety  and  nine  just  persons 
which  *  need  no  repentance. 

<f  Psa.  119. 1T6.    1  Pet.  2.  25.  €  c.  5.  32. 


We  rejoice  that  property  is  saved 
from  conflagration  or  the  tempest 
more  than  over  much  more  that  has 
not  been  in  danger.  This  feeling  our 
Lord  represents  as  existing  in  heaven. 
Likewise^  in  like  manner,  or  on  the 
same  principle,  there  is  joy.  H  In 
heaven.  Among  the  angels  of  God. 
Compare  verse  10.  Heavenly  beings 
are  thus  represented  as  rejoicing  over 
those  who  repent  on  earth.  They  see 
the  guilt  and  danger  of  men ;  they 
know  what  God  has  done  for  the  race, 
and  they  rejoice  at  the  recovery  of  any 
from  the  guilt  and  ruins  of  sin.  ^  One 
sinner.  One  rebel  against  God,  how- 
ever great  may  be  his  sins  or  however 
small.  If  a  sinner,  he  must  perish 
unless  he  repents,  and  they  rejoice  at 
his  repentance  because  it  recovers  him 
back  to  the  love  of  God,  and  because 
it  will  save  him  from  eternal  death. 
II  That  repenteth.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
ix.  13.  ^  Just  perso7is.  The  word  per- 
sons is  not  in  the  original.  It  means 
simply  just  ones^  or  those  who  have 
not  sinned.  The  word  may  refer  to 
angels  as  well  as  to  men.  There  are 
no  just  men  on  earth  who  need  no  re- 
pentance. Eccl.  vii.  20.  Psa.  xiv.  2,  3. 
Rom.  iii.  10-18.  Our  Saviour  did  not 
mean  to  imply  that  there  were  any 
such.  He  was  speaking  of  what  took 
place  in  heaven^  or  among  angels^  and 
of  their  emotions  when  they  contem- 
plate the  creatures  of  God ;  and  he 
says  that  they  rejoiced  in  the  repent- 
ance of  one  simier  more  than  in  the 
holiness  of  many  who  had  not  fallen. 
We  are  not  to  suppose  that  he  meant 
to  teach  that  there  were  just  ninety- 
nine  holy  angels  to  one  sinner.  He 


116 


LUKE. 


[A.D.33. 


8  Either  what  woman  having  ten 
^  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one 
piece,  cloth  not  light  a  candle,  and 
sweep  the  house,  and  seek  diligent- 
ly till  she  find  it? 

9  And  when  she  hath  found  it^ 
she  calleth  Jier  friends  and  Tier 
neighbours  together,  saying,  Re- 
joice with  me ;  for  I  have  found 
the  piece  which  I  had  lost. 

10  Likewise  I  say  unto  you,* 
there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the 

1  Drachma,  here  translated  a  piece  of  silver,  is  the 
^eighth  part  of  an  ounce,  which  cometh  to  sevenpence 
'halfpenny,  and  is  equal  to  the  Roman  penny.  See 
Matt.  18.  28. 

me^ns  merely  that  they  rejoice  more 
over  the  repentance  of  one  sinner  than 
they  do  over  many  who  have  not  fall- 
en. By  this  he  vindicated  his  own 
conduct.  The  Jews  did  not  deny  the 
existence  of  angels.  They  would  not 
deny  that  their  feelings  were  proper. 
If  they  rejoiced  in  this  manner,  it  was 
not  imjjroper  for  him  to  sliow  similar 
joy,  and  especially  to  seek  their  con- 
version and  salvation.  If  they  rejoice 
also,  it  shows  how  desirable  is  the  re- 
Ijentance  of  a  sinner.  They  know  of 
how  much  value  is  an  immortal  soul. 
They  see  what  is  meant  by  eternal 
death  ;  and  they  do  not  feel  too  mueh^ 
or  have  too  much  anxiety  about  the 
soul  that  can  never  die.  Oh  that  men 
saw  it  as  they  see  it !  and  oh  that  they 
would  make  an  effort,  such  as  angels 
see  to  be  proper,  to  save  their  own 
souls  and  the  souls  of  others  from 
eternal  death ! 

8-10.  Ten  pieces  of  silver.  In  the  orig- 
inal, ten  drachmas.  The  drachma  was 
about  the  value  of  fifteen  cents,  and 
consequently  the  whole  sum  was 
about  a  dollar  and  a  half.  The  sum 
was  small,  but  it  was  all  she  had.  The 
loss  of  one  piece,  therefore,  was  se- 
verely felt.  Tf  There  is  joy  in  the  pres- 
ence^ etc.  Jesus  in  this  parable  ex- 
presses the  same  sentiment  which  lie 
did  in  the  preceding.  A  woman  would 
have  more  immediate,  present  joy  at 
finding  a  lost  piece,  than  she  would 
in  the  possession  of  those  which  had 
not  been  lost.  /So,  says  Christ,  there 
is  joy  among  the  angels  at  the  recov- 
ery of  a  single  sinner. 

11.  And  he  said.  Jesus,  to  illustrate 
still  farther  the  sentiment  which  he 
had  uttered,  and  to  show  that  it  was 
proper  to  rejoice  over  repenting  sin- 


angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth. 

11  And  he  said,  A  certain  man 
had  two  sons ; 

12  And  the  younger  of  them  s^d 
to  Ms  father,  Father,  give  me  ffle 
portion  of  goods  that  falleth  to 
me.  And  he  divided  unto  thena 
Ms  living.* 

13  And  not  many  days  after,  the 
younger  son  gathered  all  together 
and  took  his  journey  into  a  far 

a  Ezek.  18.  23,32;  33. 11.  Acts  11.18.  Phil.  15. 16. 
b  Mar.  12. 44. 


ners,  proceeds  to  show  it  by  a  most 
.beautiful  and  instructive  parable.  We 
shall  see  its  beauty  and  propriety  by 
remembering  that  the  design  of  it  was 
simply  io  justify  his  conduct  in  receiving 
sinners,  and  to  show  that  to  rejoice 
over  their  return  was  proper.  This 
he  shows  by  the  feelings  of  a  father  re- 
joicing over  the  return  of  an  ungrate- 
ful and  dissipated  son. 

12.  And  the  younger  of  them  said.  By 
this  j^ounger  son  we  are  to  understand 
the  publicans  and  sinners  to  be  repre- 
sented. By  the  elder,  the  Pharisees 
and  scribes.  1[  Give  me  the  portion. 
The  part.  ^  Of  goods.  Of  property. 
IF  That  falleth  to  me.  That  is  properly 
my  share.  There  is  no  impropriety  in 
supposing  that  he  was  of  age ;  and,  as 
he  chose  to  leave  his  father's  house, 
it  was  x>roper  that  his  father  should, 
if  he  chose,  give  him  the  part  of  the 
estate  which  would  be  his.  T[  He  di- 
vided unto  them  his  living.  His  prop- 
erty, or  mea7is  of  living.  The  division 
of  property  among  the  Jews  gave  the 
elder  son  twice  as  much  as  the  youn- 
ger. In  this  case  it  seems  the  younger 
son  received  only  money  or  movable 
property,  and  the  elder  chose  to  rie- 
main  with  his  father  and  dwell  on  the 
X)aternal  estate.  The  lands  and  fixed 
property  remained  in  their  possession. 
Among  the  ancient  Romans  and*Syro- 
plioenicians,  it  was  customary,  when  a 
son  came  to  the  years  of  maturity,  if 
he  demanded  his  part  of  the  inherit- 
ance, for  the  father  to  give  it  to  him. 
This  the  son  might  claim  by  law.  It 
is  possible  that  such  a  custom  may 
have  prevailed  among  the  Jews,  and 
that  our  Saviour  refers  to  some  such 
demand  made  by  the  young  man. 

13.  Gathered  all  together.  Collected 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


117 


country,  and  there  wasted  his  sub- 
stance with  riotous  living. 

14  And  when  he  had' spent  all, 
there  arose  a  mighty  famine  in 
that  land ;  and  he  began  to  be  in 
want. 

15  And  he  went  and  joined  him- 

a  Amos  8. 11,12. 

his  property.  If  he  had  received  flocks 
or  grain,  he  sold  tiiem  and  converted 
them  into  money.  As  soon  as  this  ar- 
rangement had  been  made  he  left  his 
father's  house.  ^  Took  his  journey. 
Went,  or  traveled.  H  Into  afar  coun- 
try. A  country  far  oflf  from  his  fa- 
ther's house.  He  went  probably  to 
trade  or  to  seek  his  fortune,  and  in  his 
wanderings  came  at  last  to  tliis  dissi- 
pated place,  where  his  property  was 
soon  exijended.  1"  Wasted  his  sub- 
stance. Spent  his  property.  ^  In  riot- 
ous living.  Literally,  "living  without 
saving  any  thing." He  lived  extrav- 
agantly, and  in  the  most  dissolute 
company.  See  verse  30.  By  his  wan- 
dering away  we  ma}^  understand  that 
sinners  wander  far  away  from  God; 
that  they  fall  into  dissolute  and  wick- 
ed company ;  and  that  their  wander- 
ing so  far  off  is  the  i^ason  why  they 
fall  into  such  company,  and  are  so 
soon  and  so  easily  destroyed. 

14.  A  mighty  famine.  Famines  were 
common  in  Eastern  nations.  They 
were  caused  by  the  failure  of  the  crops 
— by  a  want  of  timely  rains,  a  genial 
sun,  or  sometimes  by  the  prevalence 
of  the  plague  or  of  the  pestilence, 
which  sw^ept  off  numbers  of  the  inhab- 
itants. In  this  case  it  is  very  natural- 
ly connected  with  the  luxury,  the  in- 
dolence, and  the  dissipation  of  the 
people  in  that  land. 

15.  Joined  himself  Entered  the  serv- 
ice of  that  citizen.  Hired  himself  out 
to  him.  It  would  seem  that  he  en- 
gaged to  do  any  kind  of  work,  even 
of  the  lowest  kind.  1[  A  citizen.  One 
of  the  inhabitants  of  one  of  the  cities 
or  towns  of  that  region,  probably  a 
man  of  property.  1  Into  the  fields. 
Out  of  the  city  where  the  owner  lived. 
1[  To  feed  swirie.  This  was  a  very  low 
employment,  and  particularly  so  to  a 
Jew.  It  was  forbidden  to  the  Jews  to 
eat  swine,  and  of  course  it  was  unlaw- 
ful to  keep  them.  To  be  compelled, 
therefore,  to  engage  in  such  an  em- 
ployment was  the  deepest  conceivable 
degradation.  The  object  of  this  image, 


self  to  a  citizen  of  that  country; 
and  he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to 
feed  swine. 

16  And  he  would  fain  have  filled 
his  belly  with  the  husks  ^  that  the 
swine  did  eat ;  and  no  man  gave 
unto  him. 

b  Isa.  44.  20.  Hosea  12. 1.  c  Psa.  73.  22. 

as  used  by  the  Saviour  in  the  parable, 
is  to  show  the  loathsome  employ- 
ments and  the  deep  degradation  to 
which  sin  leads  men,  and  no  circum- 
stance could  possibly  illustrate  it  in 
a  more  striking  manner  than  he  has 
done  here.  Sin  and  its  results  every 
where  have  the  same  relation  to  that 
which  is  noble  and  great,  which  the 
feeding  of  swine  had,  in  the  estima- 
tion of  a  Jew,  to  an  honorable  and 
dignified  employment. 

16.  He  would  fain.  He  would  gladly. 
He  desired  to  do  it.  If  The  husks. 
The  word  husks  with  us  denotes  the 
outward  covering  of  corn.  In  this 
there  is  little  nourishment,  and  it  is 
evident  that  this  is  not  intended  here ; 
but  the  word  used  here  denotes  not 
oxAjhusks^  but  also  leguminous  plants, 
as  beans,  etc.  It  is  also  used  to  denote 
the  fruit  of  a  tree  called  the  carob  or 
kharub-tree^  which  is  common  in  Ionia, 
Syria,  and  Rhodes.  The  tree  is  more 
bushy  and.  thick-set  than  the  apple- 
tree,  and  the  leaves  are  larger  and  of 
a  much  darker  green.  The  cut  on  the 
following  page  will  give  a  good  repre- 
sentation of  this  tree.  The  following 
is  Dr.  Thomson's  description  of  the 
fruit  of  this  tree  (The  Land  and  the 
Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  22):  "The  'husks'— a 
mistranslation — are  fleshy  pods,  some- 
what like  those  of  the  locust-tree, 
from  six  to  ten  inches  long  and  one 
broad,  laid  inside  with  a  gelatinous 
substance,  not  wholly  unpleasant  to 
the  taste  when  thoroughly  ripe.  I 
have  seen  large  orchards  of  this  kharub 
in  Cyprus,  where  it  is  still  the  food 
which  the  swine  do  eat.  The  kharub 
is  often  called  St.  John's  Bread,  and 
also  Locust-tree,  from  a  mistaken  idea 
about  the  food  of  the  Baptist  in  the 
wilderness. ' '  The  cut  on  page  119  will 
give  an  idea  of  these  po^^s,  or  '7i2<sA:.s," 
as  they  are  called  in  our  translation. 
T[  No  man  gave  unto  him.  Some  have 
understood  this  as  meaning  "no  one 
gave  him  any  thing — any  bread  or  pro- 
visions ;"  but  the  connection  requires 
us  to  understand  it  of  the  "husks." 


118 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


17  And  wlien  he  came  to  him- 
self, he  said,  How  many  hired  serv- 
ants of  my  father's  have  bread 


enough  and  to  spare,  and  I  perish 
with  hunger ! 
18  I    will  arise,  and  go  to  my 

a  Psa.  32.  5. 


THE  KIIARUB-TKEE. 


He  did  not  go  a  begging — his  master 
was  bound  to  provide  for  his  wants ; 
but  the  provision  which  he  made  for 
him  was  so  poor  that  he  would  have 
])refcrred  the  food  of  the  swine.  He 
(k^sired  a  portion  of  their  food,  but 
that  was  not  given  him.  A  certain 
(ILiantity  was  measured  out  for  thcm^ 
and  he  was  not  at  liberty  to  eat  it 
himself.  Nothing  could  more  strik- 
ingly show  the  evil  of  his  condition, 
or  the  deep  degradation,  and  pollu- 
tion, and  wretchedness  of  sin. 

17.  He  came  to  himself.  This  is  a 
very  expressive  phrase.    It  is  com- 


monly applied  to  one  who  has  been 
deranged^  and  when  he  recovers  we 
say  he  has  come  to  himself.  In  this 
place  it  denotes  tliat  the  folly  of  the 
young  man  was  a  kind  of  derange- 
ment— that  he  was  insane.  So  it  is 
of  every  sinner.  Madness  is  in  their 
hearts  (Eccl.  ix.  3) ;  they  are  estranged 
from  God,  and  led,  by  the  influence  of 
evil  passions,  contrary  to  tlieir  better 
judgment  and  the  decisions  of  a  sound 
mind.  *f[  Hired  servants.  Those  in  a 
low  condition  of  life — those  who  were 
not  born  to  wealth,  and  who  had  no 
friends  to  provide  for  them.    11  I  per- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


119 


father,  and  will  say  unto  him,  Fa- 
ther, I  have  sinned  against  heaven 
and  before  thee, 


19  And  am  no  more  worthy  to 
be  called  thy  son  :  make  me  as 
one  of  thy  hired  servants. 


"husks"— (referred  to  on  page  117). 


ish.  I,  who  had  property  and  a  kind 
father,  and  who  might  have  been  pro- 
vided for  and  happy. 

18.  /  will  arise.  This  is  a  common 
expression  among  the  Hebrews  to  de- 
note entering  on  a  piece  of  bimness.  It 
does  not  imply  that  he  was  sitting,  hut 
that  he  meant  immediately  to  return. 
This  should  be  the  feeling  of  every 
sinner  who  is  conscious  of  his  guilt 
and  danger.    ^  To  my  father.    To  his 


father,  although  he  had  offended  him, 
and  treated  him  unkindly,  and  had 
provoked  him,  and  dishonored  him 
by  his  course  of  conduct.  So  the  sin- 
ner. He  has  nowhere  else  to  go  but 
to  God.  He  has  offended  him,  but  he 
may  trust  in  his  kindness.  If  God 
does  not  save  him  he  can  not  be  saved. 
There  is  no  other  being  that  has  an 
arm  strong  enough  to  deliver  from 
sin ;  and  though  it  is  painful  for  a 


120 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


20  And  he  arose,  and  came  to 
his  father.  But  when  he  was  yet 
a  great  way    off,  his  father  saw 

a  Acts  2.  39.  Eph.2.13,17. 

man  to  go  to  one  whom  he  has  of- 
fended—  though  he  can  not  go  but 
with  shame  and  confusion  of  face — 
yet,  unless  the  smner  is  willing  to  go 
to  God  and  confess  his  faults,  he  can 
never  be  saved.  1[  /  have  sinned.  I 
have  been  wicked,  dissipated,  ungrate- 
ful, and  rebellious.  ^  Against  heaven. 
The  word  heaven  here,  as  it  is  often 
elsewhere,  is  put  for  God.  I  have  sin- 
ned against  God.  See  Matt.  xxi.  25.  It 
is  also  to  be  observed  ^hat  one  evi- 
dence of  the  genuineness  of  repent- 
ance is  the  feeling  that  our  sins  have 
been  committed  chiefly  against  God. 
Commonly  we  think  most  of  our  of- 
fences as  committed  against  man;  but 
when  the  sinner  sees  the  true  charac- 
ter of  his  sins,  he  sees  that  they  have 
been  aimed  chiefly  against  God^  and 
that  the  sins  against  man  are  of  lit- 
tle consequence  compared  with  those 
against  God.  So  David,  even  after 
committing  the  crimes  of  adultery 
and  murder — after  having  inflicted 
the  deepest  injury  on  man — yet  felt 
that  the  sin  as  committed  against  God 
shut  every  other  consideration  out  of 
view :  Against  thee^  thee  only,  have  I 
sinned.,  etc.  Psa.  li.  4.  H  Before  thee. 
This  means  the  same  as  against  thee. 
The  offences  had  been  committed 
mainly  against  God,  but  they  were  to 
be  regarded,  also,  as  sins  against  his 
father.,  in  wasting  propertj^  which  he 
had  given  him,  in  neglecting  his  coun- 
sels, and  in  plunging  himself  into  ruin. 
He  felt  that  he  had  disgraced  such  a 
father.  A  sinner  will  be  sensible  of  his 
sins  against  his  relatives  and  friends 
as  well  as  against  God.  A  true  peni- 
tent will  be  as  ready  to  acknowledge 
his  offences  against  his  fellow-men  as 
those  against  his  Maker. 

19.  No  more  worthij^  etc.  Such  has 
been  my  conduct  that  I  have  been  a 
disgrace  to  my  father.  I  am  not  fit  to 
be  honored  by  being  called  the  son  of 
a  man  so  kind  and  virtuous."  \  Make 
me  as  one,  etc.  ''Treat  me  as  a  serv- 
ant. Let  me  come  again  into  your 
family,  but  I  do  not  ask  to  be  treated 
as  a  son.  I  am  willing  to  come  in  if 
you  will  give  me  only  the  support 
that  you  give  to  a  servant."  This 
evinced,  1st.  Deep  humility — such  as 
a  sinner  should  have.  2d.  Love  for  his 


liim,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran 
and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed 
him. 


father's  house — such  as  all  penitents 
should  have  toward  God's  dwelling- 
.  place  in  heaven.  3d.  Confidence  in 
his  father  that  he  would  treat  him 
kindly,  even  if  he  treated  him  as  a 
servant.  Such  confidence  all  return- 
ing penitents  feel  in  God.  They  are 
assured  that  God  will  treat  them  kind- 
ly— that  whatever  he  gives  them  will 
be  more  than  they  deserve,  and  they 
are  therefore  willing  to  be  in  his 
hands.  Yet,  4th.  He  had  no  adequate 
sense  of  his  father's  kindness.  He  did 
not  fvlly  appreciate  his  character.  He 
was  far  more  kind  than  he  had  dai*ed« 
to  hope  he  would  be ;  just  as  all  sin- 
ners undervalue  the  character  of  God, 
and  find  him  always  more  kind  than 
thc}^  had  supposed.  No  sinner  comes 
to  God  with  a  just  and  adequate  view 
of  his  character,  but  always  finds  him 
more  merciful  than  he  had  dared  to 
hope. 

20.  He  arose,  and  came.  Was  com- 
ing. But  here  is  no  indication  of 
haste.  He  did  not  r?m,  but  came  driv- 
en by  his  wants,  and,  as  we  may  sup- 
pose, filled  with  shame,  and  even  with 
some  doubts  whether  his  father  w^ould 
receive  him.  1^  A  great  way  off.  This 
is  a  beautiful  description — the  image 
of  his  father's  happening  to  see  him 
clad  in  rags,  poor,  and  emaciated,  and 
5^et  he  recognized  his  son,  and  all  the 
feelings  of  a  father  prompted  him  to 
go  and  embrace  him.  ^  Had  compas- 
sion. Pitied  him.  Saw  his  condition 
— his  poverty  and  his  wretched  ap- 
pearance— and  was  moved  with  com- 
passion and  love.  ^  And  ran.  This 
is  opposed  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  son  came.  The  beauty  of  the  pic- 
ture is  greatly  heightened  by  these 
circumstances.  The  son  came  slowly 
— the  father  ran.  The  love  and  joy  of 
the  old  man  were  so  great  that  he  hast- 
ened to  meet  him  and  welcome  him 
to  his  home.  T[  Fell  on  his  neck.  Threw 
his  arms  around  his  neck  and  em- 
braced him.  ^  And  kissed  him.  This 
was  a  sign  at  once  of  affection  and  rec- 
onciliation. This  must  at  once  have 
dissipated  every  doubt  of  the  son 
about  the  willingness  of  his  father  to 
forgive  and  receive  him.  A  kiss  is  a 
sign  of  alfection.  1  Sam.  x.  1.  Gen. 
xxix.  13.    This  is  evidently  designed 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


121 


21  And  the  son  said  unto  Mm, 
Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heav- 
en, "  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no 
more  worthy  to  be  called  thy 
son. 

22  But  the  father  said  to  his  serv- 
ants, BriTig  *  forth  the  best  robe 
and  put  it  on  him ;  and  put  a  ring 
on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  Ms  feet ; 

23  And  bring  hither  the  fatted 

aPsa.51.4.  5  Zech.  3.  3-5. 

c  ver.  32.  d  Eph.  2.  1 ;  5. 14.  Rev.  3.  1. 

to  denote  the  readiness  of  God  to  pity 
and  pardon  returning  sinners.  In  this 
verse  of  inimitable  beauty  is  contain- 
ed the  point  of  the  parable,  which 
was  uttered  by  the  Saviour  to  vindi- 
cate his  own  conduct  in  receiving  sin- 
ners kindly.  Who  could  Uame  this 
father  for  thus  receiving  his  repent- 
ing son  ?  Not  even  a  Pharisee  could 
blame  him ;  and  our  Saviour  tlius 
showed  them,  so  that  they  could  not 
resist  it,  that  God  received  returning 
sinners,  and  that  it  was  right  for  him 
also  to  receive  them  and  treat  them 
with  attention. 

22.  The  best  robe.  The  son  was  prob- 
ably in  rags.  The  joy  of  the  father  is 
expressed  by  clotliing  liim  in  tlie  best 
raiment,  that  he  miglit  appear  well. 
The  robe  here  mentioned  is  probably 
the  outer  garment ;  and  the  father 
told  them  to  put  on  him  the  best  one 
that  was  in  the  house — one  reserved 
for  festival  occasions.  See  Gen.  xxvii. 
15.  ^  A  ring  on  his  hand.  To  wear  a 
ring  on  the  hand  was  one  mark  of 
wealth  and  dignity.  The  rich  and 
those  in  office  commonly  wore  them. 
Compare  James  ii.  2.  To  give  a  ring 
was  a  mark  of  favor,  or  of  affection, 
or  of  conferring  office.  Compare  Gen. 
xli.  42.  Esther  viii.  2.  Here  it  was  ex- 
pressive of  the  favor  and  affection  of 
the  father.  ^  Shoes  on  his  feet.  Serv- 
ants, probably,  did  not  usually  wear 
shoes.  The  son  returned,  doubtless, 
without  shoes— a  condition  very  un- 
like that  in  which  he  was  when  he  left 
home.  When,  therefore,  the  father 
commanded  them  to  put  shoes  on 
him,  it  expressed  his  wish  that  he 
should  not  be  treated  as  a  servant^  but 
as  a  son.  The  word  slioes  here,  how- 
ever, means  no  more  than  safidals, 
such  as  were  commonly  worn.  And 
the  meaning  of  all  these  images  is  the 
same — that  God  will  treat  those  who  ve- 
il.—F 


calf,  and  kill  it;  and  let  us  eat  and 
be  merry : 

24  For  ^  this  my  son  was  dead,^ 
and  is  alive  ^  again ;  he  was  /  lost, 
and  is  found.  And  they  began  to 
be  merry. 

25  Now  his  elder  son  was  in  th(f 
field :  and  as  he  came  and  drew 
nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  nuisic 
and  dancing.^ 

e  Rom.  6. 11,13.  /  Ezek.  34. 4, 16.   c.  19. 10. 

g  Psa.30. 11  ;  126.1,2. 


tt(,7'7i  to  him  with  kindness  and  affection. 
These  images  should  not  be  attempt- 
ed to  be  spiritualized.  They  are  beau- 
tifully thrown  in  to  fill  up  the  narra- 
tive, and  to  express  with  more  force 
the  genei'al  truth  that  God  will  treat 
returning  penitents  with  mercy  and 
with  love.  To  dress  up  the  son  in 
this  manner  wa&  a  proof  of  the  father's 
affection.  So  God  will  bestow  on  sin- 
ners the  marks  of  his  confidence  and 
regard. 

23.  Be  merry.  Literally, eating,  let 
us  rejoice."  The  word  merry  does 
not  quite  express  the  meaning  of  the 
Greek.  Merriment  denotes  a  light, 
playful,  jovial  mirth.  The  Greek  de- 
notes simply  joy — let  us  be  happy ^  or 
joyful. 

24.  Was  dead.  This  is  capable  of  two 
significations  :  1st.  I  sujjposed  that  he 
was  dead,  but  I  know  now  that  he  is 
alive.  2d.  He  was  dead  to  virtue — he 
was  sunk  in  pleasure  and  vice.  The 
word  is  not  unfrequently  thus  used. 
See  1  Tim.  v.  6.  Matt.  viii.  22.  Rom. 
vi.  13.  Hence  to  be  restored  to  vi7^tue 
is  said  to  be  restored  again  to  life. 
Rom.  vi.  13.  Rev.  iii.  1.  Eph.  ii.  1.  It 
is  probable  that  this  latter  is  the 
meaning  here.  See  verse  32.  H  Was 
lost.  Had  wandered  away  from  home, 
and  we  knew  not  where  he  was. 

25.  In  the  field.  At  work.  This  eld- 
est son  is  designed  to  represent  the 
Pharisees  who  had  found  fault  with 
the  Saviour.  Their  conduct  is  liken  ed 
to  that  of  this  envious  and  unnatural 
brother.  ^  Music  and  dancing.  Dan- 
cing was  not  uncommon  among  the 
Hebrews,  and  was  used  on  various  oc- 
casions. Thus  Miriam  celebrated  the 
deliverance  of  the  children  of  Israel 
from  Egypt  in  dances  as  well  as  songs. 
Exod.  XV.  20.  David  danced  before  the 
ark.  2  Sam.  vi.  14.  It  was  common  at 
Jewish  feasts  (Judges  xxi.  19-21)  and 


122 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


26  And  he  called  one  of  the  serv- 
ants, and  asked  what  these  thmgs 
meant. 

27  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thy 
brother  is  come  ;  and  thy  father 
hath  killed  the  fatted  calf,  because 
jfp  hath  received  him  safe  and 
sound. 

28  And  he  was  angry,  «  and 
would  not  go  in :  therefore  came 
his  father  out  and  entreated 
him. 

29  And  he,  answering,  said  to  his 

a  Jonah  4.  1-3.  Rom.  10. 19.        &  Isa.  65.  5.  c.  18.  11. 


in  public  triumphs  (Judges  xi.  34),  and 
at  all  seasons  of  mirth  and  rejoicings 
(Psa.  XXX.  11.  Jer.  xxxi.  4, 13).  It  was 
also  used  in  religious  services  by  Jlie 
idolaters  (Exod.  xxxii.  19),  and  also  oy 
the  Jews,  at  times,  in  their  religious 
services.  Psa.  cxlix.  3 ;  cl.  4.  In  this 
case  it  was  an  expression  of  rejoicing. 
Our  Lord  expresses  no  opinion  about 
its  propriety.  He  simply  states  the 
fact^  nor  was  there  occasion  for  com- 
ment on  it.  Ilis  mentionmg  it  can  not 
be  pleaded  for  its  lawfulness  or  pro- 
priety any  more  than  his  mentioning 
the  vice  of  the  younger  son,  or  the 
wickedness  of  the  Pharisees,  can  be 
pleaded  to  justify  their  conduct.  It 
is  an  expressive  image,  used  in  accord- 
ance with  the  known  customs  of  the 
country,  to  express  joy.  It  is  farther 
to  be  remarked,  that  if  the  example 
of  persons  in  Scripture  be  pleaded  for 
dancing,  it  can  be  only  for  just  such 
dances  as  they  practiced — for  sacred  or 
triumphal  occasions. 

26-28.  Safe  and  sound.    In  health. 

29.  A  kid.  A  young  goat.  This  yns 
of  less  value  than  the  calf ;  and  he 
complains  that  while  his  father  had 
never  given  him  a  thing  of  so  little 
value  as  a  kid^  he  had  now  given  his 
other  son  the  fatted  calf.  ^  Make  mer- 
ry with.  Entertain  them — give  them 
a  feast.  This  complaint  was  unrea- 
sonable, for  his  father  had  divided  his 
property,  and  he  might  have  had  his 
portion,  and  his  father  had  uniformly 
treated  him  with  kindness.  But  it 
serves  to  illustrate  the  conduct  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  the  folly  of 
their  complaint. 

80.  This  thy  son.  This  son  of  tJiine. 
nThis  is  an  expression  of  great  con- 
tempt.   He  did  not  call  him  his  hroth- 


father,  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I 
^  serve  thee,  neither  transgressed 
I  at  any  time  thy  commandment ; 
and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a 
kid,  that  I  might  make  merry  with 
my  friends ; 

30  But  as  soon  as  thil^thy  son 
was  come,  which  hath  devoured 
thy  living  with  harlots,  thou  hast 
killed  for  him  the  fatted  calf 

31  And  he  said  unto  him.  Son, 
thou  art  ever  ^  with  me,  and  all 
that  I  have  is  thine. 

c  Phil.  3.  6.  d  Rom.  9.  4;  11.1. 


er,  but  his  father^  s  son^  to  show  at  once 
his  contempt  for  his  younger  brother, 
and  for  his  father  for  having  received 
him  as  he  did.  Never  was  there  a 
more  striking  instance  of  petty  mal- 
ice, or  more  unjustifiable  disregard  of 
a  father's  conduct  and  will.  Thy 
living.  Thy  property.  This  is  still 
designed  to  irritate  the  father,  and  set 
him  against  his  younger  son.  It  was 
true  that  the  younger  son  had  been 
guilty,  and  foolish,"and  ungrateful; 
but  he  was  penitent,  and  that  was  of 
more  consequence  to  the  father  than 
all  his  property;  and  in  the  joy  that 
he  was  penitent  and  was  safe,  he  for- 
got his  ingratitude  and  folly.  So 
should  the  elder  son  have  done. 

31.  All  I  have  is  thine.  Tlie  propertj^ 
was  divided.  What  remained  was  in 
reality  the  elder  son's.  He  was  heir 
to  it  all,  and  had  a  right,  if  he  chose, 
to  use  it.  He  had  therefore  no  right 
to  complain. 

This  instructive  and  beautiful  para- 
ble was  designed  to  vindicate  the  con- 
duct of  Jesus — to  show  that  it  was 
right  to  receive  sinners,  and  that  the 
conduct  of  the  Pharisees  was  unrea- 
sonable. The  elder  son  represents 
the  Pharisees;  the  younger,  the  re-- 
turning  sinner,  whether  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile ;  and  the  father,  God,  who  is  will- 
ing to  receive  them.  The  parable  had 
the  designed  effect.  It  silenced  the 
adversaries  of  Jesus  and  vindicated 
his  own  conduct.  There  is  not,  per- 
haps, any  where  to  be  found  a  more 
beautiful  and  touching  narrative  than 
this.  Every  circumstance  is  tender 
and  happily  chosen  ;  every  word  has  a 
meaning ;  every  image  is  beautiful ; 
and  the  narrative  closes  just  where  it 
is  fitted  to  make  the  deepest  impres- 


A.D.  33.]  CHAPTER  XV.  123 

32  It  was  meet  that  we  should  make  merry  and  be  glad ;  *  for  * 


a  Jouah  4. 10, 11. 


b  Psa.  51.8.    Isa.  35.10. 


sion.  In  addition  to  what  has  been 
suggested,  we  may  learn  from  this 
parable  the  following  lessons  : 

1st.  That  the  disposition  of  a  sin- 
ner is  selfish.  He  desires  to  get  all 
that  he  can,  and  is  impatient  of  delay. 
Verse  12. 

2d.  Sinners  waste  their  blessings, 
and  reduce  themselves  to  a  state  of 
want  and  wretchedness.  Verse  13.  A 
life  of  sin  brings  on  spiritual  want  and 
misery.  It  destroys  the  faculties,  be- 
numbs the  mind,  hardens  the  heart, 
abuses  tlie  beneficence  of  God,  and 
makes  us  careless  of  him  who  gave  us 
all  that  we  have,  and  indifferent  to  the 
consequences  of  our  own  conduct. 

3d.  Sinners  disregard  the  future 
woes  that  will  come  upon  them.  The 
young  man  cared  not  for  any  calami- 
ties that  might  be  the  result  of  his 
conduct.  He  went  on  heedlessly — 
like  every  sinner — to  enjoy  himself, 
and  to  squander  what  the  toils  of  his 
father  had  procured  for  him. 

4th.  Afflictions  are  often  the  means 
of  bringing  sinners  to  reflection.  Ver. 
14.  While  his  property  lasted,  the 
prodigal  cared  little  about  his  father. 
When  that  was  gone,  and  he  was  in 
the  midst  of  a  famine,  he  thought  of 
his  ways.  Wlien  sinners  are  in  pros- 
perity they  think  little  about  God. 
When  he  takes  away  their  mercies, 
and  they  are  called  to  pass  through 
afflictions,  then  they  think  of  their 
waj'S,  and  remember  that  God  can 
give  them  comfort. 

5th.  We  have  here  an  impressive 
exhibition  of  the  wants  and  woes  of 
a  sinner.  1st.  He  had  spent  all.  He 
had  notliing.  So  the  sinner.  He  has 
no  righteousness,  no  comfort.  2d.  He 
was  far  from  God,  away  from  his  fa- 
ther, and  in  a  land  of  strangers.  The 
sinner  has  wandered,  and  has  no  friend. 
His  miseries  came  upon  him  hecause  he 
was  so  far  away  from  God.  3d.  His  con- 
dition was  wretched.  He  was  needy, 
in  famine,  and  without  a  friend.  So 
the  sinner.  His  condition  is  aptly  de- 
noted by  that  of  the  prodigal,  who 
would  gladly  have  partaken  of  the 
food  of  the  swine.  The  sinner  has 
taken  the  world  for  his  portion,  and 
it  neither  supplies  the  wants  of  his 
soul,  nor  gives  him  comfort  when  he 
is  far  away  from  his  Father's  home 
and  from  God. 


6th.  The  sinner  in  this  situation 
often  applies  to  the  wrong  source  for 
comfort.  Ver.  15.  The  prodigal  should 
at  once  have  returned  to  his  father, 
but  he  rather  chose  to  become  a  serv- 
ant of  a  citizen  of  that  region.  The  sin- 
ner, when  sensible  of  his  sins,  should 
return  at  once  to  God ;  but  he  often 
continues  still  to  wander.  He  tries 
new  objects.  He  seeks  new  i)leasures 
and  new  friends,  and  finds  them  equal- 
ly unsatisfactory.  He  engages  in  new 
pursuits,  but  all  in  vain.  He  is  still 
comfortless,  and  in  a  strange,  a  fam- 
ished land. 

7th.  The  repentance  required  in  the 
Gospel  is  a  return  to  a  right  mind. 
Verse  17.  Before  his  conversion  the 
sinner  was  alienated  from  God.  He 
was  spiritually  deranged.  He  saw  not 
things  as  they  are.  Now  he  looks  on 
the  world  as  vain  and  unsatisfactory, 
and  comes  to  himseijf.  He  thinks 
aright  of  God,  of  heaven,  of  eternity, 
and  resolves  to  seek  his  happiness 
there.  No  man  regards  things  as  they 
are  but  he  v/ho  sees  the  world  to  be 
vain,  and  eternity  to  be  near  and  aw- 
ful; and  none  acts  with  a  mrie  mind 
but  he  who  acts  on  the  belief  that  he 
must  soon  die;  that  there  is  a  God 
and  a  Saviour — a  heaven  and  a  hell. 

8th.  When  the  sinner  returns  he 
becomes  sensible  of  the  following- 
tilings:  1st.  That  he  is  in  danger  of 
perishing,  and  must  soon  die  but  for 
relief  "I  perish  with  hunger."  2d. 
That  ^)d  is  willing  and  able  to  save 
him.  ^How  many  hired  servants  have 
bread  enough  mid  to  spare.''''  There  is 
abundance  of  mercy  for  all,  and  all 
may  come.  3d.  He  begins  to  cherish 
a  hope  that  this  may  be  his.  God  is 
willing,  and  he  feels  that  all  that  is 
needful  is  for  him  to  go  to  him.  4th. 
He  resolves  to  go  to  God.  "I  will 
arise  and  go."  5th.  He  comes  to  him 
willing  to  confess  all  his  sins,  and  de- 
sirous of  concealing  none.  ''I  will 
say,  Father,  I  have  sinned." 

9th.  True  repentance  is  a  voluntary 
act.  It  is  not  forced.  It  is  the  reso- 
lution of  the  sinner  to  go,  and  he 
cheerfully  and  cordially  arises  and 
goes.  Verse  18. 

10th.  A  real  penitent  feels  that  his 
sins  have  been  committed  against 
God.  Verse  18. 

11th.  A  true  penitent  also  is  willing 


124 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


this  thy  brother  was  dead,  and  is 
alive  again;  and  was  lost,  and  is 
found. 


to  acknowledge  his  offences  against 
his  parents,  brothers,  friends,  and  all 
men.  Verse  18. 

12th.  A  real  penitent  is  humble. 
Verse  18.  He  has  no  wish  to  conceal 
any  thing,  or  'to  be  thought  more 
highly  of  than  he  ought  to  be. 

13th.  God  is  willing  to  receive  the 
true  penitent,  and  has  made  the  rich- 
est provision  for  his  return  and  for 
his  comfort.  None  need  to  hesitate 
to  go.  All  who  go,  feeling  that  they 
are  poor,  and  miserable,  and  blind, 
and  naked,  will  find  God  willing  to 
receive  them,  and  none  will  be  sent 
empty  away. 

14th.  The  joy  at  the  return  of  sin- 
ners is  great.  Angels  rejoice  over  it, 
and  all  holy  beings  are  glad. 

15th.  We  should  not  be  envious  at 
any  favors  that  God  may  be  pleased 
to  bestow  on  others.  Verse  33.  He 
has  given  us  more  than  we  deserve ; 
and  if,  by  the  sovereignty  of  his  grace, 
he  is  pleased  to  endow  others  with 
more  grace,  or  to  give  them  greater 
talents,  or  to  make  them  more  useful, 
we  have  no  cause  to  complain.  We 
should  rather  rejoice  that  he  is  pleased 
to  give  such  mercies  to  any  of  our 
race,  and  should  praise  him  for  the 
manifestation  of  his  goodness,  wheth- 
er made  to  us  or  to  other  men. 

16th.  The  sensible  joy  when  the  sin- 
ner returns  to  God  is  often  greater 
than  that  which  may  be  felt  awkr  the 
return,  and  yet  the  real  causWof  re- 
joicing be  no  greater.  In  times  of 
revival,  the  sensible  joy  of  Christians 
may  be  greater  than  in  ordinary  sea- 
sons. Their  graces  are  qLuickened, 
their  zeal  kindled,  and  their  hopes 
strengthened. 

17th.  If  God  is  willing  to  receive 
sinners,  if  all  holy  beings  rejoice,  then 
how  should  Christians  strive  for  their 
conversion,  and  seek  for  their  return  ! 

18th.  If  God  is  willing  to  receive 
sinners  now^  then  all  should  at  once 
return.  There  ivill  be  a  time  when  he 
will  not  be  willing  to  receive  tljem. 
The  day  of  mercy  will  be  ended ;  and 
IVom  the  misery  and  want  of  this 
wretched  world,  they  will  go  down 
to  the  deeper  miseries  and  wants  of 
a  world  of  despair — where  hope  never 
comes;  from  whence  the  sinner  can 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

AND  he  said  also  unto  his  dis- 
ciples, There  was  a  certain 


never  return ;  and  where  the  cheering 
thought  can  never  enter  the  mind 
that  in  his  Father's  house  there  is 
bread  enough  and  to  spare,  or  where 
he  must  feel  that  if  there  is,  it  will  be 
forever  untasted  by  the  wretched 
prodigal  in  the  land  of  eternal  famine 
and  death. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

1.  His  disciples.  The  word  disciples, 
here,  is  not  to  be  restricted  to  the 
twelve  apostles  or  to  the  seventy. 
The  parable  appears  to  have  been  ad- 
dressed to  all  the  professed  followers 
of  the  Saviour  who  were  present  when 
it  was  delivered.  It  is  connected  with 
that  in  the  preceding  chapter.  Jesus 
had  there  been  discoursing  with  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees,  and  vindicating 
his  conduct  in  receiving  kindly  pub- 
licans and  sinners.  These  publicans 
and  si7iners  are  here  particularly  refer- 
red to  by  the  word  disciples.  It  was 
with  reference  to  tJwm  that  the  whole 
discourse  had  arisen.  After  Jesus  had 
shown  the  Pharisees,  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  the  propriety  of  his  conduct, 
it  was  natural  that  he  should  turn  and 
address  his  disciples.  Among  them 
there  might  have  been  some  who  were 
wealthy.  The  publicans  were  engaged 
in  receiving  taxes,  in  collecting  mon- 
ey, and  their  chief  danger  arose  from 
tiiat  quarter — from  covetousness  or 
dishonesty.  Jesus  alwaj^s  adapted  his 
instructions  to  the  circumstances  of 
his  hearers,  and  it  was  proper,  there- 
fore, that  he  should  give  these  disciples 
instructions  about  theirpecwZiar  duties 
and  dangers.  He  related  this  parable, 
therefore,  to  show  them  tlie  danger  of 
the  love  of  money ;  the  guilt  it  would 
lead  to  (verse  1) ;  the  perplexities  and 
shifts  to  which  it  would  drive  a  man 
when  once  he  had  been  dishonest 
(ver.  3-7);  the  necessity  of  using 
money  aright,  since  it  was  their  chief 
business  (verse  9) ;  and  the  fact  tliat 
if  they  would  serve  God  aright  they 
must  give  up  supreme  attachment  to 
money  (verse  13);  and  that  the  first 
duty  of  religion  demanded  that  they 
should  resolve  to  serve  God,  and  be 
honest  in  the  use  of  the  wealth  in- 
trusted to  them.  This  parable  has 
given  great  perplexity,  and  many 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


125 


rich  man  which  had  a  steward; 
and  the  same  was  accused  unto 
him  that  he  had  wasted  his  goods. 

2  And  he  called  him,  and  said 
unto  him,  How  is  it  that  I  hear 
this  of  thee  ?  Give  an  account  of 
thy  stewardship  -  "for  thou  may- 
est  be  no  longer  steward. 

3  Then  the  steward  said  within 

a  c.  12.42.    1  Cor.  4.  2.    1  Tim.  4. 14.    1  Pet.  4. 10. 


ways  have  been  devised  to  explain  it. 
The  above  solution  is  the  most  sim- 
ple of  any;  and  if  these  plain  princi- 
ples are  kept  in  view,  it  will  not  be 
diflEicult  to  give  a  consistent  explana- 
tion of  its  particular  parts.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  in 
this,  as  well  as  in  other  parables,  we 
are  not  to  endeavor  to  spiritualize 
every  circumstance  or  allusion.  We 
are  to  keep  in  view  the  great  moral 
truth  taught  in  it,  that  we  can  not 
serve  God  and  mammon,  and  that  all 
attempts  to  do  this  will  involve  us  in 
difficulty  and  sin.  H  A  steward.  One 
who  has  charge  of  the  affairs  of  a  fam- 
ily or  household ;  whose  duty  it  is  to 
provide  for  the  family,  to  purchase 
provisions,  etc.  This  is,  of  course, 
an  office  of  trust  and  confidence.  It 
affords  great  opportunity  for  dishon- 
esty and  waste,  and  for  embezzling 
property.  The  master's  eye  can  not 
always  be  on  the  steward,  and  he  may 
tlierefore  squander  the  property,  or 
hoard  it  up  for  his  own  use.  It  was 
an  office  commonly  conferred  on  a 
slave  as  a  reward  for  fidelity,  and  of 
course  was  given  to  him  that,  in  long 
service,  had  shown  himself  most  trust- 
w^orthy.  By  the  7nch  man^  here,  is 
doubtless  represented  God.  By  the 
steward^  those  who  are  his  professed 
followers,  particularly  the  publicaris 
who  were  with  the  Saviour,  and  whose 
chief  danger  arose  from  the  tempta- 
tions to  the  improper  use  of  the  mon- 
ey intrusted  to  them.  ^  Was  accused. 
Complaint  was  made.  If  Had  wasted. 
Had  squandered  or  scattered  it;  had 
not  been  prudent  and  saving. 

2.  Give  an  account.  Give  a  statement 
of  your  expenses  and  of  your  conduct 
while  you  have  been  steward.  This  is 
not  to  be  referred  to  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. It  is  a  circumstance  thrown 
into  the  parable  to  prepare  the  way 
for  what  follows.  It  is  true  that  all 
will  be  called  to  give  an  account  at 


himself,  What  shall  I  do,  for  my 
lord  taketh  away  from  me  the 
stewardship  ?  I  can  not  dig ;  to 
beg  I  am  ashamed. 

4  I  am  resolved  what  to  do,  that 
when  I  am  put  out  of  the  steward- 
ship they  may  receive  me  into 
their  houses. 

5  So  he  called  every  one  of  his 


the  day  of  judgment,  but  we  are  not 
to  derive  that  doctrine  from  such  pas- 
sages as  this,  nor  are  we  to  interpret 
this  as  teaching  that  our  conscience, 
or  the  law,  or  any  beings  will  accuse  us 
in  the  day  of  judgment.  All  that  will 
be  indeed  true,  but  it  is  not  the  truth 
that  is  taught  in  this  iDassage. 

3.  Said  within  himself.  Thought,  or 
considered.  H  My  lord.  My  master, 
my  emploj^er.  Tl  I  can  not  dig.  This 
may  mean  either  that  his  employment 
had  been  such  that  he  could  not  en- 
gage in  agriculture,  not  having  been 
acquainted  with  the  business,  or  that 
he  was  unwilling  to  stoop  to  so  low  an 
employment  as  to  work  daily  for  his 
support.  To  dig,  here,  is  the  same  as 
to  till  the  earth,  to  work  at  daily  la- 
bor. ^  To  beg.  These  were  the  only 
two  ways  that  presented  themselves 
for  a  living — either  to  work  for  it,  or 
to  beg.  ^  lam  ashamed.  He  was  too 
proud  for  that.  Besides,  he  was  in 
good  health  and  strength,  and  there 
was  no  good  reason  why  he  should 
beg — nothing  which  he  could  give  as 
a  cause  for  it.  It  is  proper  for  the 
sick,  the  lame,  and  the  feeble  to  beg ; 
but  it  is  not  well  for  the  able-bodied 
to  do  it,  nor  is  it  well  to  aid  them,  ex- 
cept by  giving  them  employment,  and 
compelling  them  to  work  for  a  living. 
He  does  a  beggar  who  is  able  to  work 
the  most  real  kindness  who  sets  him 
to  work,  and,  as  a  general  rule,  we 
should  not  aid  an  able-bodied  man  or 
woman  in  any  other  way.  Set  them 
to  work,  and  pay  them  a  fair  compen- 
sation, and  you  do  them  good  in  two 
ways,  for  the  habit  of  labor  may  be  of 
more  value  to  them  than  the  price  you 
pay  them. 

4.  /  am  resolved.  He  thought  of  his 
condition.  He  looked  at  the  plans 
which  occurred  to  him.  .  He  had  been 
dishonest,  and  knew  that  he  must  lose 
his  place.  It  would  have  been  better 
to  have  considered  before  this,  and  re- 


126 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


lord's  debtors  unto  liim^  and*  said 
unto  the  first,  How  mucli  owest 
thou  unto  my  lord  ? 
6  And  he  said,  An  hundred^ 

1  The  measure  Batus,  in  the  original,  contained  nine 
gallons  three  quarts.    See  Ezek.  45.  10-14. 

solved  on  a  proper  course  of  life,  and 
to  be  faithful  to  his  trust ;  and  his 
perplexity  here  teaches  us  that  dis- 
honesty will  sooner  or  later  lead  us 
into  difficulty,  and  that  the  path  of 
honesty  is  not  only  the  right  path,  but 
is  the  path  that  is  filled  with  most 
comfort  and  peace.  ^  When  I  am  put 
out^  etc.  When  I  lose  my  place,  and 
have  no  home  and  no  means  of  sup- 
port. They  may  receive  me,  etc. 
Those  who  are  now  under  me,  and 
Avhom  I  am  resolved  now  to  favor. 
He  had  been  dishonest  to  his  master, 
and,  having  commenced  a  course  of  dis- 
honesty, he  did  not  shrink  from  pur- 
suing it.  Having  injured  his  master, 
and  being  now  detected,  he  was  will- 
ing still  ferther  to  injure  him,  to  take 
revenge  on  -him  for  removing  him 
from  his  place,  and  to  secure  his  own 
interest  still  at  his  .expense.  He  was 
resolved  to  lay  these  persons  under 
such  obligations,  and  to  show  them 
so  much  kindness,  that  they  could  not 
well  refuse  to  return  the  kindness  to 
him  and  give  him  a  support.  We  may 
learn  here,  1st.  That  one  sin  leads  on 
to  another,  and  that  one  act  of  dishon- 
esty will  be  followed  by  many  more, 
if  there  is  opportunity.  2d.  Men  who 
commit  one  sin  can  not  get  along 
consistently  without  committing  many 
more.  One  lie  will  demand  many 
more  to  make  it  appear  like  the  truth, 
and  one  act  of  cheating  will  demand 
many  more  to  avoid  detection.  The 
beginning  of  sin  is  like  the  letting  out 
of  waters,  and  no  man  knows,  if  he 
indulges  in  one  sin,  where  it  will  end. 
'3d.  Sinners  are  selfish.  They  care 
more  about  themselves  than  they  do 
either  about  God  or  truth.  If  they 
seek  salvation,  it  is  only  for  selfish 
ends,  and  because  they  desire  a  com- 
fortable abode  in  the  future  world 
rather  than  because  they  have  any  re- 
gard to  God  or  his  cause. 

5.  Called  every  one.  As  he  was  stew- 
ard^ he  liad  the  management  of  all  the 
affairs,  and,  of  course,  debts  were  to 
be  paid  to  ];im.  H  Debtors.  Those 
who  owed  his  master,  or  perhaps  ten- 
ants;  those  who  rented  land  of  his 
master. 


measures  of  oil.   And  he  said  unto 
him,  Take  thy  bill,  and  sit  down 
quickly,  and  write  fifty. 
7  Then  said  he  to  another,  And 


6.  A  hundred  measures.  The  meas- 
ure here  mentioned  is  the  Bath^  which 
contained,  according  to  Dr.  Arbuth- 
not's  Tables,  seven  gallons  and  a  half, 
or,  according  to  the  marginal  note, 
about  nine  gallons  and  three  quarts. 
H  Oil.  Oil  of  olives,  or  sweet  oil.  It 
was  much  used  for  lamps,  as  an  arti- 
cle of  food  (Exod.  xxix.  2),  and  also 
for  anointing,  and,  of  course,  as  an 
article  of  commerce.  1  Kings  ^v.  11. 
These  were  perspns,  doubtless',  who 
had  rented  land  of  the  rich  man,  and 
who  were  to  give  him  a  certain  pro- 
portion of  the  produce.  ^  Thy  bill. 
The  contract,  obligation,  or  lease.  It 
was  probabl}'  written  as  a  promise  by 
the  debtor  and  signed  by  the  steward, 
and  thus  became  binding.  Thus  he 
had  power  to  alter  it,  without  sup- 
posing that  his  master  would  detect 
it.  The  bill  or  contract  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  steward,  and  he  gave  it 
back  to  him  to  write  a  new  one. 
^  Quickly.  He  supposed  that  his  mas- 
ter would  soon  remove  him,  and  he 
was  therefore  in  haste  to  have  all 
things  secure  beforehand.  It  is  wor- 
thy of  remark,  also,  that  all  this  was 
wrong.  His  master  had  called  for  the 
account ;  but,  instead  of  rendering  it, 
he  engaged  in  other  business,  diso- 
beyed his  lord  still,  and,  in  contempt 
of  his  commands,  sought  his  own  in- 
terest. All  sinners  would  be  slow  to 
give  in  their  account  to  God  if  thej^ 
could  do  it ;  and  it  is  only  because, 
when  God  calls  them  by  death,  they 
can  not  but  go^  that  they  do  not  engage 
still  in  their  own  business  and  disobey 
him. 

7.  Measures  of  wheat.  The  measure 
here  mentioned — the  A:or,  or  homer — 
contained,  according  to  the  tables  of 
Dr.  Arbuthnot,  about  thirty -two 
pecks,  or  eight  bushels  ;  or,  accord- 
ing to  the  marginal  note,  about  four- 
teen bushels  and  a  pottle.  A  j^ottle  is 
four  pints.  The  Hebrew  kor,  "13 — or 
homer,  ^^h— was  equal  to  ten  baths, 
or  seventy  gallons,  and  the  actual 
amount  of  the  measure,  according  to 
this,  was  not  far  from  eight  gallons. 
Robinson  (Lex.),  however,  supposes 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVL 


127 


how  much  owest  thou  ?  And  he 
said,  An  hundred  ^  measures  of 
wheat.  And  he  said  unto  him, 
Take  thy  bill,  and  write  fourscore. 

8  And  the  lord  commended  the 
unjust  steward  because  he  had 
done  wisely:  for  the  children  of 

1  The  measure  here  indicated  contained  about  four- 
teen bushels  and  a  pottle. 


that  the  bath  was  eleven  and  a  half 
gallons,  and  the  kor  or  homer  14.45 
bushels.  The  amount  is  not  material 
to  the  proper  understanding  of  the 
parable.    H  Fourscore.  Eighty. 

8.  The  lord  commended.  Praised,  or 
expressed  admiration  at  his  wisdom. 
These  are  not  the  words  of  Jesus,  as 
commending  him,  hut  a  part  of  the 
narrative  or  parable.  His  master  com- 
mended him — saw  that  he  was  wise 
and  considerate,  though  he  was  dis- 
honest. IF  The  unjust  steward.  It  is 
not  said  that  his  master  commended 
him  because  he  was  unjust^  but  because 
he  was  wise.  This  is  the  only  thing  in 
his  conduct  of  which  there  is  any  ap- 
probation expressed,  and  this  appro- 
bation was  expressed  by  his  master. 
This  passage  can  notbe  brought,  there- 
fore, to  prove  that  Jesus  meant  to  com- 
mend his  dislionesty.  It  was  a  com- 
mendation of  his  shrewdness  (?r  /ore- 
thought;  but  the  master  could  no  more 
approve  of  his  conduct  as  a  moral  act 
than  he  could  the  first  act  of  cheating 
him.  ^[  The  children  of  this  world. 
Those  who  are  devoted  to  this  world ; 
who  live  for  this  world  only  ;  who  are 
careful  only  to  obtain  property,  and 
to  provide  for  their  temporal  necessi- 
ties. It  does  not  mean  that  they  are 
peculiarly  wicked  and  profligate,  but 
only  that  they  are  worldly^  and  anx- 
ious about  earthly  things.  See  Matt, 
xiii.  22.  2  Tim.  iv.  10.  ^  Are  wiser. 
More  prudent,  cunning,  and  anxious 
about  their  particular  business.  They 
show  more  skill,  study  more  plans, 
contrive  more  ways  to  provide  for 
themselves,  than  the  children  of  light 
do  to  promote  the  interests  of  relig- 
ion. ^  In  their  ge7ieration.  Somehaye 
thought  that  thisgpeans  in  their  mari- 
ner of  livinfj^  or  W managing  their  af- 
fairs. The  word  generati07i  sometimes 
denotes  the  manner  of  life.  Gen.  vi. 
9;  XXXV ii.  2.  Others  suppose  that  it 
means  toward  or  among  the  men  of  their 
own  age.  They  are  more  prudent  and 
wise  than  Christians  in  regard  to  the 


this  world  are  in  their  generation 
wiser  than  the  "  children  of  light. 

9  And  I  say  unto  you.  Make  ^ 
to  yourselves  friends  of  the  ^  mam- 
mon of  unrighteousness;  that, 
when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive 
you  into  everlasting  habitations. 

aJno.  12.36.  Eph,5.8. 

6  Ecc.  11. 1.    1  Tim.  6. 18, 19.  2  or,  riches. 


people  of  their  own  time ;  they  turn 
their  connection  with  them  to  good 
account,  and  make  it  subserve  their 
worldly  interests,  while  Christians 
fail  much  more  to  use  the  world  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  subserve  their 
spiritual  interests.  1[  Childre7i  of  light. 
Those  who  have  been  enlightened  from 
above — who  are  Christians.  This  may 
be  considered  as  the  application  of  the 
parable.  It  does  not  mean  that  it  is 
more  wise  to  be  a  worldly  man  than 
to  be  a  child  of  light,  but  that  those 
who  are  worldly  show  much  prudence 
in  providing  for  themselves ;  seize  oc- 
casions for  making  good  bargains; 
are  active  and  industrious ;  try  to 
turn  every  thing  to  the  best  account, 
and  thus  exert  themselves  to  the  ut- 
most to  advance  their  interests ;  while 
Christians  often  suffer  opportunities 
of  doing  good  to  pass  unimproved ; 
are  less  steady,  Arm,  and  anxious 
about  eternal  things,  and  thus  show 
less  wisdom.  Alas  !  this  is  too  true ; 
and  we  can  not  but  reflect  here  how 
different  the  world  would  be  if  all 
Christians  were  as  anxious,  and  dili- 
gent, and  prudent  in  religious  mat- 
ters as  others  are  in  worldly  things. 

9.  /  say  unto  you.  I,  Jesus,  say  to 
you  my  disciples.  T[  Make  to  yourselves 
friends.  Some  have  understood  the 
word  friends^  here,  as  referring  to  the 
poor ;  others,  to  holy  angels ;  and 
others,  to  God.  Perhaps,  however, 
the  word  should  not  be  considered  as 
referring  to  any  particular  j9crso?i,s,  but 
is  used  in  accordance  with  the  preced- 
ing parable ;  for  in  the  applicOjtion 
our  Saviour  uses  the  language  appro- 
priated to  the  conduct  of  the  steward 
to  express  the  general  truth  that  we 
are  to  make  a  proper  use  of  riches. 
The  steward  had  so  managed  his  pe- 
cuniary affairs  as  to  secure  future  com- 
fort for  himself,  or  so  as  to  find  friends 
that  would  take  care  of  him  beyond  the 
time  when  he  was  put  out  of  the  of- 
fice. That  is,  he  would  not  be  desti- 
tute, or  cast  off,  or  without  comfort, 


128 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


10  He  that  is  faithful  in  that 
which  is  least,  is  faithful  also  in 
much;  and  he  that  is  unjust  in 
the  least,  is  unjust  also  in  much. 

a  Matt.  25.  21,23. 

when  he  was  removed  from  his  office. 
So,  says  our  Saviour  to  the  publicans 
and  those  who  had  property,  so  use 
your  property  as  to  secure  happiness 
and  comfort  beyond  the  time  when 
you  shall  be  removed  from  the  pres- 
ent life.  Have  reference^  in  the  use  of 
your  mone}^  to  the  future.  Do  not 
use  it  so  that  it  shall  not  avail  you 
any  thing  hereafter;  but  so  employ  it 
that,  as  the  steward  found  friends, 
comfort,  and  a  home  by  Ms  wisdom 
in  the  use  of  it,  so  you  may,  after  you 
are  removed  to  another  world,  find 
friends,  comfort,  and  a  home — that  is, 
may  be  happy  in  heaven.  Jesus,  here, 
does  not  say  that  we  should  do  it  in 
the  same  way  that  the  steward  did,  for 
that  was  unjust ;  but  only  that  we 
should  secure  the  result.  This  may  be 
done  by  using  our  riches  as  we  should 
do;  that  is,  b}'  not  sufiering  them  to 
entangle  us  in  cares  and  perplexities 
dangerous  to  the  soul,  engrossing  the 
time,  and  stealing  away  the  affections ; 
by  emi)loying  them  in  vv  orks  of  mer- 
cy and  benevolence,  aiding  the  poor, 
contributing  to  the  advance  of  the 
Gospel,  bestowing  them  where  they 
will  do  good,  and  in  such  a  manner 
that  God  will  up2)rove  the  deed,  and 
will  bless  us  for  it.  Conmionly,  rich- 
es are  a  7iindera7ice  to  piety.  To  many 
they  are  snares ;  and,  instead  of  posi- 
tively heiiejiting  the  possessor,  they 
arc  an  injury,  as  they  engross  the  time 
and  the  affections,  and  do  not  contrib- 
ute at  all  to  the  eternal  welfare  of  the 
soul.  Every  thing  may,  by  a  proper 
use,  be  made  to  contribute  to  our 
welfare  in  heaven.  Health,  wealth, 
talents,  and  influence  may  be  so  em- 
ployed; and  this  is  what  our  Saviour 
doubtless  means  here.  H  Of  the  mam- 
mon. By  means  of  the  mammon. 
^  3fammon.  A  Syriac  word  meaning 
riches.  It  is  used,  also,  as  an  idol — 
the  god  of  riches.  H  Of  unrighteous- 
ness. '  These  words  are  a  Hebrew  ex- 
pression for  unrighteous  mammon.,  the 
noun  being  used  for  an  adjective,  as 
is  common  in  the  New  Testament. 
The  word  unrighteous.,  here,  stands  op- 
posed to  ^Hhe  'true  riches'^  in  the  elev- 
enth verse,  and  means  deceitful^  false., 
not  to  he  trusted.    It  has  this  meaning 


11  If,  therefore,  ye  have  not  been 
faithful  in  the  unrighteous  ^  mam- 
mon, who  will  commit  to  your  trust 
the  true  riches  f 

1  or,  riches. 

often.  See  1  Tim.  vi.  17.  Luke  xii.  38. 
Matt.  vi.  19;  xix.  21.  It  does  not  sig- 
nify, therefore,  that  they  had  acquired 
the  property  imjustly,  but  that  prop- 
erty was  deceitful  and  not  to  be  trust- 
ed. The  wealth  of  the  steward  was 
deceitful ;  he  could  not  rely  on  its 
continuance ;  it  was  liable  to  be  taken 
away  at  any  moment.  So  the  wealth 
of  the  world  is  deceitful.  We  can  not 
calculate  on  its  continuance.  It  may 
give  us  support  or  comfort  now,  but 
it  may  be  soon  removed,  or  we  taken 
from  it^  and  we  should  therefore  so 
use  it  as  to  derive  benefit  from  it  here- 
after. ^  When  ye  fail.  When  ye  a?r, 
left^  or  when  ye  die.  The  expression 
is  derived  from  the  parable  as  refer- 
ring to  the  discharge  of  the  steward; 
t)ut  it  refers  to  death,  as  if  God  then 
discharged  his  people,  or  took  them 
from  their  stewardship  and  called  them 
to  account.  1  They  may  receive  you. 
This  is  a  form  of  expression  denoting 
merely  that  you  may  he  received.  The 
plural  form  is  used  because  it  was 
used  in  the  corresponding  place  in  the 
parabl^  (verse  4).  The  direction  is, 
so  to  use  our  worldly  goods  that  we 
may  he  received  into  heaven  when  we 
die.  God  will  receive  us  there,  and 
we  are  to  employ  our  property  so  that 
he  will  not  cast  us  off  for  abusing  it. 
^  Everlasting  hahitations.  Heaven,  the 
eternal  home  of  the  righteous,  where 
all  our  wants  will  be  supplied,  and 
where  there  can  be  no  more  anxiety, 
and  no  more  removal  from  enjoy- 
ments.  2  Cor.  V.  1. 

10.  He  that  is  faithful.,  etc.  This  is  a 
maxim  which  will  almost  universally 
hold  true.  A  man  that  shows  fidelity 
in  small  matters  will  also  in  large; 
and  he  that  will  cheat  and  defraud  in 
little  things  will  also  in  those  involv- 
ing more  trust  and  responsibility. 
Fidelity  is  required  in  small  matters 
as  well  as  in  those  of  more  import- 
ance. ^ 

11.  Who  will  com^m,  etc.  If  you  arc 
not  faithful  in  the  small  matters  per- 
taining to  this  world,  if  you  do  not 
use  aright  3'our  i)roperty  and  influ- 
ence, you  can  not  expect  that  God 
will  commit  to  you  the  true  riches  of 
his  grace.    Men  who  are  dishonest 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


129 


12  And  if  ye  have  not  been  faith- 
ful in  that  which  is  another  man^s, 
who  shall  give  you  that  which  is 
your  own  ? 

13  No  *  servant  can  serve  two 
masters :  for  either  he  will  hate 
the  one,  and  love  the  other ;  or 
else  he  will  hold  to  the  one,  and 
despise  the  other.  Ye  can  not 
serve  God  and  mammon. 

a  Josh.  24. 15.  Matt.  6.  24.  h  Matt.  23. 14. 

cc.  10.29.  (fPsa.7.9.  Jer.  17. 10. 


and  worldly,  and  who  do  not  employ 
the  deceitful  mammon  as  they  ought, 
can  not  expect  to  grow  in  grace. 
God  does  not  confer  grace  upon  them, 
and  their  being  unfaithful  in  earthly 
matters  is  evidence  tliat  they  would  he 
also  in  much  greater  aifairs,  and  would 
likewise  misimprove  the  true  riches. 
H  Tme  riches.  The  graces  of  the  Gos- 
pel ;  the  influences  of  the  Spirit ;  eter- 
nal life,  or  religion.  The  riches  of 
this  world  are  false,  deceitful,  not  to 
be  trusted  (verse  9) ;  the  treasures  of 
heaven  are  true^  faithful,  never-failing. 
Matt.  vi.  19,  20. 

12.  Aiiother  man's.  The  word  man^s 
is  not  in  the  original.  It  is,  "If  ye 
have  been  unfaithful  managers /or  an- 
other.''^ It  refers,  doubtless,  to  God. 
The  wealth  of  the  world  is  his.  It  is 
committed  to  us  as  his  stewards.  It 
is  uncertain  and  deceitful,  and  at  any 
moment  he  can  take  it  away  from  us. 
It  is  still  Ms;  and  if,  while  intrusted 
with  this^  we  are  unfaithful,  we  can 
not  expect  that  he  will  confer  on  us 
the  rewards  of  heaven.  H  That  which 
is  your  own.  The  riches  of  heaven, 
which,  if  once  given  to  us,  mny  be 
considered  as  ours — that  is,  it  will  be 
permanent  and  fixed,  and  will  not  be 
taken  away  as  if  at  the  pleasure  of  an- 
other. We  may  calculate  on  it,  and 
look  forward  with  the  assurance  that 
it  will  co7dinue  to  be  ours  forever,  and 
will  not  be  taken  away  like  the  riches 
of  this  world,  as  if  they  were  not  ours. 
The  meaning  of  the  whole  parable  is 
therefore  thus  expressed:  If  we  do 
not  use  the  things  of  this  world  as  we 
ought — with  honesty,  truth,  wisdom, 
and  integrity — we  can  not  have  evi- 
dence of  piety,  and  shall  not  be  re- 
ceived into  heaven.  If  we  are  true  to 
that  which  is  least,  it  is  an  evidence 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  and 
he  will  commit  to  our  trust  that  which 
F  2 


14  And  the  Pharisees  also,  who  * 
were  covetous,  heard  all  these 
things ;  and  they  derided  him. 

15  And  he  said  unto  them,  Ye 
are  they  which  justify  yourselves 
before  men  ;  but  God  ^  knoweth 
your  hearts :  for  that  which  is 
highly  esteemed  ^  among  men  is 
abomination  in  the  sight  of  God. 

16  The law  and  the  prophets 

e  Prov.  16.  5.    Mai.  3. 15. 
/Matt.  11.12,13. 


is  of  infinite  importance,  even  the  eter- 
nal riches  and  glory  of  heaven. 

13.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vi.  24. 

14, 15.  They  derided  him.  The  fact 
that  they  were  "  covetous"  is  here 
stated  as  the  reason  why  they  derided 
him,  or,  as  it  is  literally,  "  they  turned 
up  the  nose  at  him."  They  contemned 
or  despised  the  doctrine  which  he  had 
laid  down,  probably  because  it  showed 
them  that  with  their  love  of  money 
they  could  not  be  the  true  friends  of 
God,  or  that  their  profession  of  relig- 
ion was  really  false  and  hollow.  They 
were  attempting  to  serve  God  and  mam- 
mon, and  they  therefore  looked  upon 
his  doctrine  with  contempt  and  scorn. 
^  Justify  yourselves.  Attempt  to  api)ear 
just ;  or,  you  aim  to  appear  righteous 
in  the  sight  of  men,  and  do  not  regard 
the  heart.  ^  That  which  is  highly  es- 
teemed. That  is,  mere  external  works, 
or  actions  performed  merely  to  appear 
to  be  righteous.  1[  7s  ahominatiooi.  Is 
abominable,  or  hateful.  The  word  used 
here  is  the  one  that  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment is  commonly  given  to  idols^  and 
denotes  God's  abhorrence  of  such  con- 
duct. These  words  are  to  be  applied 
chiejiy  to  what  Jesus  was  discoursing 
about.  There  are  many  things  esteem" 
ed  among  meruwhich  are  not  abomina- 
tion in  the  sight  of  God;  as,  for  exam- 
ple, truth,  parental  and  filial  aflfection, 
industry,  etc.  But  many  things,  much 
sought  and  admired,  are  hateful  in  his 
sight.  The  love  of  wealth  and  show, 
ambition  and  pride,  gay  and  splendid 
vices,  and  all  the  wickedness  that  men 
contrive  to  gild  and  to  make  appear 
like  virtue — external  acts  that  app>ear 
well  while  the  heart  is  evil — are  abom- 
inable in  the  sight  of  God,  and  shoidd 
be  in  the  sight  of  men.  Compare  Luke 
xviii.  11-14.  1  Sam.  xvi.  7. 

16.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  12-14. 
T[  Every  man.    Manj^  men,  or  multi- 


130 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


were  until  John:  since  that  time 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached, 
and  every  man  presseth  into  it. 

17  And  ^  it  is  easier  for  heaven 
and  earth  to  pass,  than  one  tittle 
of  the  law  to  fail. 

18  Whosoever  *  putteth  away  his 
wife,  and  marrieth  another,  com- 

a  Psa.102.26.    I8a.40.8;  51.6. 


tildes.  This  is  an  expression  that  is 
very  common,  as  when  we  say  every 
body  is  engaged  in  a  piece  of  business, 
meaning  that  it  occupies  general  at- 
tention. 

17.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  18. 

18.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  V.  32.  These' 
verses  occur  in  Mattliew  in  a  different 
order,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
they  were  spoken  by  our  Saviour  at 
different  times.  The  design,  here, 
seems  to  be  to  reprove  tlie  Pliarisees 
for  not  observing  tlie  law  of  Moses, 
notwithstanding  then-  great  preten- 
sions to  external  righteousness,  and 
to  show  them  that  they  had  really  de- 
parted from  the  law. 

19.  Thei^e  was  a  certain  rich  man. 
Man%'  have  supposed  that  our  Lord 
here  refers  to.  a  real  history^  and  gives 
an  account  of  some  man  who  had  lived 
in  this  manner;  but  of  this  there  is  no 
evidence.  The  probability  is  that  this 
narrative  is  to  be  considered  as  a  par- 
able, referring  not  to  any  particular 
case  which  had  actually  happened,  but 
teaching  that  such  cases  might  happen. 
The  (tempi  of  the  narrative  is  to  be  col- 
lected from  the  previous  conversation. 
He  had  taught  the  danger  of  the  love 
of  money  (ver.  1  and  2) ;  the  deceitful 
and  treacherous  nature  of  riches  (ver. 
9-11) ;  that  what  was  in  high  esteem 
on  earth  was  hateful  to  God  (ver.  15) ; 
that  men  who  did  not  use  their  prop- 
erty aright  could  not  be  received  into 
heaven  (ver.  11,  12);  that  they  ought 
to  listen  to  Moses  and  the  i)rophets 
(ver.  16, 17) ;  and  that  it  was  the  duty 
of  men  to  show  kindness  to  the  poor. 
The  design  of  the  parable  was  to  im- 
press all  these  truths  more  vividly  on 
the  mind,  and  to  show  the  Pliarisees 
that,  with  all  their  boasted  righteous- 
ness and  their  external  correctness  of 
character,  they  might  be  lost.  Ac- 
cordingly he  speaks  of  no  great  fault 
in  the  ricli  man — no  external,  degrad- 
ing vice — no  open  breach  of  the  law ; 
and  leaves  us  to  infer  that  the  mere 


mitteth  adultery ;  and  whosoever 
marrieth  her  that  is  put  away  from 
her  husband,  committeth  adultery. 

19  There  was  a  certain  rich  man, 
which  was  clothed  in  purple  and 
fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously 
every  day : 

20  And  there  was  a  certain  beg- 

6  Matt.  5.  32.   1  Cor.  7. 10, 11. 


possessio7i  of  tvealth  may  be  dangerous 
to  the  soul,  and  that  a  man  surround- 
ed with  every  temporal  blessing  may 
perish  forever.  It  is  remarkable  that 
he  gave  no  name  to  this  rich  man, 
though  the  poor  man  is  mentioned  by 
name.  If  this  was  a  parable,  it  shows 
us  how  unwilling  he  was  to  fix  sus- 
picion on  any  one.  If  it  was  not  a 
parable,  it  shows  also  that  he  would 
not  drag  out  wicked  men  before  the 
public,  but  would  conceal  as  much  as 
possible  all  that  had  any  connection 
with  them.  The  good  he  would  speak 
well  of  by  name ;  the  evil  he  would 
not  injurehy  exposing  them  to  public 
view.  ^  Clothed  in  purple.  A  purple 
robe  or  garment.  This  color  was  ex- 
pensive as  well  as  splendid,  and  was 
chiefly  worn  by  princes,  nobles,  and 
those  who  were  very  wealthy.  Com- 
pare Matt,  xxvii.  28.  See  Notes  on  Isa. 
i.  18.  y[  Fine  lijien.  This  linen  was 
chiefly  produced  of  the  flax  that  grew 
on  the  banks  of  tlie  Nile,  in  Egypt. 
Prov.  vii.  16.  Ezek.  xxvii.  7.  It  was 
peculiarly  soft  and  white,  and  was 
therefore  much  sought  as  an  article 
of  luxury,  and  was  so  expensive  that 
it  could  be  worn  only  by  princes,  by 
priests,  or  by  those  who  were  very 
rich.  Gen.  xli.  42.  1  Chron.  xv.  27. 
Exod.  xxviii.  5.  ^  Fared  mmptuously. 
Feasted  or  lived  in  a  splendid  man- 
ner. II  Every  day.  Not  merely  occa- 
sionally, but  constantly.  This  was  a 
mark  of  great  wealth,,  and,  in  the  view 
of  the  world,  evidence  of  great  happi- 
ness. It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  Je- 
sus did  not  charge  on  him  any  crime. 
He  did  not  say  that  he  had  acquired 
this  property  b}'  dishonesty,  or  even 
that  he  was  unkind  or  uncharitable ; 
but  simply  that  he  was  a  7'ich  man^ 
and  that  his  riches  did  not  secure  him 
from  death  and  perdition. 

20,  21.  Beggar.  Poor  man.  The  orig- 
inal word  does  not  mean  beggar^  but 
simply  that  he  was  poor.  It  should 
have  been  so  translated  to  keep  up  th& 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


131 


gar  named  Lazarus,  wliich  was  laid 
at  his  gate,  full  of  sores, 

21  And  desiring  to  be  fed  with 
the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the 
rich  man's  table :  moreover,  the 
dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores. 

a  Matt.  8. 11.  6  Prov.  14.  32. 

conldBt  with  the  rich  man.  T[  Named 
Lazarus.  The  word  Lazarus  is  Hebrew, 
and  means  a  man  destitute  of  help,  a 
needy,  poor  man.  It  is  a  name  given, 
therefore,  to  denote  his  need}^  condi- 
tion. II  Laid  at  his  gate.  At  the  door 
of  the  rich  man,  in  order  tliat  he 
might  obtain  aid.  H  Full  of  sores. 
Covered  with  ulcers ;  afflicted  not 
only  with  poverty,  but  with  loath- 
some and  offensive  ulcers,  such  as  oft- 
en are  the  accompaniments  of  povert}^ 
and  want.  These  circumstances  are 
designed  to  show  how  different  was 
his  condition  from  that  of  the  rich 
man.  He  was  clothed  in  purple ;  the 
poor  man  was  covered  with  sores  :  he 
fared  sumptuously ;  the  poor  man  was 
dependent  even  for  the  crumbs  that 
fell  from  the  rich  man's  table.  ^  TJie 
dogs  came.  Such  was  his  miserable 
condition  that  even  the  dogs,  as  if 
moved  by  pity,  came  and  licked' his 
sores  in  kindness  to  him.  These  cir- 
cumstances of  his  misery  are  very 
touching,  and  his  condition,  contrast- 
ed with  that  of  the  rich  man,  is  very 
striking.  It  is  not  affirmed  that  the 
rich  man  was  unkind  to  him,  or  drove 
him  away,  or  refused  to  aid  him.  The 
narrative  is  designed  simply  to  show 
that  the  possession  of  wealth,  and  all 
the  blessings  of  this  life,  could  not  ex- 
empt from  death  and  misery,  and  that 
the  lowest  condition  among  mortals 
may  be  connected  with  life  and  happi- 
ness beyond  the  grave.  There  was  no 
provision  made  for  the  helpless  poor 
in  those  days,  and  consequently  they 
were  often  laid  at  the  gates  of  the 
rich,  and  in  places  of  public  resort, 
for  charity.  See  Acts  iii.  2.  The  Gos- 
pel has  been  the  means  of  all  the  pub- 
lic charity  now  made  for  the  needy,  as 
it  has  of  providing  hospitals  for  those 
who  are  sick  and  afflicted.  No  pagan 
nation  ever  had  a  hospital  or  an  alms 
liouse  for  the  needy,  the  aged,  the 
blind,  the  insane.  Many  heathen  na- 
tions, as  the  Hindoos  and  the  Sand- 
wich Islanders,  destroyed  their  aged 
people ;  and  all  left  their  poor  to  the 
miseries  of  public  begging,  and  their 


22  And  it  cam^  to  pass  that  the 
beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by 
the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom 
the  *  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 
buried. 

23  And '  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his 

c  Rev.  14, 10,11. 


sick  to  the  care  of  their  friends  or  to 
private  charity. 

22.  Was  carried  hy  the  angels.  The 
Jews  held  the  opinion  that  the  spirits 
of  the  righteous  were  conveyed  by  an- 
gels to  heaven  at  their  death.  Our 
Saviour  speaks  in  accordance  with 
this  opinion ;  and  as  he  expressly  af- 
firms the  fact,  it  seems  as  i^roper  that 
it  should  be  taken  literally,  as  when 
it  is  said  the  rich  man  died  and  was 
buried.  Angels  are  ministering  spir- 
its sent  forth  to  minister  to  those  who 
are  heirs  of  salvation  (Heb.  i.  14),  and 
there  is  no  more  improbability  in  the 
supi:)osition  that  they  attend  depart- 
ing spirits  to  heaven,  than  that  they 
attend  them  while  on  earth.  ^  Abra- 
ham's bosom.  This  is  a  phrase  taken 
from  the  practice  of  reclining  at  meals, 
where  the  head  of  one  lay  on  the  bo- 
som of  another,  and  the  phrase  there- 
fore denotes  intimacy  and  friendship. 
See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  6.  Also  John 
xiii.  23;  xxi.  20.  The  Jews  had  no 
doubt  that  Abraham  was  in  paradise. 
To  say  that  Lazarus  was  in  his  bosom 
was  therefore  the  same  as  to  ssij  that 
he  was  admitted  to  heaven  and  made 
happy  there.  The  Jews,  moreover, 
boasted  very  much  of  being  the 
friends  of  Abraham  and  of  being  his 
descendants.  Matt.  iii.  9.  To  be  his 
friend  was,  in  their  view,  the  highest 
honor  and  happiness.  Our  Saviour 
therefore  showed  them  that  this  poor 
and  afflicted  man  might  be  raised  to 
the  highest  happiness,  while  the  rich, 
who  prided  themselves  on  their  being 
descended  from  Abraham,  nnght  be 
cast  away  and  lost  forever.  ^  Was 
buried.  This  is  not  said  of  the  poor 
man.  Burial  was  thought  to  be  an 
honor,  and  funerals  were,  as  they  are 
now,  often  expensive,  splendid,  and 
ostentatious.  This  is  said  of  the  rich 
man  to  show  that  he  had  every  earthly 
honor,  and  all  that  the  world  calls 
happy  and  desirable. 

23.  Ln  Iiell.  The  word  here  translated 
hell  (Hades)  means  literally  a  dark,  ob- 
scure place ;  the  place  where  depart- 
ed spirits  go,  but  especially  the  place 


132 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


eyes,  being  in  tortnents,  and  seetli 
Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in 
his  bosom : 

24  And  he  cried  and  said.  Father 
Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  and 


where  wicked  spirits  go.  See  Notes 
on  Job  X.  21,  22.  Isa.  xiv.  9.  The  fol- 
lowing circumstances  are  related  of  it 
in  this  parable :  1st.  It  is  far  off  from 
the  abodes  of  the  righteous.  Lazarus 
was  seen  afar  off.  2d.  It  is  a  place  of 
torment.  3d.  There  is  a  great  gulf 
fixed  between  that  and  heaven.  Verse 
26.  4th.  The  suffering  is  great.  It  is 
represented  by  torment  in  a  flame.  Ver. 
24.  5th.  There  will  be  no  escape  from 
it.  Ver.  26.  The  word  hell  here  means, 
therefore,  that  dark,  obscure,  and  mis- 
erable place,  far  from  heaven,  where 
the  wicked  shall  be  punished  forever. 
^  He  lifted  tip  his  eyes.  A  phrase  in 
common  use  among  the  Hebrews, 
meaning  helooked.  Gen.  xiii.  10;  xviii. 
2;xxxi.  10.  Dan.  viii.  3.  Luke  vi.  20. 
^  Bei7ig  hi  torment.  Tlie  word  tormeyd 
means  pain^  anguish  (Matt.  iv.  24) ; 
particularly  the  pain  inflicted  by  the 
ancients  in  order  to  induce  men  to 
make  confession  of  their  crimes. 
These  tormeyds  or  tortures  were  the 
keenest  that  they  could  inflict,  such 
as  the  rack,  or  scourging,  or  burning ; 
and  the  use  of  the  word  here  denotes 
that  the  suflferings  of  the  wicked  can 
be  represented  only  by  the  extremest 
forms  of  human  suffering.  1[  And  seeth 
Abraham,^  etc.  This  was  an  aggrava- 
tion of  his  misery.  One  of  the  first 
things  that  occurred  in  hell  was  to 
look  up,  and  see  the  poor  man  that  lay 
at  his  gate  completely  happy.  What 
a  contrast !  Just  now  he  was  rolling 
in  wealth,  and  the  poor  man  was  at 
his  gate.  He  had  no  expectation  of 
these  sufferings :  now  they  have  come 
upon  him,  and  Lazarus  is  happy  and 
forever  fixed  in  the  paradise  of  God. 
It  is  more,  perhaps,  than  we  are  au- 
thorized to  infer,  that  the  wicked  will 
see  those  who  are  in  paradise.  That 
they  will  know  that  they  are  there  is 
certain;  but  we  are  not  to  suppose 
that  they  will  be  so  near  together  as 
to  be  seen,  or  as  to  make  conversation 
possible.  These  circumstances  mean 
that  there  will  be  a  separation^  and  that 
the  wicked  in  hell  will  be  conscious 
that  the  j-ighteous,  though  on  earth 
they  were  poor  or  despised,  will  be  in 


send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the 
tip  of  his  finger  in  water  and  cool 
my  tongue ;  «  for  I  am  tormented 
in  this  flame.* 
25  But  Abraham  said,  Son,  re- 

a  Zech.  14. 12.  b  Isa.  66.  24.    Mar.  9. 44,  etc. 


heaven.  Heaven  and  hell  will  be  far 
from  each  other,  and  it  will  ifk  no 
small  part  of  the  misery  of  the  one 
that  it  is  far  and  forever  removed  from 
the  other. 

24.  Father  Abraham.  The  Jews  con- 
sidered it  a  signal  honor  that  Abraham 
was  their  father — that  is,  that  they 
were  descendants  from  him.  Though 
this  man  was  now  in  misery,  yet  he 
seems  not  to  have  abandoned  the  idea 
of  his  relation  to  the  father  of  the 
faithful.  The  Jews  supposed  that  de- 
parted spirits  might  know  and  con- 
verse with  each  other.  See  Lightfoot 
on  this  place.  Our  Saviour  speaks  in 
conformity  with  that  prevailing  opin- 
ion ;  and  as  it  was  not  easy  to  convey 
ideas  about  the  spiritual  world  with- 
out some  such  representation,  he 
therefore  speaks  in  the  language  which 
was  usual  in  his  time.  We  are  not, 
however,  to  suppose  that  this  was  lit- 
erally true,  but  only  that  it  was  de- 
signed to  represent  more  clearly  the 
sufferings  of  the  rich  man  in  hell. 
If  Have  mercy  on  me.  Pity  me.  The 
rich  man  is  not  represented  as  calling 
on  God.  The  mercy  of  God  will  be  at 
an  end  when  the  soul  is  lost.  Nor  did 
he  ask  to  be  released  from  that  place. 
Lost  spirits  know  that  their  sufferings 
will  have  no  end,  and  that  it  would 
be  in  vain  to  ask  to  escape  the  place 
of  torment.  Nor  does  he  ask  to  be 
admitted  where  Lazarus  was.  He  had 
no  desire  to  be  in  a  holy  place,  and  he 
well  knew  that  there  was  no  restora- 
tion to  those  who  once  sink  down  to 
hell.  H  Send  Lazarus.  This  shows 
how  low  he  was  reduced,  and  how  the 
circumstances  of  men  change  when 
they  die.  Just  before,  Lazarus  was 
laid  at  his  gate  full  of  sores ;  now  he 
is  happy  in  heaven.  Just  before,  he 
had  nothing  to  give,  and  the  rich  man 
could  expect  to  derive  no  benefit  from 
him ;  now  he  asks,  as  the  highest  fa- 
vor, that  he  might  come  and  render 
him  relief.  Soon  the  poorest  man  on 
earth,  if  he  is  a  friend  of  God,  will 
have  mercies  which  the  rich,  if  un- 
prepared to  die,  can  never  obtain. 
The  rich  will  no  longer  despise  such 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


133 


member  that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  * 
receivedst  thy  good  things,  and 
likewise  Lazarus  evil  things ;  but 
now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art 
tormented. 
26  And  beside  all  this,  between 

a  Job  21. 13.    Psa.  73.  12-19.    c.  6.  24. 


men ;  they  would  then  be  glad  of  their 
friendship,  and  would  beg  for  the 
slightest  favor  at  their  hands.  If  Dip 
the  tip,  etc.  This  was  a  small  favor  to 
ask,  and  it  shows  the  greatness  of  his 
distress  when  so  small  a  thing  would 
be  considered  a  great  relief  ^  Cool 
my  tongue.  The  effect  of  great  heat  on 
the  body  is  to  produce  almost  insup- 
portable thirst.  Those  who  travel  in 
burning  deserts  thus  suffer  inexpress- 
ibly when  they  are  deprived  of  wa- 
ter. So  pain  of  any  kind  produces 
thirst,  and  particularly  if  connected 
with  fever.  The  sufferings  of  the  rich 
man  are  therefore  represented  as  pro- 
ducing burning  thirst,  so  much  that 
even  a  drop  of  water  would  be  refresh- 
ing to  his  tongue.  We  can  scarce  form 
an  idea  of  more  distress  and  misery 
than  where  this  is  continued  from  one 
day  to  another  without  relief  We 
are  not  to  suppose  that  he  had  been 
guilty  of  any  particular  wickedness 
with  his  tongue  as  the  cause  of  this. 
It  is  simply  an  idea  to  represent  the 
natural  effect  of  great  suffering,  and 
especially  suffering  in  the  midst  of 
great  heat.  T[  /  am  tormented.  I  am 
in  anguish — in  insupportable  distress. 
H  In  this  flame.  The  lost  are  often 
represented  as  suffering  in  flames,  be- 
cause ^re  is  an  image  of  the  severest 
pain  that  we  know.  It  is  not  certain, 
howeve'r,  that  the  wicked  will  be 
doomed  to  suffer  in  material  fire.  See 
Notes  on  Mark  iv.  44. 

25.  Son.  This  is  a  representation 
designed  to  correspond  with  the  word 
father.  He  was  a  descendant  of  Abra- 
ham— a  Jew — and  Abraham  is  repre- 
sented as  calling  this  thing  to  his  re- 
membrance. It  would  not  lessen  his 
sorrows  to  remember  that  he  was  a 
son  of  Abraham,  and  that  he  ought  to 
have  lived  worthy  of  that  relation  to 
him.  1[  Remember.  This  is  a  cutting 
word  in  this  place.  One  of  the  chief 
torments  of  hell  will  be  the  remem- 
brance of  what  was  enjoyed  and  of 
what  was  done  in  this  world.  Nor 
will  it  be  any  mitigation  of  the  suffer- 
ing to  spend  an  eternity  where  there 


us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf 
fixed;  so  that  they  which  would 
pass  from  hence  to  you  can  not ; 
neither  ^  can  they  pass  to  us  that 
would  come  from  thence. 
27  Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee, 

h  Ezek.  28.  24. 


will  be  nothing  else  to  do,  day  or  night, 
but  to  remember  what  loas  done,  and 
what  might  ham  been,  if  the  life  had 
been  right.  Thy  good  things.  That 
is,  property,  splendor,  honor.  H  Mil 
things.  Poverty,  contempt,  and  dis- 
ease. If  JSiU  now,  etc.  How  changed 
the  scene  !  How  different  the  condi- 
tion !  And  how  much  better  was  the 
portion  of  Lazarus,  after  all,  than  that 
of  the  rich  man  !  It  is  probable  that 
Lazarus  had  the  most  i-eal  happiness 
in  the  land  of  the  living,  for  riches 
without  the  love  of  God  can  never 
confer  happiness  like  the  favor  of 
God,  even  in  poverty.  But  the  com- 
forts of  the  rich  man  are  now  gone 
forever,  and  the  joys  of  Lazarus  liave 
just  commenced.  One  is  to  be  com- 
forted, and  the  other  to  be  tormented, 
to  all  eternity.  How  much  better, 
therefore,  is  poverty,  with  the  friend- 
ship of  God,  than  riches,  with  all  that 
the  world  can  bestow !  And  how  fool- 
ish to  seek  our  chief  pleasures  only  in 
this  life ! 

26.  A  great  gulf.  The  word  trans- 
lated gulf  means  chasm,  or  the  broad, 
yawning  space  between  two  elevated 
objects.  In  this  place  it  means  that 
there  is  no  way  of  passing  from  one 
to  the  other.  ^  Fixed.  Strengthen- 
ed— made  firm  or  immovable.  It  is  so 
established  that  it  will  never  be  mov- 
able or  passable.  It  will  forever  di- 
vide heaven  and  hell.  If  Which  would 
pass.  We  are  not  to  press  this  pas- 
sage literally,  as  if  those  who  are  in 
heaven  would  desire  to  go  and  visit 
the  wicked  in  the  world  of  woe.  The 
simple  meaning  pf  the  statement  is, 
that  there  can  be  no  communication 
between  the  one  and  the  other— there 
can  be  no  passing  from  one  to  the 
other.  H  is  impossible  tg  conceive 
that  the  righteous  would  desire  to 
leave  their  abodes  in  glory  to  go  and 
dwell  in  the  world  of  woe ;  nor  can 
we  suppose  that  they  would  wish  to 
go  for  any  reason  unless  it  were  pos- 
sible to  furnish  relief  That  will  be 
out  of  the  question.  Not  even  a  drop 
of  water  will  be  furnished  as  a  relief 


134 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


therefore,  father,  that  thou  woiild- 
est  send  him  to  my  father's  house ; 

28  For  I  have  five  brethren ;  that 
he  may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they 
also  come  into  this  place  of  tor- 
ment. 

29  Abraham  saith  unto  him,  They 

alsa.34. 16.   Jno.  5.  39. 


to  the  sufferer.  ^  Neither  can  they  pass 
to  us,  etc.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
the  wicked  will  deswe  to  pass  the  gulf 
that  divides  them  from  heaven.  They 
would  be  glad  to  be  in  a  state  of  hap- 
piness ;  but  all  such  wishes  will  be 
vain.  How,  in  the  face  of  the  solemn 
statement  of  the  Saviour  here,  can 
men  believe  that  there  will  be  a  resto- 
ration  of  all  the  wicked  to  lieaven  ? 
He  solemnly  assures  us  that  there  can 
be  no  passage  from  that  world  of  woe 
to  the  abodes  of  the  blessed ;  yet,  in 
the  face  of  this,  many  Universalis ts 
hold  that  hell  will  yet  be  vacated  of 
its  guilty  millions,  and  that  all  its 
miserable  inhabitants  will  be  received 
to  heaven  !  Who  shall  conduct  them 
across  this  gulf,  when  Jesus  Christ 
says  it  can  not  be  passed  ?  Who  shall 
build  a  bridge  over  that  yawning 
chasm  which  he  says  is  fixed No  : 
if  there  is  any  thing  certain  from  the 
Scripture,  it  is  that  they  who  enter 
hell  return  no  more;  they  who  sink 
there  sink  forever. 

27,  28.  Five  brethren.  The  number 
■five  is  mentioned  merely  to  x)reserve 
the  appearance  of  verisimilitude  in  the 
story.  It  is  not  to  be  spiritualized,  nor 
are  we  to  suppose  that  it  has  any  hid- 
den or  inscrutable  meaning.  ^  3fay 
testify  unto  them.  May  bear  witness  to 
them,  or  may  inform  them  of  what  is 
my  situation,  and  the  dreadful  conse- 
quences of  the  life  that  I  have  led.  It 
is  remarkable  that  he  did  not  ask  to 
go  himself  He-  knew  that  he  could 
'not  be  released,  evoi^  for  so  short  a 
time.  His  condition  was  fixed.  Yet 
he  had  no  wish  that  his  friends  should 
suffer,  and  he  supposed  that  if  one 
went  fronv.the  dead  they  would  hear 
him. 

29.  They  have  Moses.  The  writings 
of  Moses.  The  first  five  books  of  the 
Bible.  TI  The  prophets.  The  remain- 
der of  the  Old  Testament.  What  the 
prophets  had  written.  ^  Hear  them. 
Hear  them  speak  in  the  Scriptures. 
Read  them,  or  hear  them  read  in  the 


^  have  Moses  and  the  prophets ;  let 
them  hear  them. 

30  And  he  said.  Nay,  father  Abra- 
ham ;  but  if  one  went  unto  them 
from  the  dead,  they  will  repent. 

31  And  he  said  unto  him.  If  ^ 
they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  proph- 

b  2  Cor.  4.  3. 


synagogues,  and  attend  to  what  they 
have  delivered. 

30.  Nay.  No.  They  will  not  hear 
Moses  and  the  prophets.  They  have 
heard  them  so  long  in  vain,  that  there 
is  no  prospect  now  that  they  will  at- 
tend to  the  message ;  but  if  one  should 
go  to  them  directly  from  the  eternal 
world  they  would  hear  him.  The  nov- 
elty of  the  message  would  attract  their 
attention,  and  they  would  listen  to 
what  he  would  say. 

31.  Be  persuaded.  Be  convinced  of 
the  truth ;  of  the  danger  and  folly  of 
their  way  ;  of  the  certainty  of  their 
suffering  hereafter,  and  be  induced  to 
turn  from  sin  to  holiness,  and  from 
Satan  unto  God. 

From  this  impressive  and  instruct- 
ive parable  we  may  learn — 

1st.  That  the  souls  of  men  do  not 
die  with  their  bodies. 

2d.  That  the  soul  is  conscious  after 
death ;  that  it  does  not  sleep,  as  some 
have  supposed,  till  the  morning  of  the 
resurrection. 

3d.  That  the  righteous  are  taken  to 
a  place  of  happiness  immediately  at 
death,  and  the  wicked  consigned  at 
once  to  misery. 

4th.  That  wealth  does  not  secure 
from  death. 

'•'■How  vain  are  riches  to  secure 
Their  liaughty  owners  from  the  grave!" 

The  rich,  the  beautiful,  the  gay,  as 
well  as  the  poor,  go  down  to  the 
grave.  All  their  pomp  and  apparel, 
all  their  honors,  their  palaces,  and 
their  gold  can  not  save  them.  Death 
can  as  easily  find  his  way  into  the 
splendid  mansions  of  the  rich  as  into 
the  cottages  of  the  poor;  and  the 
rich  shall  turn  to  the  same  corrup- 
tion, and  soon,  like  the  poor,  be  un- 
distinguished from  common  dust  and 
be  unknown. 

5th.  We  should  not  envy  the  condi- 
tion of  the  rich. 

"  On  slippery  rocks  T  see  them  stand, 
And  fiery  billows  roll  below. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XYII. 


135 


ets,  neither  will  *  they  be  persuaded 
though  one  rose  from  the  dead. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THEN  said  he  unto  the  disci- 
ples, It  *  is  impossible  but 
that  offences  will  come;  but  woe 
unto  Mm  through  whom  they 
come ! 

2  It  were  better  for  him  that  a 

a  Jno.  12. 10,11,  6  Matt.  18.  6,  7.  Mar.  9.  42. 

Now  let  them  boast  how  tall  they  rise, 

I'll  never  envy  them  again'; 
There  they  may  stand  with  haughty  eyes, 

Till  they  plunge  deep  in  endless  pain. 
Their  fancied  joys  how  fast  they  flee ! 

Like  dreams,  as  fleeting  and  as  vain ; 
Their  songs  of  softest  harmony 

Are  but  a  prelude  to  their  pain." 

6tli.  We  should  strive  for  a  better 
inheritance  than  can  be  possessed  in 
this  life. 

"  Now  I  esteem  their  mirth  and  wine 
Too  dear  to  purchase  with  my  blood: 
Lord,  'tis  enough  that  thou  art  mine — 
My  life,  my  portion,  and  my  God." 

7th.  The  sufferings  of  the  wicked  in 
hell  will  be  indescribably  great.  Think 
what  is  represented  by  torment ;  hy 
burning  flame;  *by  insupportable 
thirst;  by  that  state  where  a  single 
drop  of  water  would  afford  relief 
Remember  that  all  this  is  but  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  pains  of  the  damned, 
and  that  this  will  have  no  intermis- 
sion day  or  night,  but  will  continue 
from  year  to  year,  and  age  to  age,  with- 
out any  end,  and  you  have  a  faint 
view  of  the  sufferings  of  those  who 
are  in  hell. 

8th.  There  is  a  pl-ace  of  sufferings 
beyond  the  grave — a  hell.  If  there  is 
not,  then  this  parable  has  no  mean- 
ing. It  is  impossible  to  make  any 
thing  of  it  unless  it  be  designed  to 
teach  that. 

9th.  There  will  never  be  any  escape 
from  those  gloomy  regions.  There  is 
a  gulf  Hxed— fixed,  not  movable.  Nor 
can  any  of  the  damned  beat  a  path- 
way across  this  gulf  to  the  world  of 
holiness. 

10th.  We  see  the  amazing  folly  of 
those  who  suppose  there  may  be  an 
end  to  the  sufferings  of  the  wicked, 
and  who,  on  that  supposition,  seem 
willing  to  go  down  to  hell  to  suffer  a 
long  time,  ratfeer  than  go  at  once  to 
heaven.    If  man  were  to  suffer  but  a 


mill-stone  were  hanged  about  his 
neck,  and  he  cast  into  the  sea, 
than  that  he  should  offend  one  of 
these  little  ones. 

3  Take  heed  to  yourselves:  If 
thy  brother  trespass  against  thee, 
rebuke  him  ;  and  if  he  repent, 
forgive  him. 

4  And  if  he  trespass  against  thee 
seven  times  in  a  day,  and  seven 

c  Lev.  19.17. 


thousand  years,  or  even  one  year,  why 
should  he  be  so  foolish  as  to  choose 
that  suffering  rather  than  go  at  once 
to  heaven,  and  be  happy  at  once  when 
he  dies  ? 

11th.  God  gives  us  sufficient  warn- 
ing to  prepare  for  death.  He  has  sent 
his  Word,  his  servants,  his  Son ;  he 
warns  us  by  his  Spirit  and  his  provi- 
dence ;  by  the  entreaties  of  our  friends 
and  by  the  death  of  sinners  ;  he  offers 
us  heaven,  and  he  threatens  hell.  If 
all  this  W'ill  not  move  sinners,  what 
would  do  it?  There  is  nothing  that 
would. 

12th.  God  will  give  us  nothing  far- 
ther to  warn  us.  No  dead  man  will 
come  to  life  to  tell  us  of  what  he  has 
seen.  If  he  did,  we  would  not  believe 
him.  Religion  appeals  to  man  not  by 
ghosts  and  frightful  apparitions.  It 
appeals  to  their  reason,  their  con- 
science, their  hopes,  their  fears.  It 
sets  life  and  death  soberly  before  men, 
and  if  they  will  not  choose  the  for- 
mer, they  must  die.  If  you  will  not 
hear  the  Son  of  God  and  the  warn- 
ings of  the  Scriptures,  there  is  noth- 
ing which  you  will  or  can  hear.  You 
will  never  be  persuaded,  and  will  never 
escape  the  place  of  torment. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
1,  2.  It  is  impossible.    It  can  not  but  . 
happen.    Such  is  the  state  of  things 
that  it  will  be.    See  these  verses  ex- 
plained in  the  Notes  on  Matt,  xviii. 
6,  7. 

3,  4.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xviii.  15, 21, 
22.  Trespass  against  thee.  Sin  against 
thee,  or  does  any  thing  that  gives 
you  an  offence  or  does  you  an  injury. 

liebuke.  Reprove.  Go  and  tell  him 
his  fault,  and  seek  an  explanation. 
Acquaint  him  with  what  has  been  the 
effect  of  his  conduct,  and  the  state  of 
your  feelings,  that  he  may  acknowl- 
edge his  error  and  repent. 


136 


LU] 


KE. 


[A.D.  33. 


times  in  a  day  turn  again  to  thee, 
saying,  I  repent,  thou  *  shalt  for- 
give him. 

5  And  the  apostles  said  unto  the 
Lord,  Increase  *  our  faith. 

6  And  the  Lord  said.  If  ye  had 

a  Matt.  6. 12,14.  Col.  3. 13.  &Heb.  12.2. 

5.  Increase  our  faith.  This  duty  of 
forgiving  offences  seemed  so  difficult 
to  the  disciples  that  they  strongly 
felt  the  need  of  an  increase  of  faith. 
They  felt  that  they  wera  prone  them- 
selves to  harbor  resentments,  and  that 
it  required  an  additional  increase  of 
true  religion  to  enable  them  to  com- 
ply with  the  requirements  of  Jesus. 
We  may  learn  from  this — 1st.  That  J e- 
sus  has  the  power  of  increasing  the 
faith  of  his  people.  Strength  comes 
from  him,  and  especially  strength  to 
believe  the  Gospel.  Hence  he  is  call- 
ed the  Author  and  FinUher  of  our 
faith.  Heb.  xii.  2.  2d.  The  duty  of 
forgiving  offences  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  duties  of  the  Christian  relig- 
ion. It  is  so  contrary  to  our  natu- 
ral feelings ;  it  implies  such  elevation 
above  the-petty  feelings  of  malice  and 
revenge,  and  is  so  contrary  to  the  re- 
ceived maxims  of  the  world,  which 
teach  us  to  clierish  rather  than  to  for- 
give the  memory  of  offences,  that  it  is 
no  wonder  our  Saviour  dwells  much 
on  this  duty,  and  so  strenuously  in- 
sists on  it  in  order  to  our  having 
evidence  that  our  hearts  have  been 
changed.  Some  have  thought  that 
this  prayer  tliat  he  would  increase 
their  faith  refers  to  the  power  of 
working  miracles,  and  especially  to 
the  case  recorded  in  Matt.  xvii.  16-20. 

6.  See  Matt.  xvii.  20.  Sycamine-tree. 
This  name,  as  well  as  sycamore,  is 
given,  among  us,  to  the  large  tree 
commonly  called  the  buttonwood ; 
but  the  tree  here  mentioned  is  differ- 
ent. The  Latin  Vulgate  and  the  Syr- 
iac  versions  translate  it  mulberry -tir£. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  a  tree  that 
commonly  grew  in  Egypt,  of  the  size 
and  appearance  of  a  mulberry- tree, 
but  bearing  a  species  of  figs.  This 
tree  was  common  in  Palestine.  It  is 
probable  that  our  Lord  was  standing 
by  one  as  he  addressed  these  words 
to  his  disciples.  Dr.  Thomson  (The 
Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  i.,  p.  22,  23, 
24)  says  of  this  tree:  "It  is  generally 
planted  by  the  wayside,  in  the  open 
space  where  several  paths  meet." 


faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard-seed, 
ye  might  say  unto  the  sycamine- 
tree,  Be  thou  plucked  up  by  the 
root,  and  be  thou  planted  in  the 
sea,  and  it  should  obey  you. 
7  But  which  of  you,  having  a 

c  Matt.  17.  20  ;  21.  21.    Mar.  9.  23  ;  11.  23. 


[Compare  Luke  xix.  4.]  "This  syca- 
more is  a  remarkable  tree.  It  not 
only  bears  several  crops  of  figs  dur- 
ing the  year,  but  these  figs  grow  on 
short  stems  along  the  trunk  and  large 
branches,  and  not  at  the  end  of  t^igs, 
as  in  other  fruit-bearing  trees.  The 
figs  are  small,  and  of  a  greenish-yel- 
low color.  At  Gaza  and  Askelon  I 
saw  them  of  a  purple  tinge,  and  much 
larger  than  they  are  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  They  were  carried  to 
market  in  large  quantities,  and  ap- 
peared to  be  more  valued  there  than 
with  us.  Still,  they  are,  at  best,  very 
insipid,  and  none  but  the  poorer  class- 
es eat  them.  It  is  easily  propagated, 
merely  by  planting  a  stout  branch  in 
the  ground,  and  watering  it  until  it 
has  struck  its  roots  into  the  soil. 
This  it  does  with  great  rapidity  and 
to  a  vast  depth.  It  was  with  refer- 
ence to  this  latter  fact  that  our  Lord 
selected  it  to  illustrate  the  power  of 
faith.  Now  look  at  this  tree — its  am- 
ple girth,  its  widespread  arms  branch- 
ing off  from  the  parent  trunk  only  a 
few  feet  from  the  ground ;  then  exam- 
ine its  enormous  roots,  as  thick,  as 
numerous,  and  as  wide  spread  into 
the  deep  soil  below  as  the  branches 
extend  into  the  air  above — the  very 
best  type  of  invincible  steadfastness. 
What  power  on  earth  can  pluck  up 
such  a  tree?  Heaven's  thunder-bolt 
may  strike  it  down,  the  wild  tornado 
may  tear  it  to  fragments,  but  nothing 
short  of  miraculous  power  can  fairly 
pluck  it  up  by  the  roots." 

The  cuts  on  the  opposite  page  will 
furnish  a  good  illustration  of  this  tree 
and  its  fruit. 

7.  Having  a  servant^  etc.  This  para- 
ble appears  to  have  been  spoken  with 
reference  to  the  rewards  which  the 
disciples  were  expecting  in  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah.  The  occasion  on 
which  it  was  spoken  can  not  be  ascer- 
tained. It  does  not  seem  to  have  any 
particular  connection  with  what  goes 
before.  It  may  be  supposed  that  the 
disciples  were  somewhat  impatient  to 
have  the  kingdom  restored  to  Israel 


A.D.  33.]  CHAPTER  XVIL    ^  137 


servant  plougliing,  or  feeding  cat- 1  when  he  is  come  from  the  field, 
tie,  will  say  unto  him  by-and-by,  |  Go,  and  sit  down  to  meat  ? 


8YCAM0KE. 


(Acts  i.  6) — that  is,  that  he  would  assume  his 
Idngly  power,  and  that  they  were  impatient  of 
the  delay^  and  anxious  to  enter  on  the  rewards 
which  they  expected,  and  which  they  not  im- 
probably were  expecting  in  consequence  of  their 
devotedness  to  him.  In  answer  to  tliese  expect- 
ations, Jesus  spoke  this  parable,  showing  tliem, 
^Ist.  Tliat  they  should  be  rewarded  as  a  servant 
'would  be  provided  for,  but,  2d.  That  this  was 
not  i\\Q,  first  thing ;  that  there  was  a  proper  order 
of  things,  and  that  thus  the  reward  might  be  de- 
layed, as  a  servant  would  be  provided  for,  but  at 
the  proper  time,  and  at  the  pleasure  of  the  mas- 
ter; and,  3d.  That  this  reward  was  not  to  be  ex- 
l)ected  as  a  matter  of  merits  but  would  be  given 


138 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


8  And  will  not  rather  say  unto 
him,  Make  ready  wherewith  I  may 
sup,  and  gird  thyself,  and  serve 
me  till  I  have  eaten  and  drunken ; 
and  afterward  thou  shalt  eat  and 
drink  ? 

9  Doth,  he  thank  that  servant  be- 
cause he  did  the  things  that  were 
commanded  him  ?    I  trow  not. 

10  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  shall 
have  done  all  those  things  which 
are  commanded  you,  say.  We  are  " 
unprofitable  servants ;  we  have 

a  Job  22.  3;  35.7.  Psa.  16.  2,  3.  Isa.  64.  6.  Rom. 
11.35.    1  Cor.  9. 16, 17. 


at  the  good  pleasure  of  God,  for  they 
were  but  unprofitable  servants.  H  By- 
and-hy.  This  should  have  been  trans- 
lated immediately.  He  would  not,  as 
the  first  thing ^  or  as  soon  as  he  return- 
ed from  the  field,  direct  him  to  eat  and 
drink.  Hungry  and  weary  he  might 
be,  yet  it  would  be  prox:>er  for  him 
first  to  attend  upon  his  master.  So 
the  apostles  were  not  to  be  impatient 
•because  they  did  not  at  once  receive 
the  reward  for  which  they  were  look- 
ing. IF  To  meat.  To  eat ;  or,  rather, 
place  thyself  at  the  table. 

8.  /  may  sup.  Make  ready  my  sup 
per.  H  Gird  thyself.  See  Notes  on 
Luke  xii.  37. 

9.  /  t7'ow  not.  I  think  not ;  or  I  sup- 
pose not. 

10.  Ai'e  tinprofitabU  servants.  We 
have  conferred  no  favor.  We  have 
merited  nothing.  We  have  not  betiefit- 
ed  God,  or  laid  him  under  obligatio7i. 
If  he  rewards  us,  it  will  be  matter  of 
unmerited  favor.  This  is  true  in  rela- 
tion to  Christians  in  the  following  re- 
spects :  1st.  Our  services  are  woi  prof- 
itable to  God  (Job  xxii.  2) ;  he  needs 
not  our  aid,  and  his  essential  happi- 
ness will  not  be  increased  by  our  ef- 
forts. 2d.  The  grace  to  do  his  will 
comes  from  him  only,  and  all  the 
praise  of  that  will  be  due  to  him. 
Sd.  All  that  we  do  is  what  is  our  duty ; 
we  can  not  lay  claim  to  having  ren- 
dered any  service  that  will  biyid  him 
to  sliow  us  favor;  and,  4th,  our  best 
services  are  mingled  with  imperfec- 
tions. Wc  come  short  of  his  glory 
(Rom.  iii.  2;>);  we  do  not  serve  him  as 
sincerely,  and  clieerfully,  and  faithful- 
ly as  wc  ought ;  we  arc  far,  very  far 
fi  om  the  example  set  us  by  the  Sa- 
viour ;  and  if  we  are  saved  and  reward- 


done  that  which  was  our  duty  to 
do. 

11  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he 
went  to- Jerusalem,  that  he  passed 
through  the  midst  of  Samaria^ 
and  Galilee. 

12  And  as  he  entered  into  a  cer- 
tain village,  there  met  him  ten 
men  that  were  lepers,  which  stood 
afar  off : 

13  And  they  lifted  up  tlieir 
voices,  and  said,  Jesus, Master,  have 
mercy  on  us. 

6  c.  9.  51,52.    Jno.4.4.  c  Lev.  13. 46. 


ed,  it  will  be  because  God  will  be  mer- 
ciful to  our  unrighteousness,  and  will 
remember  our  iniquities  no  more. 
Heb.  viii.  12.  ^ 

11.  The  midst  of  Samaria  and  Gamee. 
He  went  from  Galilee,  and  probably 
traveled  through  the  chief  villages 
and  towns  in  it  and  then  left  it;  and 
as  Samaria  was  situated  between  Gali- 
lee and  Jerusalem,  it  was  necessary  to 
pass  through  it ;  or  it  may  mean  that 
he  passed  along  on  the  borders  of 
each  toward  the  River  Jordan,  and 
so  passed  in  the  midst,  i.  e.,  between 
Galilee  and  Samaria.  This  is  render- 
ed more  probable  from  the  circum- 
stance that  as  he  went  from  Galilee, 
there  would  have  been  no  occasion 
for  saying  that  he  passed  through  it^ 
unless  it  be  meant  through  the  con- 
fines or  borders  of  it,  or  at  least  it 
would  have  been  mentioned  before 
Samaria. 

12.  There  met  him.  They  were  in  his 
way,  or  in  his  path,  as  he  was  enter- 
ing the  viUage.  They  were  not  allow- 
ed to  enter  the  village  while  they  were 
afflicted  with  the  leprosy.  Lev.  xiii. 
46.  Num.  V.  2, 3.  1  Lepers.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  viii.  2.  1  Stood  afar  off.  At 
a  distance,  as  they  were  required  by 
law.  Tliey  were  unclean,  and  it  was 
not  lawful  for  them  to  come  near  to 
those  who  were  in  health.  As  Jesus 
was  traveling,  they  were  also  walking 
in  the  contraiy  way,  and  seeing  him, 
and  knowing  that  they  were  unclean, 
they  stopped  or  turned  aside,  so  that' 
they  migiit  not  expose  others  to  the 
contagion. 

14.  "Go  show  yourselves^  etc.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  4.  By  this  com- 
mand he  gave  them  an  im])licd  assu- 
rance that  they  would  be  healed ;  for 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


139 


14  And  when  Jie  saw  them^  he 
said  unto  them,  Go  show  your- 
selves unto  the  priests.  And  it 
came  to  pass  that,  as  ^  they  went, 
they  were  cleansed. 

15  And  one  of  them,  when  he 
saw  that  he  was  healed,  turned 
back,  and  with  a  loud  voice  glo- 
rified''God, 

a  Lev.  13.  2;  14.3.  Matt.  8. 4.  c.  5. 14. 
6  2  Kin.  5. 14.   Isa.  65.  24. 

the  design  for  which  they  were  to  go 
was  to  exhibit  tlie  evidence  that  they 
were  restored,  and  to  obtain  permis- 
sion from  the  priest  to  mingle  again 
in  society.  It  may  also  be  observed 
that  this  required  no  small  measure 
of  faith  on  their  part,  for  he  did  not 
first  heal  tliem,  and  then  tell  them  to 
go;  he  told  them  to  go  without  ex- 
2Jressly  assuring  tliem  that  they  would 
be  healed,  and  without,  as  yet^  any 
evidence  to  show  to  the  priest.  So 
sinners,  defiled  with  the  leprosy  of 
sin,  should  put  faith  in  the  Lord  Je- 
sus and  obey  his  commands,  with  the 
fullest  confidence  that  he  Jjfcable  to 
heal  them,  and  that  he  wu^diO  it  if 
they  follow  his  directions ;  and  that 
in  due  time  they  shall  have  the  fullest 
evidence  that  their  peace  is  made  with 
God,  and  that  their  souls  shall  by  him 
be  declared  free  from  the  defilement 
of  sin.  ^  Were  cleansed.  Were  cured, 
or  made  whole. 

15, 16.  One  of  them^  etc.  This  man, 
sensible  of  the  power  of  God  and 
grateful  for  his  mercies,  returned  to 
express  his  gratitude  to  God  for  his 
goodness.  Instead  of  obeying  at  once 
the  letter  of  the  command,  he  ^rs^  ex- 
pressed his  thanks  to  God  and  to  his 
great  benefactor.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence, however,  that  he  did  not,  after 
he  had  given  thanks  to  God,  and  had 
poured  out  his  joy  at  the  feet  of  Je- 
sus, go  to  the  priest  as  he  was  direct- 
ed; indeed,  he  could  not  have  been 
restored  to  society  without  doing  it ; 
but  he  first  poured  out  his  thanks  to 
God,  and  gave  him  praise  for  his  won- 
derful recovery.  The  first  duty  of  sin- 
ners, after  they  have  been  forgiven 
and  have  the  hope  of  eternal  life,  is 
to  prostrate  themselves  at  the  feet  of 
tlieir  Great  Benefactor,  and  to  conse- 
crate themselves  to  his  service.  Then 
let  them  go  and  sliow  to  others  the 
evidence  that  they  are  cleansed.  Let 
them  go  and  mingle,  like  a  restored 


16  And  fell  down  on  Ms  face  at 
his  feet,  giving  him  thanks :  and 
he  was  a  Samaritan. 

17  And  Jesus  answering  said, 
Were  there  not  ten  cleansed  ?  but 
where  are  the  nine  ? 

18  There  are  not  *  found  that  re- 
turned to  give  glory  to  God,  save 
this  stranger. 

c  Psa.  30. 1,2.  d  Jno.  4. 39-42. 

c  Psa.  106.  13. 

leper,  with  their  families  and  friends, 
and  show  by  the  purity  and  holiness 
of  their  lives  how  great  is  the  mercy 
that  has  cleansed  them.  ^  He  was  a 
Samaritan.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  5. 
This  rendered  his  conduct  more  re- 
markable and  striking  in  the  sight  of 
the  Jews.  They  considered  the  Sa- 
maritans as  peculiarlj^  wicked,  and 
themselves  as  peculiarly*  holy.  This 
example  showed  them,  like  the  par- 
able of  the  good  Samaritan,  that  in 
this  they  were  mistaken ;  and  one  de- 
sign of  this  seems  to  have  been  to 
break  down  the  opposition  between 
the  Jews  and  Samaritans,  and  to  bring 
the  former  to  more  charitable  judg- 
ment respecting  the  latter. 

17,  18.  Where  are  the  nine?  Jesus 
had  commanded  them  to  go  to  the 
priest,  and  they  were  probably  literal- 
ly obeying  the  commandment.  They 
were  impatient  to  be  healed  and  selfish 
in  wishing  it,  and  had  no  gratitude  to 
God  or  their  benefactor.  Jesus  did 
not  forbid  their  expressing  gratitude 
to  him  for  his  mercy ;  he  rather  seems 
to  reprove  tliem  for  not  doing  it.  One 
of  the  first  feelings  of  the  sinner 
cleansed  from  sin  is  a  desire  to  praise 
his  great  benefactor  jgMid  a  real  will- 
ingness to  obey  his^cWRnandments  is 
not  inconsistent  with  a  wisli  to  ren- 
der thanks  to  him  for  his  mercy. 
With  what  singular  propriety  may 
this  question  now  be  asked,  Whey^e  are 
the  7iine?  And  what  a  striking  illus- 
tration is  this  of  human  nature,  and 
of  the  ingratitude  of  man  !  One  had 
come  hack  to  give  thanks  for  the  fa- 
vor bestowed  on  him ;  the  others  were 
heard  of  no  more.  So  now.  When 
men  are  restored  from  dangerous  sick- 
ness, here  and  there  one  comes  to 
give  thanks  to  God;  but  "where  are 
the  nineV"  When  men  are  defended 
from  danger;  when  they  are  recover- 
ed from  the  iDCrils  of  the  sea;  when  a 
steam-boat  is  destroyed,  and  a  large 


140 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


19  And  lie  said  unto  him,  Arise, 
go  thy  way ;  thy  «  faith  hath  made 
thee  whole. 

20  And  when  he  was  demanded 
of  the  Pharisees  when  the  king- 
dom of  God  should  come,  he  an- 

a  Matt.  9.  22.  1  or,  with  outward  show. 

part  of  crew  and  i)assengers  perish, 
here  and  there  one  of  those  who  are 
saved  acknowledges  the  goodness  of 
God  and  renders  him  praise;  but 
where  is  the  mass  of  them?  They 
give  no  thanks ;  they  offer  no  praise. 
They  go  about  their  usual  employ- 
ments, to  mingle  in  the  scenes  of 
pleasure  and  of  sin  as  if  nothing  had 
occurred.  Few,  few  of  all  who  have 
been  rescued  from  "threatening 
graves"  feel  their  obligation  to  God, 
or  ever  express  it.  They  forget  their 
Great  Benefactor ;  perhaps  the  men- 
tion of  his  name  is  unpleasant,  and 
they  scorn  the  idea  that  they  are  un- 
der any  obligations  to  him.  Such, 
alas  !  is  man,  ungrateful  man !  ^  This 
stranger.  This  foreigner;  or,  rather, 
this  alien,  or  this  man  of  another 
tribe.  In  the  Syriad  version,  "this 
one  who  is  of  a  foreign  people."  This 
man,  who  might  have  been  least  ex- 
pected to  exprci^s  gratitude  to  God. 
The  most  unlikely  characters  are  oft- 
en found  to  be  most  consistent  and 
grateful.  Men  from  whom  we  would 
expect  least  in  religion,  are  often  so 
entirely  changed  as  to  disappoint  all 
our  expectations,  and  to  put  to  shame 
those  who  have  been  most  highly  fa- 
vored. The  poor  often  thus  put  to 
shame  the  rich ;  the  ignorant  the 
learned ;  the  young  the  aged. 

19.  Go  thy  wmj.  To  the  priest ;  for 
without  his  ^Ptificate  he  could  not 
again  be  restored  {o  the  society  of  his 
friends,  or  to  the  public  worshij3  of 
God.  Having  now  appropriately  ex- 
pressed your  gratitude,  go  to  the 
priest  and  obey  the  law  of  God. 
Renewed  sinners,  while  their  hearts 
overflow  with  gratitude  to  Jesus,  ex- 
press that  gratitude  by  obeying  God, 
and  by  engaging  in  the  appropriate 
duties  of  their  calling  and  of  religion. 

20.  Was  demanded.  Was  asked.  *[[  Of 
the  Pharisees.  This  was  a  matter  of 
much  importance  to  them,  and  they 
had  taught  that  it  would  come  with 
parade  and  pomp.  It  is  not  unlikely 
that  they  asked  this  merely  in  con- 
tempt^ and  for  the  purpose  of  drawing 


swered  them  and  said,  The  king- 
dom of  God  Cometh  ^  not  with  ob- 
servation. 

21  Neither  shall  they  say,  Lo 
here !  or,  Lo  there !  for,  behold,  the 
*  kingdom  of  God  is  ^  within  you. 

b  Rom.  14. 17.  2  or,  among  you.  Jno.  1.  26. 

out  something  that  would  expose  him 
to  ridicule.  ^  The  kingdom  of  God. 
The  reig7i  of  God ;  or  the  dispensation 
under  the  Messiah.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iii.  2.  1  With  observation.  With 
scrupulous  and  attentive  looking  for 
it,  or  with  such  an  appearance  as 
to  attract  observation  —  that  is,  with 
pomj^,  majesty,  splendor.  He  did  not 
deny  that,  according  to  their  views, 
the  time  was  drawing  near;  but  he 
denied  that  his  kingdom  would  come 
in  the  manner  in  which  they  expect- 
ed. The  Messiah  would  not  come  with 
pomp  like  an  earthly  prince;  perhaps 
not  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  discern- 
ed by  the  eyes  of  sagacious  and  artful 
men,  who  were  expecting  him  in  a 
way  agreeable  to  their  own  feelings. 
The  kiijteom  of  God  is  withiji  men, 
and  it  maKes  its  way,  not  by  pomp  and 
noise,  but  by  silence,  decency,  and  or- 
der. 1  Cor.  xiv.  40. 

21.  Lo  here  !  or.,  Lo  there  !  When  an 
earthly  prince  visits  different  parts  of 
his  territories,  he  does  it  with  pomp. 
His  movements  attract  observation, 
and  become  the  common  topic  of  con- 
versation. The  inquiry  is,  Where  is 
he  ?  which  way  will  he  go  ?  and  it  is 
a  matter  of  important  7iews  to  be  able 
to  say  where  he  is.  Jesus  says  that 
the  Messiah  would  not  come  in  that 
manner.  It  would  not  be  with  such 
pomp  and  public  attention.  It  would 
be  silent,  obscure,  and  attracting  com- 
paratively little  notice.  Or  the  pas- 
sage may  have  reference  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  pretended  Messiahs,  who 
appeared  in  this  manner.  They  said 
that  in  this  place  or  in  that,  in  this 
mountain  or  that  desert,  they  would 
show  signs  that  would  convince  the 
people  that  they  were  the  Messiah. 
Compare  Notes  on  Acts  v.  36,  37.  1[  Is 
within  you.  This  is  capable  of  two  in- 
terpretations. 1st.  The  reign  of  God 
is  in  the  heart.  It  does  not  come  with 
pomp  and  splendor,  like  the  reign  of 
temporal  kings,  merely  to  control  the 
external  actions  and  strike  the  senses 
of  men  with  awe,  but  it  reigns  in  the 
heart  by  the  law  of  God ;  it  sets  up 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


141 


22  And  lie  said  unto  the  disci- 
ples, The  «  days  will  come  when  ye 
shall  desire  to  see  one  of  the  days 
of  the  Son  of  man,  and  ye  shall 
not  see  it. 

23  And  *  they  shall  say  to  you, 
See  here ;  or.  See  there :  go  not 
after  them^  nor  follow  them. 

24  For  as  the  lightning  that 
lighteneth  out  of  the  one  part  un- 
der heaven,  shineth  unto  the  oth- 
er 2^cL'i't  under  heaven,  so  shall  also 
the  Son  of  man  be  in  his  day. 

25  But "  first  must  he  suffer  many 

a  Matt.  19.15. 

b  Matt.  24.  23,  etc.  Mar.  13.  21.  c.  21.  8. 

its  dominion  over  the  passions,  and 
brings  every  thought  into  captivity 
to  the  obedience  of  Christ.  2d.  It  may 
mean  tlie  new  dispensation  is  even  now 
among  you.  Tlie  Messiah  has  come. 
John  has  ushered  in  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  you  are  not  to  expect  the 
appearance  of  the  Messiali  with  great 
pomp  and  splendor,  for  he  is  now 
among  you.  Most  critics  at  present 
incline  to  this  latter  interpretation. 
The  ancient  versions  chiefly  follow 
the  former. 

22.  The  days  will  come.  He  here 
takes  occasion  to  direct  the  minds  of 
his  disciples  to  the  days  of  vengeance 
which  were  about  to  fall  on  the  J ew- 
ish  nation.  Heavy  calamities  will  be- 
fall the  Jewish  people,  and  you  will 
desire  a  deliverer.  ^  Ye  shall  desire. 
You  who  now  number  yourselves 
among  my  disciples.  ^  One  of  the 
days  of  the  Son  of  man.  The  Son  of 
man  here  means  the  Messiah^  without 
afiirming  that  he  was  the  Messiah. 
Such  will  be  the  calamities  of  those 
times,  so  great  will  be  the  afflictions 
and  persecutions,  that  you  will  great- 
ly desire  a  deliverer — one  who  shall 
come  to  you  in  the  character  in  which 
you  have  expected  the  Messiah  would 
come,  and  who  would  deliver  you 
from  the  power  of  your  enemies  ;  and 
atithat  time,  in  the  midst  of  these  ca- 
lamities, men  shall  rise  up  pretending 
to  be  the  Messiah,  and  to  be  able  to 
deliver  you.  In  view  of  this,  he  takes 
occasion  to  caution  them  against  be- 
ing led  astray  by  them.  %  Ye  shall 
7iot  see  it.  You  shall  not  see  such  a 
day  of  deliverance — such  a  Messiah  as 
the  nation  has  expected,  and  such  an 
interposition  as  you  would  desire. 


things,  and  be  rejected  of  this 
generation. 

26  And  as  it  was  ^  in  the  days 
of  Noe,  so  shall  it  be  also  in  the 
days  of  the  Son  of  man. 

27  They  did  eat,  they  drank, 
they  married  wives,  they  were  giv- 
en in  marriage,  until  the  day  that 
Noe  entered  into  the  ark,  and  the 
flood  came  and  destroyed  them  all. 

28  Likewise  also  as  it  was  in  the 
days  of  Lot ;  they  did  eat,  they 
drank,  they  bought,  they  sold,  they 
planted,  they  builded : 

c  Mar.  8.31.    c.  9.  22. 
d  Gen.  7.  11,23. 

23,  24.  And  they  shall  say,  etc.  Many 
false  Christs,  according  to  Josephus, 
appeared  about  that  time,  attempting 
to  lead  away  the  people.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  xxiv.  23-27. 

25.  See  Notes  on  Mark  viii.  31. 

26,  27.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  37- 
39. 

28-30.  They  did  eat,  etc.  They  were 
busy  in  the  affairs  of  this  life,  as  if 
nothing  were  about  to  happen.  ^  The 
same  day,  etc.  See  Gen.  xix.  23-25. 
^  It  rained.  The  word  here  used  might 
have  been  rendered  he  rained.  In  Gen- 
esis it  is  said  that  the  Lord  did  it. 
^  Fire  and  brimstone,  God  destroyed 
Sodom  on  account  of  its  great  wick- 
edness. He  took  vengeance  on  it  for 
its  sins ;  and  the  example  of  Sodom 
is  set  before  men  to  deter  them  from 
committing  great  transgressions,  and 
as  a  fill  proof  that  God  will  punish 
the  guilty.  See  Jude  7 ;  also  Isa.  i.  10. 
Jer.  xxiii.  14.  Yet,  in  overthrowing  it, 
he  used  natural  means.  He  is  not  to 
be  supposed  to  have  created  fire  and 
brimstone  for  the  occasion,  but  to 
have  directed  the  natural  means  at  his 
disposal  for  their  overthrow;  as  he 
did  not  create  the  waters  to  drown  the 
world,  but  merely  broke  up  the  fount- 
ains of  the  great  deep  and  opened  the 
windows  of  heaven.  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah, Admah  and  Zeboim  (Deut. 
xxix.  23),  were  four  great  cities,  on  a 
plain  where  is  now  the  Dead  Sea,  at 
the  southeast  of  Palestine,  and  into 
which  the  River  Jordan  flows.  They 
were  built  on  ground  which  abound- 
ed, doubtless,  as  all  that  region  now 
does,  in  bitumen  or  naphtha,  which  is 
easily  kindled,  and  which  burns  with 
great  intensity.  The  phrase  "fire  and 


142 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


29  But  the  same  day  that  Lot 
went  out "  of  Sodom,  it  rained  fire 
and  brimstone  from  heaven,  and 
destroyed  them  all. 

30  Even  thus  shall  it  be  in  the 
day  when  the  Son  of  man  is  re- 
vealed.* 

31  In  that  day,  he  which  shall  be 
upon  the  house-top,  and  his  stulf 
in  the  house,  let  him  not  come 
down  to  take  it  away ;  and  he 
that  is  in  the*  field,  let  him  like- 
wise not  return  back. 

32  Remember  Lot's wife. 

33  Whosoever  ^  shall  seek  to  save 
his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  whoso- 
ever shall  lose  his  life,  shall  pre- 
serve it. 

34  I  tell  you,  in  that  night  there 
*  shall  be  two  men  in  one  bed ;  the 

a  Gen,  19.  23,  24.         ft  2  Tbess.  1.  7.         c  Gen.  19.  26. 
d  Matt.  16.  25.    Mar.  8.  35.    c.9.24.    Jno.  12.  25. 
€  Matt.  24.40,41. 


brimstone"  is  a  Hebrew  form  of  ex- 
pression, denoting  sulpliurous  fire,  or 
fire  having  tlie  smell  of  sulphur;  and 
may  denote  a  volcanic  eruption,  or 
any  burning  lilvc  that  of  naphtlia. 
There  is  no  improbability  in  supposing 
either  that  this  destruction  was  ac- 
complished by  lightning,  which  ig- 
nited the  naphtha,  or  that  it  was  a 
volcanic  eruption,  which,  by  direction 
of  God,  overthrew  the  wicked  cities. 
^  From  heaven.  By  command  of  God, 
or  from  the  sky.  To  the  people  of 
Sodom  it  had  the  appearance  of  coming 
from  heaven,  as  all  volcanic  eruptions 
would  have.  Hundreds  of  towns  have 
been  overthrown  in  this  way,  and  all 
by  the  agency  of  God.  He  rules  the 
elements,  and  makes  them  his  instru- 
ments, at  his  pleasure,  in  accomplish- 
ing the  destruction  of  the  wicked. 

80.  Even  tJms^  etc.  Destruction  came 
upon  the  old  world,  and  upon  Sodom, 
suddenly ;  when  they  were  engaged  in 
other  things,  and  little  expecting  this. 
So  suddenly  and  unexpectedly,  says 
he,  shall  destruction  come  upon  the 
Jewish  people.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxiv. 

31.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  17, 18. 

32.  Bemember  LoVs  wife.  See  Gen. 
xix.  26.  She  looked  back — she  delay- 
ed— perhaps  she  desired  to  take  some- 
thing with  her,  and  God  made  her  a 


one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other 
shall  be  left. 

35  Two  women  shall  be  grinding 
together ;  the  one  shall  be  taken, 
and  the  other  left.  . 

36  Two  ^  men  shall  be  in  the  field; 
the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the 
other  left. 

37  And  they  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  Where,  Lord  ?  And  he 
said  unto  them.  Wheresoever  the 
body  is^  f  thither  will  the  eagles 
be  gathered  together. 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 

AND  he  spake  a  parable  unto 
them  to  this  end^  that  men 
ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to 
faint ; 

2  Saying,  There  was  ^  in  a  city  a 

1  verse  36th  is  wanting  in  most  Greek  copies. 

/  Job  39.  30.  Matt.  24.  28.  </  Psa.  65.  2  ;  102. 17. 
c.  11.8;  21.36.    Rom.  12. 12.    Eph.  6. 18.    Phil.  4,  6. 

2  in  a  certain  city. 

monument  of  his  displeasure.  Jesus 
directed  his  disciples,  when  they  saw 
the  calamities  coming  upon  the  Jews, 
to  flee  to  the  mountains.  Matt.  xxiv. 
16.  He  here  charges  them  to  be  in 
haste — not  to  look  back — not  to  de- 
lay — but  to  escape  quickly,  and  to  re- 
member that  by  delaying  the  wife  of 
Lot  lost  her  life. 

33.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  39. 

34-36.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  40, 
41. 

37.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  26. 
1[  Where,  Lord?  Where,  or  in  what  di- 
rection, shall  these  calamities  come  ? 
The  answer  implies  that  it  would  be 
where  there  is  the  most  guilt  and  wick- 
ed?iess.  Eagles  flock  where  there  is 
prey.  So,  said  he,  these  armies  will 
flock  to  tlie  place  where  there  is  the 
most  wickedness;  and  by  this  their 
thoughts  were  directed  at  once  to  Je- 
rusalem, the  place  of  eminent  wicked- 
ness, and  the  place,  therefore,  where 
these  calamities  might  be  expectedilo 
begin. 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 
1.  A  parable.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xiii.  3.  To  this  end.  To  show  this. 
^  Always.  At  all  times.  That  is,  we 
must  not  neglect  regular  stated  sea- 
sons of  prayer;  we  must  seize  on  oc- 
casions of  remarkable  providences — 
as  afflictions  or  signal  blessings — to 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


143 


judge,  which  feared  not  God,  nei- 
ther regarded  man : 

3  And  there  was  a  widow  in  that 
city ;  and  she  came  unto  him,  say- 
ing, Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary. 

4  And  he  would  not  for  a  while  : 
but  afterward  he  said  within  him- 
self. Though  I  fear  not  God,  nor 
regard  man ; 


seek  God  in  prayer;  we  must  always 
maintain  a  spirit  of  prayer,  or  be  in  a 
proper  frame  to  lift  up  our  hearts  to 
God  for  his  blessing,  and  we  must  not 
grow  weary  though  our  prayer  seems 
not  to  be  answered.  H  Not  to  faint. 
Not  to  grow  weary  or  give  over.  The 
parable  is  designed  to  teach  us  that, 
though  our  prayers  should  long  ap- 
pear to  be  unanswered,  we  should  per- 
severe, and  not  grow  weary  in  suppli- 
cation to  God. 

2.  A  judge  which  feared  not  God.  One 
appointed  by  law  to  determine  causes 
brought  before  him.  This  judge  had 
no  reverence  for  God,  and  consequent- 
ly no  regard  for  the  rights  of  man. 
These  two  things  go  together.  He 
that  has  no  regard  for  God  can  be  ex- 
pected to  have  none  for  man ;  and 
our  Lord  has  here  indirectly  taught 
us  wliat  ought  to  be  the  character  of 
a  judge — that  he  should  fear  God  and 
regard  the  riglits  of  man.  Compare 
Deut.  i.  16, 17.  H  Regarded  man.  Cared 
not  for  man.  Had  no  respect  for  the 
opinions  or  the  rights  of  man. 

3.  A  widow.  This  is  a  circumstance 
that  gives  increasing  interest  to  the 
parable.  Judges  were  bound  to  show 
peculiar  attention  to  widows.  Isa.  i. 
17.  Jer.  xxii.  3.  The  reason  of  this 
was  that  they  were  defenseless,  were 
commonly  poor,  and  were  liable  to  be 
oppressed  by  those  in  power.  ^  Avenge 
me.  This  would  have  been  better 
translated,  "  Do  me  justice  against  my 
adversary,  or  vindicate  me  from  him." 
It  does  not  denote  vengeance  or  re- 
venge, but  simply  that  she  wished  to 
have  justice  done  her — a  thing  which 
this  judge  was  hound  to  do,  but  which 
it  seems  he  had  no  disposition  to  do. 
T[  Adversary.  One  opposed  in  law.  In 
this  case  it  seems  that  the  judge  was 
unwilling  to  do  justice,  and  probably 
took  advantage  of  her  condition  to 
oppress  her. 

.  4, 5.  For  awhile.  Probably  this  means 


5  Yet,  because  this  widow  troub- 
leth  me,  I  will  avenge  her,  lest  by 
her  continual  coming  she  weary  me. 

6  And  the  Lord  said.  Hear  what 
the  unjust  judge  saith. 

7  And  shall  not  God  avenge  ^ 
his  own  elect  which  cry  day  and 
night  unto  him,  though  he  bear 
long  with  them  ? 

a  Rev.  6. 10. 


for  a  considerable  time.  It  was  his  duty 
to  attend  to  the  claims  of  justice,  but 
this  was  long  delayed.  1  Within  him- 
self He  thought,  or  came  to  a  con- 
clusion. T[  Though  I  fear  not^  etc. 
This  contains  the  reason  wlij'  he  at- 
tended to  the  case  at  all.  It  was  not 
from  any  regard  to  justice,  or  to  the 
duties  of  his  olRce.  It  was  simjDly  to 
avoid  trouble.  And  yet  his  conduct 
in  this  case  might  have  appeared  very 
upright,  and  possibly  might  have  been 
strictly  according  to  law  and  to  jus- 
tice. How  many  actions  are  perform- 
ed that  appear  well,  when  the  doers  of 
those  actions  know  that  they  are  mere 
hypocrisy  !  and  how  many  actions  are 
performed  from  the  basest  and  lowest 
motives  of  selfishness,  that  have  the 
appearance  of  external  propriety  and 
even  of  goodness  !  ^  She  weary  me. 
The  word  used  here,  in  the  original,  is 
that  which  was  employed  to  denote 
the  wounds  and  bruises  caused  by 
boxers,  who  beat  each  other,  and  black- 
en their  eyes,  and  disable  them.  See 
Notes  on  1  Cor.  ix.  27.  Hence  it  means 
any  vexatious  and  troublesome  impor- 
tunity that  takes  the  time,  and  disa- 
bles from  other  employment. 

6.  Hear,  etc.  Give  attention  to  this, 
and  derive  from  it  practical  instruc- 
tion. 

7.  Shall  not  God  avenge,  etc.  We  are 
not  to  suppose  that  the  character  of 
God  is  at  all  represented  by  this  judge, 
or  that  his  principles  of  conduct  are  at 
all  like  those  of  the  judge.  This  par- 
able shows  us  conclusively  that  many 
circumstances  of  a  parable  are  not  to 
be  interpreted  closely:  they  are  mere 
appendages  to  the  narrative.  The 
great  truth  which  our  Saviour  designed 
to  teach  is  what  we  ought  to  endeav- 
or to  find.  In  this  case  there  can  be 
no  doubt  what  that  truth  is.  He  has 
himself  told  us  that  tt  is,  that  men 
ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint. 
This  he  teaches  by  the  example  in  the 


144 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


8  I  tell  you  that  he  will  avenge 
them  speedily.    ^  Nevertheless, 

a  Psa.  46.  5.   Heb.  10.  37.    2  Pet.  3.  8, 9. 

parable ;  and  the  argument  which  it 
implies  is  this :  1st.  A  poor  widow,  by 
her  perseverance  only,  obtained  from 
an  unjust  man  what  otherwise  she 
would  not  have  obtained.  2d.  God  is 
not  unjust.  He  is  good,  and  disposed 
to  do  justice  and  to  bestow  mercy. 
If,  therefore,  this  wicked  man  by  per- 
severing prayer  was  induced  to  do  jus- 
tice, how  much  more  shall  God^  who 
is  good,  and  who  is  not  actuated  by 
any  such  selfish  and  base  principles, 
do  justice  to  them  who  applj^  to  him  ! 
^  Avenge.  Do  justice  to  or  vindicate 
them.  This  may  have  a  twofold  ref- 
erence. 1st.  To  the  disciples  in  the 
time  of  J esus,  who  were  about  to  be 
oppressed  and  persecuted,  and  over 
whom  calamities  were  about  to  come, 
as  if  God  did  not  regard  their  cries 
and  had  forsaken  them.  To  them  Je- 
sus gives  the  assurance  that  God  would 
hear  their  petitions  and  come  forth  to 
vindicate  them ;  and  that,  notwith- 
standing all  these  calamities,  he  would 
yet  appear  for  their  deliverance.  2d. 
It  may  have  a  more  general  meaning. 
The  people  of  God  are  often  oppress- 
ed, calumniated,  persecuted.  They 
are  few  in  number  and  feeble.  They 
seem  to  be  almost  forsaken  and  cast 
down,  and  their  enemies  triumph. 
Yet  in  due  time  God  will  hear  their 
prayers,  and  will  come  forth  for  their 
vindication.  And  even  if  it  should 
not  be  in  this  life,  yet  he  will  do  it  in 
the  day  of  judgment,  when  he  will 
pronounce  them  blessed,  and  receive 
them  forever  to  himself  H  Mis  own 
elect.  People  of  God,  saints.  Chris- 
tians ;  so  called  because  God  has 
chosen  them  to  be  his.  The  term  is 
usually  given  in  the  Scriptures  to  the 
true  followers  of  God,  and  is  a  term 
ofaff'ection,  denoting  his  great  and 
peculiar  love  in  choosing  them  out  of 
a  world  of  sinners,  and  conferring  on 
them  grace,  and  mercy,  and  eternal 
life.  See  1  Thess.  i.  4.  Col.  iii.  12.  1 
Pet.  i.  2.  Eph.  i.  4.  It  signifies  here 
that  they  are  peculiarly  dear  to  him ; 
that  he  feels  a  deep  interest  in  their 
welfare,  and  that  he  will  therefore  be 
ready  to  come  forth  to  their  aid.  The 
judge  felt  no  special  interest  in  that 
widow,  yet  he  lieard  her;  God  feels  a 
particular  regard,  a  tender  love  for  his 
elect,  and  therefore  he  will  hear  and 


when  the  Son  of  man  cometh, 
shall  *  he  find  faith  on  the  earth  ? 

b  Matt.  24. 12. 


save.  1[  Which  cry  day  and  night. 
This  expresses  one  striking  charac- 
teristic of  the  elect  of  God ;  they  pray, 
and  pray  constantly.  No  one  can  have 
evidence  that  he  is  chosen  of  God  who 
is  not  a  man  of  prayer.  One  of  the 
best  marks  by  which  the  electing  love 
of  God  is  known  is  that  it  disposes 
us  to  pray.  This  passage  supposes 
that  when  the  elect  of  God  are  in 
trouble  and  pressed  down  with  ca- 
lamities, they  will  cry  unto  him  ;  and 
it  affirms  that  if  they  do,  he  will  hear 
their  cries  and  answer  their  requests. 
*^  Though  he  hear  long  with  them.  This 
passage  has  been  variously  interpret- 
ed, and  there  is  some  variety  of  read- 
ing in  the  manuscripts.  Some  read, 
' '  Will  not  God  avenge  his  elect  ?  Will 
he  linger  in  their  cause?"  But  the 
most  natural  meaning  is,  "Although, 
he  defers  long  to  avenge  them,  and' 
greatly  tries  their  patience,  yet  he 
will  avenge  them."  He  tries  their 
faith ;  he  suffers  their  persecutions 
and  trials  to  continue  a  long  time; 
and  it  almost  appears  as  if  he  would 
not  interpose.  Yet  he  will  do  it,  and 
will  save  them. 

8.  Speedily.  Suddenly,  unexpected- 
ly. He  will  surely  vindicate  them, 
and  that  at  a  time,  perhaps,  when  they 
were  nearly  ready  to  give  over  and  to 
sink  into  despair.  This  may  refer  to 
the  deliverance  of  the  disciples  from 
their  approaching  trials  and  persecu- 
tions among  the  Jews ;  or,  in  general, 
to  the  fact  that  God  will  interpose  and 
aid  his  people.  ^  Nevc7'theless.  But. 
Notwithstanding  this.  Though  this 
is  true  that  God  will  avenge  his  elect, 
yet  will  he  find  his  elect  faithful?  The 
danger  is  not  that  God  will  be  un- 
faithful— he  will  surely  be  true  to  his 
promises ;  but  the  danger  is  that  his 
elect  —  his  afflicted  people  —  will  be 
discouraged ;  will  not  persevere  in 
prayer;  will  not  continue  to  have 
confidence  in  him ;  and  will,  under 
heavy  trials,  sink  into  despondency. 
The  sole  meaning  of  this  phrase,  there- 
fore, is,  that  there  is  more  danger  that 
his  people  would  grow  weary,  than  that 
God  would  he  found  unfaithful  and  fail 
to  avenge  his  elect.  For  this  cause 
Christ  spoke  the  parable,  and  by  the 
design  of  the  parable  this  passage  is  to 
be  interpreted.    \  Son  of  man  comcth. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


145 


9  And  he  spake  this  parable  unto 
certain  which  ^  trusted  in  them- 
selves ^  that  they  were  righteous, 
and  despised  others : 

a  c.  10.  29. 


This  probably  refers  to  the  approach- 
ing destruction  of  Jerusalem  —  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah,  by  his  mighty 
power,  to  abolish  the  ancient  dispen- 
sation and  to  set  up  the  new.  T[  Faith. 
The  word  faith  is  sometimes  taken  to 
denote  tlie  whole  of  religion,  and  it  has 
been  understood  in  this  sense  here; 
but  there  is  a  close  connection  in  what 
Christ  says,  and  it  should  be  under- 
stood as  referring  to  what  he  said 
before.  The  truth  that  he  had  been 
teaching  was,  that  God  would  deliver 
his  people  from  their  calamities  and 
save  them,  though  he  suffered  them 
to  be  long  tried.  He  asks  them  here 
whether,  when  he  came,  he  should 
find  t7iis  faith,  or  a  belief  of  t?iis  truth., 
among  his  followers  ?  Would  they  be 
found  persevering  in  prayer,  and  be- 
lieving that  God  would  yet  avenge 
them ;  or  would  they  cease  to  pray 
always^  Mid  faint?  This  is  not  to  be 
understood,  therefore,  as  affirming 
that  when  Christ  comes  to  judgment 
there  will  be  few  Christians  on  the 
earth,  and  that  the  world  will  be  over- 
run with  wickedness.  That  may  he 
true,  but  it  is  not  the  truth  taught 
here.  H  The  earth.  The  land — refer- 
ring particularly  to  the  land  of  Judea. 
The  discussion  had  particular  refer- 
ence to  their  trials  and  persecutions 
in  that  land.  This  question  implies 
that  in  those  trials  many  professed 
disciples  might  faint  and  turn  back, 
and  many  of  his  real  followers  almost 
lose  sight  of  this  great  truth,  and  be- 
gin to  inquire  whether  God  would 
interpose  to  save  them.  The  same 
question  may  be  asked  respecting  any 
other  remarkable  visitation  of  the  Son 
of  God  in  affliction.  When  tried  and 
persecuted,  do  we  believe  that  God 
will  avenge  us?  Do  we  pray  always 
and  not  faint  ?  Have  we  faith  to  be- 
lieve that,  though  clouds  and  darkness 
are  round  about  him,  yet  righteous- 
ness and  judgment  are  the  habitation 
of  his  throne  ?  And  when  storms  of 
persecution  assail  us,  can  we  go  to 
God  and  confidently  commit  our  cause 
to  him,  and  believe  that  he  will  bring 
forth  our  righteousness  as  the  light, 
and  our  judgment  as  the  noon-day  ? 

ii.—a 


10  Two  men  went  up  into  the 
temple  to  pray;  the  one  a  Phari- 
see, and  the  other  a  publican. 

11  The  Pharisee  stood  and  pray- 

1  or,  as  being  righteous. 


9.  Unto  certain.  Unto  some.  ^Which 
trusted  in  themselves.  Who  confided 
in  themselves,  or  who  supposed  that 
they  were  righteous.  They  did  not 
trust  to  God  or  the  Messiah  for  right- 
eousness, but  to  their  own  works. 
They  vainly  supposed  they  had  them- 
selves complied  with  the  demands  of 
the  law  of  God.  1[  Despised  others. 
Others  who  w^ere  not  as  externally 
righteous  as  themselves.  This  was 
the  character  of  the  Pharisees.  They 
trusted  in  their  outward  conformity 
to  th6  ceremonies  of  the  law.  They 
considered  all  who  did  not  do  that  as 
sinners.  This,  moreover,  is  the  true 
character  of  self-righteousness.  Men 
of  that  stamp  always  despise  all  oth- 
ers. They  think  they  are  far  above 
them  in  holiness,  and  are  disposed  to 
say  to  them,  Stand  by  thyself,  for  I 
am  holier  than  thoii.  Isa.  Ixv.  5.  True 
religion,  on  the  contrary,  is  humble. 
Those  who  trust  in  Christ  for  right- 
eousness feet  that  they  are,  in  them- 
selves, poor,  and  miserable,  and 
guilty,  and  they  are  willing  to  admit 
that  others  may  be  much  better  than 
themselves.  Certain  it  is,  they  despise 
no  one.  They  love  all  men ;  they  re- 
gard them,  however  vile,  as  the  creat- 
ures of  God  and  as  going  to  eternity, 
and  are  disposed  to  treat  them  well, 
and  to  aid  them  in  their  journey  to- 
ward another  world. 

10.  The  Temple.  Into  one  of  the 
courts  of  the  Temple — the  court  where 
prayer  was  commonly  ofi*ered.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  12.  ^  A  Pharisee. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  7.  T[  Publican. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  46. 

11.  Stood  and  prayed  thus  with  him- 
self. Some  have  proposed  to  render 
this,  "stood  by  himself"  and  prayed. 
In  this  way  it  would  be  characteristic  ^ 
of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  who  dread- 
ed the  contact  of  others  as  polluting, 
and  who  were  disposed  to  say  to  all, 
Stand  by  yourselves.  The  Syriac  so 
renders  it,  but  it  is  doubtful  whether 
the  Greek  will  allow  this  construc- 
tion. If  not,  it  means,  he  said  over 
to  himself  what  he  had  done,  and  what 
was  the  ground  on  which  he  expected 
the  favor  of  God.  H  Godj  I  thank  thee. 


146 


luk:e. 


[A.D.  33. 


ed  thus  with  himself :  God,  I  thank 
thee  that  I  am  not "  as  other  men 
o/re^  extortioners,  mijust,  adulter- 
ers, or  even  as  this  publican : 

alsa.65.5.    Rev.  3, 17. 


There  was  still  in  the  prayer  of  the 
Pharisee  an  appearance  of  real  relig- 
ion. He  did  not  profess  to  claim  that 
he  had  made  himself  better  than  oth- 
ers. .  He  was  willing  to  acknowledge 
that  God  had  done  it  for  him,  and 
that  he  had  a  right  to  his  gratitude 
for  it.  Hypocrites  are  often  the  most 
orthodox  in  opinion  of  any  class  of 
men.  They  know  the  truth,  and  ad- 
mit it.  They  use  it  frequently  in  their 
prayers  and  conversation.  They  will 
even  persecute  those  who  happen  to 
differ  from  them  in  opinion,  and  who 
may  be  really  wrong.  We  are  not  to 
judge  of  the  piety  of  men  by  the  fact 
that  they  admit  the  truth,  or  even 
that  they  use  it  often  in  their  prayers. 
It  is,  however,  not  wrong  to  thank 
God  that  he  has  kept  us  from  the 
gross  sins  which  other  men  commit ; 
but  it  should  not  be  done  in  an  os- 
tentatious manner,  nor  should  it  be 
done  forgetting  still  that  we  are  great 
sinners  and  need  pardon.  These  were 
the  faults  of  the  Pharisees.  ^  Extor- 
tioners. Rapacious;  avaricious;  who 
take  away  the  goods  of  others  by  force 
aTid  violence.  It  means,  also,  those 
who  take  advantage  of  the  necessities 
of  others,  the  poor  and  the  oppressed, 
and  extort  their  property.  H  Unjust. 
They  who  are  not  fair  and  honest  in 
their  dealings  ;  who  get  the  property 
of  others  fraud.  They  are  distin- 
guished from  extortioners  because  they 
who  are  unjust  may  have  the  appear- 
ance of  honesty;  in  the  other  case 
there  is  not. 

12.  I  fast  twice^  etc.  This  was  prob- 
ably the  Jewish  custom.  The  Phari- 
sees are  said  to  have  fasted  regularly 
on  the  second  and  fifth  days  of  every 
week  in  private.  This  was  in  additioji 
to  the  public  days  of  fasting  required 
in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  they  there- 
fore made  more  a  matter  of  merit  of  it 
because  it  was  voluntary.  1[  /  give 
tithes.  A  tithe  means  the  tenth  part 
of  a  thing.  A  tenth  part  of  the  pos- 
sessions of  the  Jews  was  required  for 
the  support  of  the  Lcvites.  Num. 
xviii.  21.  In  addition  to  the  tithes  re- 
quired strictly  by  law,  the  Pharisees 
had  tithed  every  thing  which  they 


12  I  fast  twice  in  the  week,  I 
give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess. 

13  And  the  publican,  standing 
afar  off,  would  not  lift  up  so  much 


possessed — even  the  smallest  matters 
— as  mint,  anise,  cummin,  etc.  Luke 
xi.  42.  It  was  this^  probably,  on  which 
he  so  particularly  prided  himself.  As 
this  could  not  be  proved  to  be  strict- 
ly required  in  the  law,  it  had  more  the 
appearance  of  great  piety,  and  there- 
fore he  particularly  dwelt  on  it.  H  / 
possess.  This  may  mean  either  all 
which  I  have^  or  all  which  I  gain  or 
acquire.  It  is  not  material  which 
meaning  be  considered  the  true  one. 

The  religion  of  the  Pharisee,  there- 
fore, consisted  —  1st.  In  abstaining 
from  injustice  to  others;  in  pretend- 
ing to  live  a  harmless,  innocent,  and 
u\3right  life ;  and,  2d.  In  a  regular  ob- 
servance of  all  the  external  duties  of 
religion.  His  fault  consisted  in  rely- 
ing on  this  kind  of  righteousness ;  in 
not  feeling  and  acknowledging  that  he 
was  a  sinner;  in  not  seeking  a  relig- 
ion that  should  dwell  in  the  heart  and 
regulate  the  feelings ;  and  in  making 
public  and  ostentatious  professions 
of  his  own  goodness.  Most  of  all  was 
this  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God, 
who  looks  into  the  heart,  and  who  sees 
wickedness  there  when  the  external 
actions  may  be  blameless.  We  may 
learn  from  the  case  of  the  Pharisee — 
1st.  That  it  is  not  the  man  who  l\as 
the  most  orthodox  belief  that  has,  of 
course,  the  most  piety ;  2d.  That  men 
may  be  externally  moral,  and  not  be 
righteous  in  the  sight  of  God;  3d. 
That  they  may  be  very  exact  in  the 
external  duties  of  religion,-  and  even 
go  beyond  the  strict  letter  of  the  law ; 
that  they  may  assume  a  great  appear- 
ance of  sanctity,  and  stilfbe  strangers 
to  true  piety ;  and,  4th.  That  ostenta- 
tion in  religion,  or  a  boasting  before 
God  of  what  we  are  and  of  what  we 
have  done,  is  abominable  in  his  sight. 
This  sx^oils  every  thing,  even  if  the 
life  should  be  tolerably  blameless,  and 
if  there  should  be  real  piety. 

13.  Standi7ig  afar  off.  Afar  off  from 
the  Temple.  The  place  where  prayer 
was  offered  in  the  Temple  was  the 
court  of  women.  The  Pharisee  ad- 
vanced to  the  side  of  the  court  near- 
est to  the  Temple,  or  near  as  he  could ; 
the  publican  stood  on  the  other  side 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 


147 


as  his  eyes  unto  heaven,  but  smote 
upon  his  breast,  saying,  God  be 
merciful  to  me,  a  sinner. 

14  I  tell  you,  this  man  went  down 
to  his  house  justified  rather  than 
the  other :  for  *  every  one  that  ex- 
alteth  himself  shall  be  abased ; 
and  he  that  humbleth  himself 
shall  be  exalted. 

15  And  ^  they  brought  unto  him 
also  infants,  that  he  would  touch 
them ;  but  when  his  disciples  saw 
it^  they  rebuked  them. 

16  But  Jesus  called  them  unto 
him^  and  said.  Suffer  little  children 
to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them 
not ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

17  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Who- 
soever shall  not  receive  the  king- 
dom of  God  as  a  little  child,  shall 
in  no  wise  enter  therein. 

18  And  ^  a  certain  ruler  asked 

a  Jer.  31. 19.  b  Job  22.  29.  Matt.  23. 12.  c  Matt. 
19. 13.  Mar.  10. 13,  etc.  d  Psa.  131.  2.  Mar.  10. 15. 
1  Pet.  1.14.         e  Matt.  19. 16,  etc.  Mar.  10.  17,  etc. 

of  the  same  court  if  he  was  a  Jew, 
or  in  the  court  of  the  Gentiles  if  he 
was  a  pagan,  as  far  as  possible  from 
the  Temple,  being  conscious  of  his 
unworthiness  to  approach  the  sacred 
place  where  God  had  his  holy  habita- 
tion. 1[  So  much  as  his  eyes,  etc.  Con- 
scious of  his  guilt.  He  felt  that  he 
was  a  sinner,  and  shame  and  sorrow 
prevented  his  looking  up.  Men  who 
are  conscious  of  guilt  always  fix  their 
eyes  on  the  ground.  ^1  Smote  tqjon  his 
bread.  An  expression  of  grief  and 
anguish  in  view  of  his  sins.  It  is  a 
sign  of  grief  among  almost  all  nations. 
IF  God  be  mercifid,  etc.  The  prayer  of 
the  publican  was  totally  different  from 
that  of  the  Pharisee.  He  made  no 
boast  of  his  own  righteousness  toward 
God  or  man.  He  felt  that  he  was  a 
sinner,  and,  feeling  it,  was  willing  to 
acknowledge  it.  This  is  the  kind  of 
prayer  that  will  be  acceptable  to  God. 
When  we  are  willing  to  confess  and 
forsake  our  sins,  we  shall  find  mercy. 
Prov.  xxviii.  13.  The  publican  was 
willing  to  do  this  in  any  place;  in  the 
presence  of  any  persons  ;  amid  the 
multitudes  of  the  Temple,  or  alone. 
He  felt  most  that  God  was  a  witness 
of  his  actions,  and  he  was  willing, 


him,  saying,  Good  Master,  what 
shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ? 

19  And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Why 
callest  thou  me  good?  None  is 
good  save  one,  that  is,  God. 

20  Thou  knowest  the -^com- 
mandments, Do  not  commit  adul- 
tery. Do  not  kill.  Do  not  steal,  Do 
not  bear  false  witness,  Honour  thy 
father  and  thy  mother. 

21  And  he  said.  All  these  have  I 
kept  from  my  youth  up. 

22  Now  when  Jesus  heard  these 
things,  he  said  unto  him.  Yet  lack- 
est  thou  one  thing:  sell  all  that 
thou  hast,  and  distribute  unto  the 
poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure 
^  in  heaven ;  and  come,  follow  me. 

23  And  when  he  heard  this  he 
was  very  sorrowful ;  for  he  was 
very  rich. 

24  And  when  Jesus  saw  that  he 
was  very  sorrowful,  he  said.  How  ^ 

/Ex.20. 12-16.    Deut.  5. 16-20.    Rom.  13.9. 
o  Matt.  6. 19,20.   1  Tim.  6. 19. 
A  Prov.  11.28.    1  Tim.  6.  9. 


therefore,  to  confess  his  sins  before 
him.  While  we  should  not  seek  to  do 
this  publichj,  yet  we  should  be  willing 
at  all  times  "to  confess  our  manifold 
transgressions,  to  the  end  that  we 
may  obtain  forgiveness  of  the  same 
by  God's  infinite  goodness  and  mer- 
cy." It  is  not  dislionorable  to  make 
acknowledgment  when  we  have  done 
wrong.  No  man  is  so  much  dishon- 
ored as  he  who  is  a  sinner  and  is  not 
willing  to  confess  it;  as  he  who  has 
done  wrong  and  yet  attempts  to  con- 
ceal the  fault,  thus  adding  hypocrisy 
to  his  other  crimes. 

14:.  I  tell  you.  The  Pharisees  would 
have  said  that  the  first  man  here  was 
approved.  Jesus  assures  them  that 
they  judged  erroneously.  God  judges 
of  this  dilferently  from  men.  ^  Judi- 
jied.  Accepted  or  approved  of  God. 
The  word  justify  means  to  declare  or 
treat  as  righteous.  In  this  case  it 
means  that  in  their  prayers  the  one 
was  approved  and  the  other  not;  the 
one  went  down  with  the  favor  of  God 
in  answer  to  his  petitions,  the  other 
not.  H  For  every  one,  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Luke  xiv.  11. 

15-30.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xix.  13- 
30. 


148 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  ! 

25  For  it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to 
go  through  a  needle's  eye,  than  for 
a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God. 

26  And  they  that  heard  it  said, 
Who,  then,  can  be  saved  ? 

27  And  he  said.  The  «  things 
which  are  impossible  with  men 
are  possible  with  God. 

28  Then  Peter  said,  Lo,  we  have 
left  all  and  followed  thee. 

29  And  he  said  unto  them.  Veri- 
ly I  say  unto  you,  there  is  no  man 
that  hath  *  left  house,  or  parents, 
or  brethren,  or  wife,  or  children, 
for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake, 

30  Who  shall  not  receive  mani- 
fold more  in  this  present  time, 
and  in  the  world  to  come  life^ 
everlasting. 

31  Then  he  took  unto  Mm  the 
twelve,  and  said  unto  them,  Be- 
hold, we  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and 
^  all  things  that  are  written  by  the 
prophets  concerning  the  Son  of 
man  shall  be  accomplished. 

32  For  he  shall  be  delivered* 
unto  the  Gentiles,  and  shall  be 
mocked,  and  spitefully  entreated, 
and  spitted  on : 

33  And  they  shall  scourge  Aim, 
and  put  him  to  death ;  and  the 
third  day  he  shall  rise  again. 

34  And  /  they  understood  none 

aJer.  32. 17.  Zech.8.  6.  c.  1,37.  6Deut.33.9. 
c  Rev,  2, 10.  d  Psa,  22.   Isa.  53. 

c  Matt.  27.2,  c.23. 1.    Jno.  18.  28.    Acts  3. 13. 

/Mar.  9.  32.  Jno.  12.16. 


31-33.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xx.  17- 
19.  ^  By  the  prophets.  Those  who 
foretold  the  coming  of  the  Messiah, 
and  whose  predictions  are  recorded 
in  the  Old  Testament.  If  Son  of  man. 
The  Messiah.  They  predicted  that 
certain  things  would  take  place  re- 
specting the  Messiah  that  was  to 
come.  See  Notes  on  Dan.  ix.  25-27. 
Isa.  liii.  Tliese  things^  Jesus  said,  would 
be  accomplished  in  him,  he  being  the 
Son  of  man,  or  the  Messiah. 

84.  Understood  oionc  of  these  things. 
Though  they  were  plainly  revealed, 


of  these  things ;  and  this  saying 
was  hid  from  them,  neither  knew 
they  the  things  which  were  spo- 
ken. 

35  And  it  ^  came  to  pass,  that  as 
he  was  come  nigh  unto  Jericho,  a 
certain  blind  man  sat  by  the  way- 
side, begging ; 

36  And  hearing  the  multitude 
pass  by,  he  asked  what  it  meant. 

37  And  they  told  him  that  J esus 
of  Nazareth  passeth  by. 

38  And  he  cried,  saying,  Jesus, 
thou  Son  of  David,  have  mercy  * 
on  me. 

39  And  they  which  went  before 
rebuked  him,  that  he  should  hold 
his  peace ;  but  he  cried  *  so  much 
the  more.  Thou  Son  of  David, 
have  mercy  on  me. 

40  And  Jesus  stood,  and  com- 
manded him  to  be  brought  unto 
him ;  and  when  he  was  come  near, 
he  asked  him, 

41  Saying,  What  wilt  thou  that 
I  shall  do  unto  thee?  And  he 
said.  Lord,  that  I  may  receive  my 
sight. 

42  And  Jesus  said  unto  him.  Re- 
ceive thy  sight :  thy  ^  faith  hath 
saved  thee. 

43  And  immediately  he  received 
*  his  sight,  and  followed  him,  glo- 
rifying ^  God :  and  all  the  people, 
when  they  saw  i^,  gave  praise  unto 
God. 

g  Matt.  20.  29,  etc.  Mar.  10. 46,  etc.  h  Psa.  62. 12. 

'i  Psa.  141. 1.  j  c.  17. 19.  k  Psa.  30.  2. 

Z  0.5. 26.   Acts  4.  21;  11. 18.    Gal.  1.24. 


yet  such  were  their  prejudices  and 
their  unwillingness  to  believe  them 
that  they  did  not  understand  them. 
They  expected  that  he  would  be  a 
temporal  prince  and  a  conqueror,  and 
they  were  not  willing  to  believe  that 
he  would  be  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  his  enemies.  Thej^  did  not  see 
how  that  could  be  consistent  with  the 
prophecies.  To  us  now  these  things 
appear  plain,  and  we  may  hence  learn 
that  those  things  which  to  us  appear 
most  mysterious  may  yet  appear  per- 
fectly plain ;  and  we  should  learn  to 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTEK  XIX. 


149 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

AND  Jesus  entered  and  passed 
through  Jericho.'* 

2  And,  behold,  there  was  a  man 
named  Zaccheus,  which  was  the 
chief  among  the  publicans,  and  he 
was  rich. 

3  And  he  sought  to  see  Jesus, 
who  he  was ;  and  could  not  for 
the  press,  because  he  was  little  of 
stature. 

a  Josh.  6.  26.    1  Kin.  16. 34. 


trust  in  God,  and  believe  just  what  he 
has  spoken.  See  Matt.  xvi.  21;  xvii.  28. 

35-43.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xx.  29-34. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

1.  And  Jesus  entered^  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  XX.  29.  This  means,  perhaps, 
he  was  passing  through  Jericho  when 
Zaccheus  saw  him.  His  house  was  in 
Jericho. 

2.  A  man  named  Zaccheus.  The  name 
Zaccheus  is  Hebrew,  and  shows  tliat 
this  man  was  a  Jew.  The  Hebrew 
name  properly  means  pure,  and  is  tlie 
same  as  Zacchai  in  Ezra  ii.  9.  Neh. 
vii.  14.  The  publicans,  therefore,  were 
not  all  foreigners.  ^  Chief  among  the 
publicans.  Who  presided  over  other 
tax-gatherers,  or  who  received  their 
collections  and  transmitted  them  to 
the  Roman  government.  H  He  was 
rich.  Though  this  class  of  men  was 
despised  and  often  infamous,  yet  it 
seems  that  they  were  sometimes 
wealthy.  They  sustained,  however, 
the  general  character  of  sinners,  be- 
cause they  were  particularly  odious 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Jews.  See  ver.  7. 
The  evangelist  has  thought  it  worthy 
of  record  that  he  was  rich,  perhaps, 
because  it  was  so  unlikely  that  a  rich 
man  should  follow  so  poor  and  de- 
spised a  personage  as  Jesu^  of  Naza- 
reth, and  because  it  was  so  unusual  a 
thing  during  his  personal  ministry. 
Not  many  rich  were  called,  but  God 
chiefly  chose  the  poor  of  this  world. 
Compare  1  Cor.  i.  26-29. 

3.  Who  he  was.  Rather  what  sort  of 
person  he  was,  or  how  he  appeared. 
He  had  that  curiosity  which  is  natu- 
ral to  men  to  see  one  of  whom  they 
have  heard  much.  It  would  seem, 
also,  that  in  this  case  mere  curiosity 
led  to  his  conversion  and  that  of  his 
family.    Compare  1  Cor.  xiv.  23-25. 


4  And  he  ran  before,  and  climb- 
ed up  into  a  sycamore-tree  to  see 
him ;  for  he  was  to  pass  that 
way. 

5  And  when  Jesus  came  to  the 
place,  he  looked  up  and  saw  *  him, 
and  said  unto  him,  Zaccheus,  make 
haste  and  come  down ;  for  to-day 
I  must  abide  ^  at  thy  house. 

6  And  he  made  haste,  and  came 
down,  and  received  him  joyfully. 

b  Psa.  139. 1-3.  c  Jno.  14.  23.   Rev.  3.  20. 

God  makes  use  of  every  principle — of 
curiosity,  or  sympathy,  or  affection, 
or  hope,  or  fear — to  lead  men  in  the 
way  of  salvation,  and  to  impress  truth 
on  the  minds  of  sinners.  If  The  press. 
The  crowd;  the  multitude  that  sur- 
rounded Jesus.  Earthly  princes  are 
often  borne  in  splendid  equipages,  or 
even  carried,  as  in  Eastern  nations,  in 
palanquins  on  the  shoulders  of  men. 
Jesus  mingled  with  the  multitude, 
not  seeking  distinctions  of  that  sort, 
and  perhai)s,  in  appearance,  not  dis- 
tinguished from  thousands  that  fol- 
lowed him.  11  Little  of  statwe.  Short. 
Not  a  tall  man. 

4.  A  sycamore-tree.  See  this  described 
in  the  Notes  on  chap.  xvii.  6. 

5.  Abide  at  thy  house.  Remain  there, 
or  put  up  with  him.  This  was  an  hon- 
or which  Zaccheus  did  not  expect. 
The  utmost,  it  seems,  which  he  aim- 
ed at  was  to  see  Jesus  ;  hut,  instead  of 
that,  Jesus  proposed  to  remain  with 
him,  and  to  give  him  the  benefit  of 
his  personal  instruction.  It  is  but  one 
among  a  thousand  instances  where  the 
Saviour  goes,  in  bestowing  mercies 
far  beyond  the  desert,  the  desire,  or 
the  expectation  of  men;  and  it  is  not 
improper  to  learn  from  this  example 
that  solicitude  to  behold  the  Saviour 
will  not  pass  unnoticed  by  him,  but 
will  meet  with  his  warm  ai^probation, 
and  be  connected  with  his  blessing. 
Jesus  was  willing  to  encourage  efforts 
to  come  to  him,  and  his  benevolence 
prompted  him  to  gratify  the  desires 
of  the  man  who  was  solicitous  to  see 
him.  He  does  not  disdain  the  man- 
sions of  the  rich  any  more  than  he 
does  the  dwelling-places  of  the  poor, 
provided  there  be  a  humble  heart; 
and  he  did  not  suppose  there  was  less 
need  of  his  presence  in  order  to  save 
in  the  house  of  the  rich  man  than 
among  the  poor.    He  set  an  example 


150 


Lu: 


KE. 


[A.D.  33. 


7  And  when  tliey  saw  it^  they  all 
murmured,  saying,  That  *  he  was 
gone  to  be  guest  with  a  man  that 
is  a  sinner. 

8  And  Zaccheus  stood,  and  said 

a  Matt.  9. 11.    c.  5.  30.  6Psa.41.1. 


to  all  his  ministers,  and  was  not  afraid 
or  ashamed  to  proclaim  his  gospel 
amid  wealth.  He  was  not  awed  by 
external  splendor  or  grandeur. 

7.  Murmured.  Found  fault,  com- 
plained. ^  To  be  a  guest.  To  remain 
with,  or  to  be  entertained  by.  H  A 
man  that  is  a  simier.  All  publicans 
they  regarded  as  great  sinners,  and 
tlie  chi^  of  the  publicans,  tlierefore, 
they  regarded  as  peculiarly  wicked. 
It  would  appear  also  from  Zaccheus' s 
confession  that  his  character  had  been 
that  of  an  oppressive  man.  But  the 
people  seemed  to  forget  that  he  might 
be  a  penitent,  and  that  the  Messiali 
came  to  save  that  which  was  lost. 

8.  The  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the 
poor.  It  is  not  necessary  to  under- 
stand this  as  affirming  that  this  had 
been  his  practice,  or  that  he  said  this 
in  the  way  of  proclaiming  his  own 
righteousness.  It  may  be  understood 
rather  as  a  purpose  which  he  the7i 
formed  under  the  teaching  of  Christ. 
He  seems  to  have  been  sensible  that 
he  was  a  sinner.  Of  this  he  was  con- 
vinced, as  we  may  suppose,  by  the 
presence  and  discourse  of  Jesus.  At 
first,  attracted  only  by  curiosity,  or, 
it  may  be,  by  partial  conviction  that 
this  was  the  Messiah,  he  had  sought 
to  see  the  Saviour;  but  his  presence 
and  conversation  convinced  him  of 
his  guilt,  and  he  stood  and  openly 
confessed  his  sins,  and  expressed  his 
I^urjjose  to  give  lialf  his  ill-gotten 
property  to  the  poor.  This  was  not 
a  proclamation  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness, nor  tJie  ground  of  his  righteous- 
ness, but  it  was  the  evidence  of  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  repentance,  and  the  con- 
fession which  with  the  mouth  is  made 
unto  salvation.  Rom.  x.  10.  H  And 
if  I  have  taken.  His  office  gave  him 
the  power  of  oppressing  the  people, 
and  it  seems  that  he  did  not  deny  that 
it  had  been  done.  H  By  false  accusa- 
tion. This  is  the  same  word  which  in 
Luke  iii.  14  is  rendered,  "neither  ac- 
cuse any  falsely."  The  accusation 
seems  to  have  been  so  made  that  the 
jjerson  accused  was  obliged  to  pay 
much  greater  taxes,  or  so  that  his  I 


unto  the  Lord,  Behold,  Lord,  the 
half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the 
poor ;  *  and  if  I  have  taken  any 
thing  from  any  man  by  <^  false  ac- 
cusation, I  restore  ^  him  four-fold. 

c  Ex.  20. 16.  c.3.14.  1.   2  Sam.  12.6. 


property  came  into  the  hands  of  the 
informer.  There  are  many  ways  in 
which  this  might  be  done,  but  w^e  do 
not  know  the  exact  manner,  t  1 1'^- 
store  him.  We  can  not  suppose  that 
this  had  been  always  his  practice,  for 
no  man  would  w^antonly  extort  money 
from  another,  and  then  restore  him  at 
once  four  times  as  much ;  but  it  means 
that  he  was  made  sensible  of  his  guilt; 
perhaps  that  his  mind  had  been  a  con- 
siderable time  perplexed  in  the  mat- 
ter, and  that  now  he  was  resolved  to 
make  the  restoration.  This  was  the 
evidence  of  his  penitence  and  conver- 
sion. And  here  it  may  be  remarked 
that  this  is  'always  an  indisputable 
evidence  of  a  man's  conversion  to 
God.  A  man  who  has  hoarded  ill-got- 
ten gold,  if  he  becomes  a  Christian, 
will  be  disposed  to  do  good  with  it. 
A  man  who  has  injured  others — who 
has  cheated  them  or  defrauded  them, 
even  by  due  forms  of  law,  must,  if  he  be 
a  Christian,  be  willing,  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, to  make  restoration.  Zaccheus, 
for  any  thing  that  appears  to  the  con- 
trary, may  have  obtained  this  proper- 
ty by  the  decisions  of  courts  of  jus- 
tice, but  he  now  felt  that  it  was  wrong; 
and  though  the  defrauded  men  could 
not  legally  recover  it,  yet  his  con- 
science told  him  that,  in  order  to  his 
being  a  true  penitent,  he  must  make 
restitution.  One  of  the  best  evidences 
of  true  conversion  is  when  it  produces 
this  result;  and  one  of  the  surest  evi- 
dences that  a  professed  penitent  is  not 
a  true  one,  is  when  he  is  not  disposed 
to  follow  the  example  of  this  son  of 
Abraham  and  make  proper  restitution. 
H  FonrfoM.  Four  times  as  much  as 
had  been  unjustly  taken.  This  was 
the  amount  that  w^as  required  in  the 
Jewish  law  when  a  sheep  had  been 
stolen,  and  a  man  was  convicted  of 
the  theft  by  trial  at  law.  Exod.  xxii. 
1.  If  he  confessed  it  himself,  without 
being  detected  and  tried,  he  had  only 
to  restore  what  was  stolen,  and  add 
to  it  a  fifth  part  of  its  value.  Num. 
V.  6,  7.  The  sincerity  of  Zaccheiis's 
repentance  was  manilest  by  his  being 
I  willing  to  make  restoration  as  great 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


151 


9  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  This 
day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house, 
forasmuch  as  he  also  is  a  son  *  of 
Abraham. 

10  For  *  the  Son  of  man  is  come 
to  seek  and  to  save  that  which 
was  lost.'' 

ac.  13. 16.  6Matt.  18. 11. 


as  if  it  had  been  i^roved  against  him, 
evincing  his  sense  of  the  wrong,  and 
his  purpose  to  make  full  restitution. 
Tlie  Jews  were  allowed  to  take  no  i7i- 
terest  of  their  brethren  (Lev.  xxv.  35, 
36),  and  this  is  the  reason  why  that  is 
not  mentioned  as  the  measure  of  the 
restitution.  When  injury  of  tliis  kind 
is  done  in  other  places,  the  least  that 
is  proper  is  to  restore  the  principal 
and  interest;  for  the  injured  person 
has  a  right  to  all  that  his  property 
would  have  procured  him  if  it  had 
not  been  unjustly  taken  away. 

9.  Salvation  is  come  to  this  house.  This 
family.  They  have  this  day  received 
the  blessings  of  the  Gospel,  and  be- 
came interested  in  the  Messiali's  king- 
dom. Salvation  commences  when  men 
truly  receive  Christ  and  tlieir  sins  are 
pardoned ;  it  is  completed  when  the 
soul  is  sanctified  and  received  up  into 
heaven.  \  Forasmuch.  Because.  For 
he  has  given  evidence  that  he  is  a  new 
man,  and  is  disposed  to  forsake  his 
bxiis  and  receive  the  Gospel.  T[  The 
son  of  Abraham.  Hitherto,  although 
a  Jew,  yet  he  has  been  a  sinner,  and  a 
great  sinner.  He  was  not  worthy  to 
be  called  a  son  of  Abraham.  Now, 
by  repentance,  and  by  receiving  the 
Christ  whose  da}^  Abraham  saw  and 
was  glad  (John  viii.  56),  he  has  shown 
himself  to  be  worthy  to  be  called  his 
son.  Abraham  was  an  example  of  dis- 
tinguished piety;  the  father  of  the 
faithful  (Rom.  iv.  11),  as  well  as  the 
ancestor  of  the  Jews.  They  were 
called  his  sons  who  were  descended 
from  him,  and  particularly  they  who 
resembled  him.  In  this  place  the  phrase 
is  used  in  both  senses. 

10.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xviii.  11. 

11.  He  spake  a  parable.  This  para- 
ble has  in  some  respects  a  resem- 
blance to  the  parable  of  the  talents 
ill  Matt.  xxv.  14-28,  but  it  is  not  the 
same.  They  differ  in  the  following 
respects :  That  was  spoken  after  he 
had  entered  Jerusalem ;  this,  while  on 
his  way  there.  'That  was  delivered 
on  the  Mount  of  Olives  ;  this,  in  the 


1 1  And  as  they  heard  these  things, 
he  added  and  spake  a  parable,  be- 
cause he  was  nigh  to  Jerusalem, 
and  because  ^  they  thought  that 
the  kingdom  of  God  should  im- 
mediately appear. 

12  He  said,  therefore,  A  certain 

cEzek.34. 16.   Rom.  5.  6.  Acts  1.6. 


house  of  Zaccheus.  That  was  deliv- 
ered to  teach  them  the  necessity  of 
improving  the  talents  committed  to 
them ;  this  was  for  a  different  design. 
He  was  now  near  Jerasalem.  A  great 
multitude  attended  him.  His  disci- 
ples regarded  him  as  the  Messiah,  and 
by  this  they  understood  a  temporal 
prince  who  should  deliver  them  from 
the  dominion  of  the  Romans  and  set 
them  at  libert3^  They  were  anxious 
for  that,  and  supposed  that  the  time 
was  at  hand,  and  that  now,  as  soon  as 
he  entered  Jerusalem,  he  would  as- 
sume the  appearance  of  such  a  prince 
and  set  up  his  kingdom.  To  correct 
that  7iotion  seems  to  have  been  the 
main  design  of  this  parable.  To  do 
that,  he  tells  them  of  a  man  who  had 
a  right  to  the  kingdom,  yet  who,  be- 
fore taking  possession  of  it,  went  into 
another  kingdom  to  receive  a  confir- 
mation of  ills  title,  thus  intimating 
that  he  would  also  go  away  before  he 
would  completely  set  up  his  kingdom 
(verse  12) ;  he  tells  them  that  this  no- 
bleman left  to  his  servants  py^operty 
to  be  improved  in  his  absence,  as  he 
would  leave  to  his  disciples  talents  to 
be  used  in  his  service  (ver.  12, 13);  he 
tells  them  that  this  nobleman  was  re- 
jected by  his  own  citizens  (verse  14), 
as  he  would  be  by  the  Jews ;  and  that 
he  received  the  kingdom  and  called 
them  to  an  account,  as  he  also  would 
his  own  disciples.  H  Because  he  was 
nigh  to  Jerusalem.  The  capital  of  the 
country,  and  where  they  supposed  he 
would  probably  set  up  his  kingdom, 
t  The  kingdom  of  God  should  immedi- 
ately appear.  That  the  reign  of  the 
Messiah  would  immediately  com- 
mence. He  spake  the  parable  to  cor- 
rect that  expectation. 

12.  A  certain  nobleman.  A  prince; 
a  man  descended  from  kings,  and  hav- 
ing a  title,  therefore,  to  succeed  in 
the  kingdom.  ^  Went  into  afar  coun- 
try, etc.  This  expression  is  derived 
from,  the  state  of  things  in  Judea  in 
the  time  of  the  Saviour.  Judea  was 
subject  to  the  Romans,  having  been 


152 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


"nobleman  went  into  a  far  coun- 
try, to  receive  for  himself  a  king- 
dom, and  to  return. 

13  And  he  called  his  ten  serv- 
ants, and  delivered  them  ten 
^  pounds,  and  said  unto  them, 
Occupy  till  I  come. 

a  Matt.  25. 14,  etc.  Mar.  13.  34. 

1  Mina,  here  translated  a  pound,  is  12  ounces  and  a 
half,  which,  at  5  shillings  the  ouuee,  is  £Z  'Is.  6f?. 

conquered  by  Pompey  about  sixty 
years  before  Christ.  It  was,  however, 
governed  by  Jews^  who  held  the  gov- 
ernment under  tlie  Romans.  It  was 
necessary  that  the  prince  or  king 
should  receive  a  recognition  of  his 
right  to  the  kingdom  by  the  Roman 
emperor,  and,  in  order  to  this,  that  he 
should  go  to  Rome ;  or,  as  it  is  said 
here,  that  he  might  receive  to  him- 
self a  kingdom.  "This  actually  occur- 
red several  times.  Archelaus,  a  son 
of  Herod  the  Greats  about  the  time 
of  the  birth  of  Jesus,  went  to  Rome 
to  obtain  a  confirmation  of  the  title 
which  his  father  had  left  him,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  it.  Herod  the  Great, 
his  father,  had  done  the  same  thing 
before  to  secure  the  aid  and  counte- 
nance of  Antony.  Agrippa  the  youn- 
ger, grandson  of  Herod  the  Great, 
went  to  Rome  also  to  obtain  the  fa- 
vor of  Tiberius,  and  to  be  confirmed 
in  his  government.  Such  instances, 
having  frequently  occurred,  would 
make  this  parable  perfectly  intelligi- 
ble to  those  to  whom  it  was  address- 
ed. By  the  nobleman,  here,  is  un- 
doubtedly represented  the  Messiah, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  by  his  going 
into  a  far  country  is  denoted  his  go- 
ing to  heaven,  to  the  right  hand  of  his 
Father,  before  he  should  fully  set  up 
his  kingdom  and  establish  his  reign 
among  men. 

13.  Ten  servants.  Nothing  in  partic- 
ular is  denoted  by  the  number  ten.  It 
is  a  circumstance  intended  to  keep  up 
the  narrative.  In  general,  by  these 
servants  our  Saviour  denotes  his  dis- 
ciples, and  intends  to  teach  us  that 
talents  are  given  us  to  be  improved, 
for  which  we  must  give  an  account  at 
his  return.  Ten  pounds.  The  word 
translated  po2^w(Z  here  denotes  the  He- 
brew minah^  which  was  equal  to  about 
fifteen  dollars.  The  pounds  here  de- 
note the  talents  which  God  has  given 
to  his  servants  on  earth  to  improve, 
and  for  which  they  must  give  an  ac- 
count in  the  day  of  judguient.  H  Occu- 


14  But  *  his  citizens  hated  him, 
and  sent  a  message  after  him,  say- 
ing, will  not  have  this  man  to 
reign  over  us. 

15  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 
when  he  was  returned,  having  re- 
ceived the  kingdom,  then  he  com- 

b  Jno.  1.11;  15.18. 


py  till  I  come.  The  word  occupy  here 
means  not  merely  to  possess^  as  it  oft- 
en does  in  our  language,  but  to  im- 
prove, to  employ  in  business ,  for  the 
purpose  of  increasing  it  or  of  making 
pi'ofit  on  it.  The  direction  was  to  use 
this  money  so  as  to  gain  moi^e  against 
his  return.  So  Jesus  commands  his 
disciples  to  improve  their  talents ;  to 
make  the  most  of  them ;  to  increase 
their  capability  of  doing  good,  and  to 
do  it  until  he  comes  to  call  us  hence, 
by  death,  to  meet  him.  See  1  Cor.  xii. 
7.  Eph.  iv.  7. 

14.  But  his  citizens.  His  subjects,  or 
the  people  whom  he  was  desirous  of 
ruling.  Hated  him.  On  account  of 
his  character,  and  their  fear  of  op- 
pression. This  was,  in  fact,  the  case 
with  regard  to  Archelaus,  the  Jewish 
prince,  who  went  to  Rome  to  be  con- 
firmed in  his  kingdom.  ^  Sent  a  mes- 
sage, saying,  etc.  His  discontented 
subjects,  fearing  what  would  be  the 
character  of  his  reign,  sent  an  embas- 
sy to  remonstrate  against  his  being 
appointed  as  the  ruler.  This  actually 
took  place.  Archelaus  went  to  Rome 
to  obtain  from  Augustus  a  confirma- 
tion of  his  title  to  reign  over  that 
part  of  Judea  which  had  been  left  him 
by  his  father,  Herod  the  Great.  The 
Jews,  knowing  his  character  (comp. 
Matt.  ii.  22),  sent  an  embassy  of  fifty 
men  to  Rome,  to  prevail  on  Augustus 
not  to  confer  the  title  on  him,  but  they 
could  not  succeed.  He  received  the 
kingdom,  and  reigned  in  Judea  in  the 
place  of  his  father.  As  this  fact  was 
fresJi  in  the  memory  of  the  Jews,  it 
makes  this  parable  much  more  strik- 
ing. By  tliis  part  of  it  Christ  design- 
ed'to  denote  that  the  Jews  would  re- 
ject him — the  Messiah,  and  would  say 
that  they  did  not  desire  him  to  reign 
over  them.  See  John  i.  11.  So  it  is 
true  of  all  sinners  that  they  do  not 
wish  Jesus  to  reign  over  them,  and,  if 
it  were  possible,  would  cast  him  oil, 
and  never  submit  to  his  reign. 

15.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxv.  19. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


153 


manded  these  servants  to  be  call- 
ed unto  him,  to  whom  he  had 
given  the  ^  money,  that  he  might 
know  how  much  every  man  had 
gained  by  trading. 

16  Then  came  the  first,  saying. 
Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained  ten 
pounds. 

17  And  he  said  unto  him,  Well, 
thou  good  servant ;  because  thou 
hast  been  faithful  in  a  very  little, 
have  thou  authority  over  ten  cities. 

18  And  the  second  came,  saying. 
Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained  five 
pounds. 

19  And  he  said  likewise  to  him, 
Be  thou  also  over  five  cities. 

20  And  another  came,  saying. 
Lord,  behold,  here  is  thy  pound, 
which  I  have  kept  laid  up  in  a 
napkin ; 

1  silver,  and  so  verse  23. 
a  c.  16, 10. 


16-19.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxv.  20, 
21.  H  Ten  cities.  We  are  not  to  sup- 
pose that  this  will  be  literally  fulfilled 
in  heaven.  Christ  teaches  here  that 
our  reward  in  heaven  will  be  in  pro- 
portiofi  to  our  faithfulness  in  improv- 
ing our  talents  on  earth. 

20.  A  napkin.  A  towel.  He  means 
by  it  that  he  had  not  wasted  it  nor 
thrown  it  by  carelessly,  but  had  been 
very  careful  of  it ;  so  much  so  as  to  be 
at  the  pains  to  tie  it  up  in  a  towel  and 
put  it  in  a  safe  place,  as  if  he  had  been 
very  faithful  to  his  trust.  So  many 
men  employ  their  talents,  their  learn- 
ing, their  property,  their  influence. 
They  have  them ;  they  keep  them ;  but 
they  never  use  them  in  the  service  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and,  in  regard  to  their 
influence  on  the  Church  or  the  world, 
it  would  be  the  same  if  God  had  never 
conferred  on  them  these  talents. 

21.  An  austere  man.  Hard,  severe, 
oppressive.  The  word  is  commonly 
applied  to  unripe  fruit,  and  means 
sowr,  unpleasant,  harsh.  In  this  case 
it  means  that  the  man  was  taking  ev- 
ery advantage,  and,  while  he  lived  in 
idleness,  was  making  his  living  out  of 
the  toils  of  others.  H  Thou  takest  up^ 
etc.  Thou  dost  exact  of  others  what 
thou  didst  not  give.  The  phrase  is 
applied  to  a  man  who  finds  what  has 
been  lost  by  another,  and  keeps  it 


21  For  I  feared  thee,  because 
thou  art  an  austere  man :  thou 
takest  up  that  thou  layedst  not 
down,  and  reap  est  that  thou  didsr 
not  sow. 

22  And  he  saith  unto  him.  Out  ^ 
of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge 
thee,  thou  wicked  servant.  Thou 
knewest  that  I  was  an  austere  man, 
taking  up  that  I  laid  not  down, 
and  reaping  that  I  did  not  sow : 

23  Wherefore,  then,  gavest  not 
thou  my  money  into  the  bank, 
that  at  my  coming  I  might  have 
required  mine  own  with  usury  ? 

24  And  he  said  unto  them  that 
stood  by.  Take  from  him  the 
pound,  and  give  it  to  him  that 
hath  ten  pounds. 

25  (And  they  said  unto  him, 
Lord,  he  hath  ten  pounds.) 

&  2  Sam.  1.16.  Job  15.6.  Matt.  12.37;  22.12.  Rom. 
3.12.  c  Rom.  2.4,5. 


himself,  and  refuses  to  return  it  to 
the  owner.  All  this  is  designed  to 
show  the  sinner's  view  of  God.  He  re- 
gards him  as  unjust,  demanding  more 
than  man  has  power  to  render,  and 
more,  therefore,  than  God  has  Siright  to 
demand.   See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxv.  24. 

22.  Out  of  thine  ow7i  mouth.  By  your 
own  statement,  or  your  own  views  of 
my  character.  If  you  knew  that  tlus 
was  my  character,  and  knew  that  I 
would  be  rigid,  firm,  and  even  severe, 
it  would  have  been  the  part  of  wis- 
dom in  you  to  have  made  the  best  use 
of  the  money  in  your  power ;  but  as 
you  knew  my  character  beforehand, 
and  was  well  acquainted  with  the  fact 
that  I  should  demand  a  strict  com- 
pliance with  your  obligation,  you  have 
no  right  to  complain  if  you  are  con- 
demned accordingly.  We  not  to 
suppose  that  God  is  unjust  or  austere; 
but  what  we  are  to  learn  from  this  is, 
that  as  men  know  that  God  will  be 
j7ist^  and  will  call  them  to  a  strict  ac- 
count in  the  day  of  judgment,  they 
ought  to  be  prepared  to  meet  him, 
and  that  they  can  not  then  complain 
if  God  should  condemn  them. 

23.  The  hank.  The  treasury,  or  the 
place  of  exchange.  Why  did  you  not 
loan  it  out,  that  it  might  be  increased? 
^  Usury.  Interest. 

25.  And  they  said  unto  him.  Those 


154 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


26  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  unto 
every  one  which  hath  shall  be  giv- 

fn;  and  from  him  that  hath  not, 
ven  that  he  hath  shall  be  taken 
away  from  him. 

27  But  those  mine  enemies,* 
which  would  not  that  I  should 
reign  over  them,  bring  hither,  and 
slay  them  before  me. 

28  And  when  he  had  thus  sjio- 
ken,  he  went  before,  ascending  up 
to  Jerusalem. 

29  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
he  was  come  nigh  to  Bethphage 
and  Bethany,  at  the  mount  called 
the  mount  of  Olives,  he  sent  two 
of  his  disciples, 

30  Saying,  Go  ye  into  the  village 
over  against  you;  in  the  which, 
at  your  entering,  ye  shall  find  a 
colt  tied,  whereon  yet  never  man 
sat :  loose  him,  and  bring  him 
hither. 

31  And  if  any  man  ask  you,  Why 
do  ye  loose  him  f  thus  shall  ye  say 
unto  him,  Because  the  Lord  hath 
need  ^  of  him. 

32  And  they  that  were  sent  went 
their  way^and  found  even  as  he 
had  said  unto  them. 

a  Matt.  13. 12;  25l  29.  Mar.  4.  25.  c.  8.  18.  6Psa. 
2.  9;- 21.8,9.  Isa.  66.6,  14.  Nahum  j;,2,8.  Heb. 
loW         c  Matt.  21. 1,  etc.   Mar.  11.  1,  6tc. 


standing  around  him  said.  1[  He  hath^ 
etc.  Tliis  was  probably  an  observa- 
tion made  by  some  of  the  by-stj\nders, 
as  if  surprised  at  such  a  decision. 
"He  has  already  ten  pounds.  Why 
take  away  this  07ie^  and  add  to  what 
he  already  possesses  ?  Why  should 
his  property  be  increased  at  the  ex- 
pense o|tois  man,  who  has  but  one 
I)ound?^Tlie  answer  to  this  i^  given 
in  the  following  verse,  that  every  one 
that  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given;  ev- 
ery man  who  is  faithful,  and  improves 
what  God  gives  him,  shall  receive 
much  more. 

26,  27.  For  I  say,  etc.  These  are  the 
words  of  the  nobleman  declaring  the 
'l)rinciples  on  which  he  would  distrib- 
ute the  rewards  of  his  kingdom. 
'^•But  those  mine  eriemies.  By  the  pun 
ishment  of  those  who  would  not  that 
he  should  reign  over  them  is  denoted 


33  And  as  they  were  loosing  the 
colt,  the  owners  thereof  said  unto 
them.  Why  loose  ye  the  colt  ? 

34  And  they  said,  The  Lord  hath 
need  of  him. 

35  And  they  brought  him  to  Je- 
sus ;  and  they  cast  their  ^  garments 
upon  the  colt,  and  they  set Jesus 
thereon. 

36  And  as  he  went  they  spread 
their  clothes  in  the  way. 

37  And  when  he  was  come  nigh, 
even  now  at  the  descent  of  the 
mount  of  Olives,  the  whole  multi- 
tude of  the  disciples  began  to  re- 
joice and  praise  God  with  a  loud 
voice,  for  all  the  mighty  works 
that  they  had  seen ; 

38  Saying,  Blessed  ^  1)6  the  King 
that  Cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord ;  ^  peace  in  heaven,  and  glory 
in  the  highest. 

39  And  some  of  the  Pharisees 
from  among  the  multitude  said 
unto  him,  Master,  rebuke  thy  dis- 
ciples. 

40  And  he  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  I  tell  you,  that  if  these 

'Bliould  hold  their  peace,  the '  stones 
would  immediately  cry  out. 

(ZPsa.50. 10.  e  2  Kin.  9.  13.         /Jno.  12. 14. 

flrPsa.  118.  26.  c.  13.  35.  /«  c.  2. 14.  Rom.  5.1.  Eph. 
2.14.  tHab.2. 11.  Matt.  3.9. 


the  ruin  that  was  to  come  upon  the 
Jewish  nation  for  rejecting  the  Mes- 
siah, and  also  upon  all  sinners  for 
not  receiving  him  as  their  king.  See 
Notes  on  the  parable  of  the  talents 
in  Matt.  xxv. 

28-89.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1-16. 

The  annexed  very  beautiful  pano- 
rama, from  a  photograph  by  J.  Gra- 
ham, will  illustrate  this  passage,  as 
well  as  the  general  site  and  appear- 
ance of  Jerusalem. 

40.  The  stones  would — cry  out.  It  is 
proper  that  they  should  celebrate  my 
coming.  Their  acclamations  ought  not 
to  be  suppressed.  So  joyful  is  the 
event  which  tliey  celebrate — the  com- 
ing of  the  Messiah — that  it  is  not  fit 
that  I  should  attempt  to  impose  si- 
lence on  them.  The  expression  here 
seems  to  be  proverbial.,  and  is  not  to 
be  taken  literally.    Proverbs  are  dc- 


A.D.  33.] 

41  And  when  he  was  come  near,  he 
beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  « it, 

42  Saying,  If  thou  hadst  known, 
even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy 
day,  *  the  things  which  telong  unto 
thy  peace  !  But  now  they  are  hid 
from  thine  eyes. 

43  For  the  days  shall  come  upon 

<z  Psa.  119. 136.  Jer.9. 1;  13. 17;  17. 16.  Jno.11.35. 
6P8a.95.7,8.  Heb.3.7,13,15. 


signed  to  express  the  truth  strongly^ 
but  are  not  to  he  taken  to  signify  as 
much  as  if  they  were  to  be  interpret- 
ed literally.  The  sense  is,  tliat  his 
coming  was  an  event  of  so  much  im- 
portance that  it  ought  to  be  celebrated 
in  some  way,  and  would  be  celebrated. 
It  would  be  impossible  to  restrain  the 
people,  and  improper  to  attempt  it. 
The  language  here  is  strong  proverb- 
ial language  to  denote  that  fact.  We 
are  not  to  suppose,  therefore,  that  our 
Saviour  meant  to  say  that  the  stones 
were  conscious  of  his  coming,  or  that 
God  would  make  them  speak,  but  only 
that  there  was  great  joy  among  the 
people ;  that  it  was  proper  that  they 
should  express  it  in  this  manner,  and 
that  it  was  not  fit  that  he  should  at- 
tempt to  repress  it. 

41^t4.  He  wept  over  it.  Showing  his 
compassion  for  the  guilty  city,  and 
his  strong  sense  of  the  evils  that  were 
about  to  come  upon  it.  See  Notes  on 
Matt,  xxiii.  37-39.  As  he  entered  the 
city  he  passed  over  the  Mount  of  Ol- 
ives. From  that  mountain  there  was 
a  full  and  magnificent  view  of  the 
city.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1.  The 
view  of  the  splendid  capital  —  the 
knowledge  of  its  crimes — the  remem- 
brance of  the  mercies  of  God  toward 
it — the  certainty  that  it  might  have 
been  spared  if  it  had  received  the 
prophets  and  himself— the  knowledge 
that  it  was  about  to  put  7wm,  their 
long-expected  Messiah,  to  death,  and 
for  that  to  be  given  uj)  to  utter  deso- 
lation— affected  his  heart,  and  the  tri- 
umphant King  and  Lord  of  Zion  wept ! 
Amid  all  his  prosperity,  and  all  the 
acclamations  of  the  multitude,  the 
heart  of  the  Redeemer  of  the  world 
was  turned  from  the  tokens  of  re- 
joicing to  the  miseries  about  to  come 
on  a  guilty  people.  Yet  tliey  might 
have  been  saved.  If  thou  hadst 
known,  says  he,  even  thou,  with  all 
thy  guilt,  the  things  that  make  for 


155 

thee,  that  thine  enemies  shall  cast " 
a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass 
thee  round,  and  keep  thee  in  on 
every  side, 
44  And  shall  lay  thee  even  with 
the  ground,  and  thy  children  with- 
in thee ;  and  they  ^  shall  not  leave 
in  thee  one  stone  upon  another; 

clsa.29.2,8.  Jer.  6.  5,  6.  c?  1  Kin.  9.  7, 8.  Micah 
3.12.  Matt.  23,  37, 38.  c.  13.  34,  35.  e  Matt.  24.  2. 
Mar.  13.  2. 


thy  peace;  if  thou  hadst  repented, 
had  been  righteous,  and  had  received 
the  Messiah ;  if  thou  hadst  not  stain- 
ed thy  hands  with  the  blood  of  the 
prophets,  and  shouldst  not  with  that 
of  the  Son  of  God,  then  these  terrible 
calamities  would  not  come  upon  thee. 
But  it  is  too  late.  The  national  wick- 
edness is  too  great;  the  cup  is  full; 
mercy  is  exhausted ;  and  Jerusalem, 
with  all  her  pride  and  splendor,  the 
glory  of  her  Temple,  and  the  pomp 
of  her  service,  must  perish  !  ^  For  the 
clays  shall  come^  etc.  This  took  place 
under  Titus,  the  Roman  general,  A.D. 
70,  about  thirty  years  after  this  was 
spoken.  ^  Cast  a  trench  about  thee. 
The  word  treyich  now  means  common- 
ly ^pit  or  ditch.  When  the  Bible  was 
translated,  it  meant  also  earth  thrown 
up  to  defeyid  a  camp. — Johnson^ s  Dic- 
tionary. This  is  the  meaning  of  the 
original  here.  It  is  not  a  pit  or  large 
ditch^  but  a  pile  of  earth,  stones,  or 
wood  thrown  up  to  guard  a  camp,  and 
to  defend  it  from  the  approach  of  an 
enemy.  This  was  done  at  the  siege 
of  Jerusalem.  Josephus  informs  us 
that  Titus,  in  order  that  he  might 
compel  the  city  to  surrender  by/am- 
ine^  built  a  wall  around  the  v^^hole  cir- 
cumference of  the  city.  This  wall  was 
nearly  five  miles  in  length,  and  was 
furnished  with  thirteen  castles  or 
towers.  This  work  was  completed 
with  incredible  labor  in  ten  days. 
The  professed  design  of  this  wall  was 
to  keep  the  city  in  on  every  side.  Never 
was  a  prophecy  more  strikingly  ac- 
complished. Shall  lay  thee  even  with 
the  ground^  etc.  This  was  literally 
done.  Titus  caused  a  plow  to  pass 
over  the  place  where  the  Temple 
stood.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  All 
this  was  done,  says  Christ,  because 
Jerusalem  knew  not  the  time  of  its 
visitation — that  is,  did  not  know,  and 
would  not  know,  that  the  Messiah  had 
come.    His  coming  was  the  time  of 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


156 


Lu; 


KE. 


[A.D.  33. 


because  "  thou  knewest  not  the 
time  of  thy  visitation. 

45  And  *  he  went  into  the  tem- 
jole,  and  began  to  cast  out  them 
that  sold  therein,  and  them  that 
l^ought ; 

46  Saying  unto  them,  It  is  ^  writ- 
ten, My  house  is  the  house  of 
prayer,  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den 

of  thieves. 

47  And  he  taught  *  daily  in  the 
temple.  But  the  chief  priests  and 
the  scribes,  and  the  chief  of  the 
people,  sought  to  destroy  him ; 

a  Lam.  1.8.    1  Pet.  2. 12. 

b  Matt.  21. 12, 13.  Mar.  11. 15-17.  Jno.  2. 15, 17. 
cisa.  56.7.  dJer.T.U.  c  Jno.  18.  20. 


their  merciful  visitation.  That  time 
had  been  predicted,  and  invaluable 
blessings  promised  as  the  result  of  his 
advent ;  but  tliey  would  not  know  it. 
They  rejected  him,  they  put  him  to 
death,  and  it  was  just  that  they  should 
be  destroyed. 
45, 46.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  12, 13. 

47.  Daily  i7i  the  Temple.  That  is,  for 
five  or  six  days  before  liis  crucifixion. 

48.  Could  not  find.,  etc.  Were  not 
able  to  accomplish  their  purpose ; 
they  did  not  know  liow  to  bring  it 
about.  TI  Very  attentive.  Literally, 
hvmg  upon  him  to  hear  him.  The  word 
denotes  an  anxious  desire,  a  fixed  at- 
tention, a  cleaving  to  him,  and  an  un- 
willingness to  leave  him,  so  that  they 
might  hear  ]|is  words.  This  is  always 
the  case  when  men  become  anxious 
about  their  salvation.  Thc}^  manifest 
it  by  hanging  on  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel ;  by  fixed  attention  ;  and  by 
an  unwillingness  to  leave  the  place 
where  the  word  of  God  is  preached. 
In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Lord  Je- 
sus wept  over  Jerusalem,  we  may  re- 
mark : 

(1.)  It  was  on  account  of  the  sins 
and  danger  of  the  inhabitants,  and  of 
the  fact  that  they  had  rejected  ofiered 
mercy. 

(2. )  There  was  occasion  for  weeping. 
Jesus  would  not  have  wept  had  there 
been  no  cause  for  it.  If  they  were 
in  no  danger,  if  there  was  no  punish- 
ment in  the  future  world,  why  should 
he  have  wept  ?  When  the  Lord  Jesus 
weeps  over  sinners,  it  is  the  fullest 
proof  that  they  are  in  danger. 

(3.)  Sinners  are  in  the  same  danger 
now.   They  reject  Christ  as  sinners 


48  And  could  not  find  what  they 
might  do ;  for  all  the  people  ^  were 
very  attentive  to  hear  him. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

AND  f  it  came  to  pass,  that  on 
one  of  those  days,  as  he 
taught  the  people  in  the  temple, 
and  preached  the  gospel,  the  chief 
priest  and  the  scribes  came  upon 
^im,  with  the  elders, 

2  And  spake  unto  him,  say- 
ing, Tell  us.  By  ^  what  authority 
doest  thou  these  things  ?  or  who 

1  or,  hanged  on  him. 

f  Matt.  21 .  23,  etc.  Mar.  11. 27,  etc. 

g  Acts  4.  7-10  ;  7.  27. 


did  then.  They  despise  the  Gospel  as 
they  did  then.  They  refuse  now  to 
come  to  him  as  the  inhabitants  of  Je- 
rusalem did.  Why  are  they  not  then 
in  the  same  danger  ? 

(4. )  Deep  feeling,  gushing  emotions, 
lively  affections,  are  proper  in  relig- 
ion. If  the  Saviour  wept,  it  is  not 
improper  for  us  to  weep — it  is  right. 
Nay,  can  it  be  right  not  to  weep  over 
the  condition  of  lost  man  ? 

(5.)  Religion  is  tenderness  and  love. 
It  led  the  Saviour  to  weep,  and  it 
teaches  us  to  sympathize  and  to  feel 
deeply.  Sin  hardens  the  heart,  and 
makes  it  insensible  to  every  pure  and 
noble  emotion;  but  religion  teaches 
us  to  feel  "for  others'  woes,"  and  to 
sympathize  in  the  danger  of  others. 

(6.)  Christians  and  Christian  minis- 
ters should  weep  over  lost  sinners. 
They  have  souls  just  as  precious  as 
they  had  then ;  they  are  in  the  same 
danger;  they  are  going  to  the  judg- 
ment-bar ;  they  are  wholly  insensible 
to  their  danger  and  their  duty. 

"  Did  Christ  o'er  sinners  weep? 
And  shall  our  cheeks  be  dry? 
Let  floods  of  penitential  grief 
Burst  forth  from  every  eye. 

'^The  Son  of  God  in  tears, 

Angels  with  wonder  see! 
Be  thou  astonished,  O  my  soul ; 

He  shed  those  tears  for  thee. 
He  wept  that  we  might  weep; 

Each  sin  demands  a  tear; 
In  heaven  alone  no  sin  is  found, 

And  there's  no  weeping  there." 

CHAPTER  XX. 
1-9.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  23-27. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


157 


is  he  that  gave  thee  this  au- 
thority ? 

3  And  he  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  I  will  also  ask  you  one  thing ; 
and  answer  me : 

4  The  baptism  of  John,  was  it 
from  heaven  or  of  men  ? 

5  And  they  reasoned  with  them- 
selves, saying,  If  we  shall  say,  From 
lieaven,  he  will  say,  Why,  then, 
believed  ye  him  not  ? 

6  But  and  if  we  say.  Of  men, 
all  the  people  will  stone  us ;  for  * 
they  be  persuaded  that  J ohn  was 
a  prophet. 

7  And  they  answered  that  they 
could  not  tell  whence  it  was. 

8  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
ISTeither  tell  I  you  by  what  author- 
ity I  do  these  things. 

9  Then  began  he  to  speak  to  the 
people  this  parable :  A  ^  certain 
man  planted  a  vineyard,  ^  and  let 
it  forth  to  husbandmen,  and  went 
into  a  far  country  for  a  long  time. 

10  And  at  the  season  he  sent  a 
servant  to  the  husbandmen,  that 
they  should  give  him  of  the  fruit  ^ 
of  the  vineyard ;  but  the  husband- 
men beat  him,  and  sent  Mm  away 
empty. 

11  And  again  he  sent  another 
servant ;  and  they  beat  him  also, 
and  entreated  Mm  shamefully,  and 
sent  Mm  away  empty. 

12  And  again  he  sent  a  third; 
and  they  wounded  him  also,  and 
cast  Mm  out. 

13  Then  said  the  lord  of  the 
vineyard.  What  shall  I  do  ?  I  will 
send  my  beloved  son :  it  may  be 
they  will  reverence  Aim,  when  they 
see  him. 

14  But  when  the  husbandmen 
saw  him,  they  reasoned  among 

a  Matt.  14.  5.       b  Matt.  21 .  33,  etc.  Mar.  12.  1,  etc. 

c  Cant.  8. 11,12.    Isa.  5. 1-7. 

tZ  Jno.  15.  6.    Rom,  7.4. 

ePaa.  2.8.    Rom.  8.  17.    Heb.  1.2. 


9-19.  See  this  parable  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  33-45. 
20-38.  See  this  explained  in  the 


themselves,  saying.  This  is  the 
heir :  ^  come,  let  f  us  kill  him,  that 
the  inheritance  may  be  ours. 

15  So  they  cast  him  out  of  the 
vineyard,  and  killed  Mm.  What, 
therefore,  shall  the  lord  of  the 
vineyard  do  unto  them  ? 

16  He  shall  come  and  destroy 
these  husbandmen,  and  shall  give 
the  vineyard  to  others.^  And  when 
they  heard  it^  they  said,  God  forbid. 

17  And  he  beheld  them,  and  said, 
What  is  this,  then,  that  is  written, 
The  ^  stone  which  the  builders  re- 
jected, tlie  same  is  become  the 
head  of  the  corner  ? 

18  Whosoever  shall  fall  upon 
that  stone  shall  be  broken ;  but  on 
*  whomsoever  it  shall  fall,  it  will 
grind  him  to  powder. 

19  And  the  chief  priests  and  the 
scribes  the  same  hour  sought  to 
lay  hands  on  him ;  and  they  feared 
the  people ;  for  they  perceived  that 
he  had  spoken  this  parable  against 
them. 

20  And  they  watched  Mm,  and 
sent  forth  spies,  which  should  feign 
themselves  just  men,  that  ^  they 
might  take  hold  of  his  words,  that 
so  they  might  deliver  him  unto 
the  power  and  authority  of  the 
governor. 

21  And  they  asked  him,  saying. 
Master,  we  know  that  thou  sayest 
and  teachest  rightly,  neither  ac- 
ceptest  thou  the  person  of  any.,  but 
teachest  the  way  of  God  ^  truly : 

22  Is  it  lawful  for  us  to  give  trib- 
ute unto  Cesar,  or  no  ? 

23  But  he  perceived  their  crafti- 
ness, and  said  unto  them.  Why 
tempt  ye  me  ? 

24  Show  me  a  ^  penny.  Whose 
image  and  superscription  hath 

/  Malt.  27.  21-25.  Acts  2.  23  ;  3.  15.  g  Neh.  9. 36, 

37.       h  Psa.  118.  22.     i  Dan.  2.  34,  35.  j  Matt.  22. 

15,  etc.  Mar.  12. 13.  1  or,  of  a  truth.  2  See  Matt. 
18.28. 


Notes  on  Matt.  xxii.  15-33,  and  Mark 
xii.  13-27. 
39.  See  Notes  on  Mark  xii.  32. 


158 


Lu: 


KE. 


[A.D.  33. 


it  ?  They  answered  and  said, 
Cesar's. 

25  And  he  said  unto  them.  Ren- 
der, "  therefore,  unto  Cesar  the 
things  which  be  Cesar's,  and  unto 
God  the  things  which  be  God's. 

26  And  they  could  not  take  hold 
of  his  words  before  the  people; 
and  they  marvelled  at  his  answer, 
and  held  *  their  peace. 

27  Then  ^  came  to  Mm  certain  of 
the  Sadducees,  ^  which  deny  that 
there  is  any  resurrection ;  and  they 
asked  him, 

28  Saying,  Master,  Moses  wrote 
^  unto  us.  If  any  man's  brother  die, 
having  a  wife,  and  he  die  without 
children,  that  his  brother  should 
take  his  wife,  and  raise  up  seed 
unto  his  brother. 

29  There  were  therefore  seven 
brethren ;  and  the  first  took  a 
wife,  and  died  without  children. 

30  And  the  second  took  her  to 
wife,  and  he  died  childless. 

31  And  the  third  took  her;  and 
in  like  manner  the  seven  also ;  and 
they  left  no  children,  and  died. 

32  Last  of  all  the  woman  died 
also. 

33  Therefore  in  the  resurrection 
whose  wife  of  them  is  she  ?  for 
seven  had  her  to  wife. 

34  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto 
them,  The  children  of  this  world 
marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage ; 

35  But  they  which  shall  be  ac- 
counted worthy  /  to  obtain  that 
world,  and  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  neither  marry  nor  are 
given  in  marriage : 

36  Neither  f  can  they  die  any 
more ;  for  they  are  equal  unto  the 
angels,  ^  and  are  the '  children  of 

a  Rom.  13.  7.  ft  Tit.  1. 10, 11.  c  Matt.  22, 23, 
etc.  Mar.  12. 18,  etc.  d  Acts  23.  6,  8.  e  Deut. 
25,5-8.  /c.21.36.  Rev.  3. 4.  Rev.  21.4. 

h  1  Cor.  1 5. 49,  52.    1  Jno.  3.  2.  i  Rom.  8.17. 

J  Ex.  6.  3. 


40-44.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxii.  41- 
46. 

45-47.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  1. 


God,  being  the  children  of  the  res- 
urrection. 

37  Now  that  the  dead  are  raised, 
even  Moses  showed  ^  at  tlft  bush, 
when  he  calleth  the  Lord  the  God 
of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac, 
and  the  God  of  Jacob. 

38  For  he  is  not  a  God  of  the 
dead,  but  of  the  living  ;  for  *  all 
live  unto  him. 

39  Then  certain  of  the  scribes 
answering,  said,  Master,  thou  hast 
well  said. 

40  And  after  that  they  durst  not 
ask  him  any  question  at  all. 

41  And  ^  he  said  unto  them.  How 
say  they  that  Christ  is  David's 
son  ? 

42  And  David  himself  saith  in 
the  book  of  Psalms,  The  Lord  said 
unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right 
hand, 

43  Till  I  make  thine  enemies  thy 
footstool. 

44  David  therefore  calleth  him 
Lord ;  how  is  he  then  his  son  ? 

45  Then,  in  the  audience  of  all 
the  people,  he  said  unto  his  disci- 
ples, 

46  Beware  of  the  scribes,  which 
desire  to  walk  in  long  robes,  and 
love  greetings^  in  the  markets,  and 
the  highest  seats  in  the  synagogues, 
and  the  chief  rooms  at  feasts ; 

47  Which  ?  devour  widows' 
houses,  and  for  a  show,"*  make  long 
prayers :  the  same  shall  receive 
greater « damnation. 

CHAPTEK  XXI. 

AND  he  looked  up,  and '  saw 
the  rich  men  casting  their 
gifts  into  the  treasury. 
2  And  he  saw  also  a  certain  poor 

Rom.  14.8,9.  Z  Matt.  22. 42.  Mar.  12. 35,  etc. 

m  Psa.  110. 1.  Acts  2.  34.  n  1  Tim.  5.  20.  o  Mar. 
12.38, etc.  «c.ll.43.  o  Isa.  10.  2.  Matt.  23.  14. 
2  Tim.  3.  6.  r  1  Thess.  2.  5.  «c.  10. 12,14.  Jas. 
3.1.  <  Mar.  12.41. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 
1-4.  See  this  explained  in  the  Notes 
on  Mark  xii.  41-44. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


159 


widow  casting  in  thither  two  ^ 
mites. 

3  And  he  said.  Of  a  truth  I  say 
unto  you,  that  this  poor  widow 
hath  cast  in  more  «  than  they 
all; 

4  For  all  these  have  of  their 
abundance  cast  in  unto  the  offer- 
ings of  God,  but  she  of  her  pen- 
ury hath  cast  in  all  the  living  that 
she  had. 

5  And  ^  as  some  spake  of  the 
temple,  how  it  was  adorned  with 
goodly  stones  and  gifts,  he  said, 

6  As  for  these  things  which  ye 
behold,  the  days  will  come  in  the 
which  "  there  shall  not  be  left  one 
stone  upon  another  that  shall  not 
be  thrown  down. 

7  And  they  asked  him,  saying. 
Master,  but  when  shall  these  things 
be  ?  and  what  sign  will  there  he 
when  these  things  shall  come  to 
pass  ? 

8  And  he  said,  Take  ^  heed  that 
ye  be  not  deceived ;  for  many  shall 
come  in  my  name,  saying,  I  am 
Christ;  and  *  the  time  draweth 

1  See  Mar.  1 2. 42.  a  2  Cor.  8.12.  b  Matt.  24. 1 , 
etc.  Mar,  13. 1,  etc.  cc.  19.  44,  etc.  <Z  2  Thess.  2. 
3,9,10.  lJno.4. 1.  2Jno.7.         c  Rev.  1.3. 

4.  Penury.  Poverty. 

5.  Goodly  stones.  Beautiful  stones. 
Either  referring  to  the  large,  square, 
and  well-finished  stones  of  which  the 
eastern  wall  was  built,  or  to  the  pre- 
cious stones  which  might  have  been 
used  in  decorating  the  Temple  itself. 
See  Notes  on  Mark  xiii.  1.  ^  Gifts. 
This  word  properly  denotes  any  thing 
devoted  or  dedicated  to  God.  An- 
ciently warriors  dedicated  to  their 
gods  the  spoils  of  war — the  shields, 
and  helmets,  and  armor,  and  garments 
of  those  slain  in  battle.  These  were 
suspended  in  the  temples.  It  would 
seem  that  something  of  this  kind  had 
occurred  in  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem, 
and  that  the  people,  to  express  their 
gratitude  to  God,  had  suspended  on 
the  pillars  and  porches  of  the  Temple 
gifts  and  offerings.  Josephus  men- 
tions particularly  a  golden  vine  with 
Avhich  Herod  the  Great  had  adorned 
the  columns  of  the  Temple. — Antiq. 
13.  8.  See  also  2  Mace.  v.  16 ;  ix.l6. 


near :  go  ye  not,  therefore,  after 
them. 

9  But  when  ye  shall  hear  of  wars 
and  commotions,  be not  terrified ; 
for  these  things  must  first  come 
to  pass,  but  the  end  is  not  by-and- 
by. 

10  Then  said  he  unto  them,  ^  Na- 
tion shall  rise  against  nation,  and 
kingdom  against  kingdom ; 

11  And  great  earthquakes  shall 
be  in  divers  places,  and  famines, 
and  pestilences ;  and  fearful  sights 
and  great  signs  shall  there  be  from 
heaven. 

12  But  before  all  these  they 
shall  lay  their  hands  on  you,  and 
persecute  you^  delivering  you  up  to 
the  synagogues,  and  into  prisons,'* 
being  brought  before  kings  ^  and 
rulers  for  my  name's  sake. 

13  And  ^  it  shall  turn  to  you  for 
a  testimony. 

14  Settle  it^  therefore,  in  your 
hearts  not  to  ^  meditate  before 
what  ye  shall  answer ; 

15  For  I  will  give  you  a  mouth 
and  wisdom  which  all  your  ad- 

/  Prov.  3.  25,  26.  g  Hag.  2.  22.  h  Acts  4.  3  ; 
5.18;  12.4;  16.24.    Rev.  2. 10.  t  Acts  25.  23. 

./Phil.  1.28.   2Thess.l.5.       A  Matt.  10.  19.  c.l2.  11. 

6.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  2. 

7-86.  The  account  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  contained  in  this 
chapter  has  been  fully  considered  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  All  that 
will  be  necessary  here  will  be  an  ex- 
planation of  a  few  words  that  did  not 
occur  in  that  chapter. 

9.  Commotions.  Insurrections.  Sub- 
jects rising  against  their  rulers. 

11.  Fearful  sights.   See  Matt.  xxiv.  7. 

12, 13.  Synagogues,  and  into  prisons. 
See  Notes  on  Mark  xiii.  9, 10. 

14.  Settle  it,  therefore,  in  your  hearts. 
Fix  it  firmly  in  your  minds — so  firmly 
as  to  become  a  settled  principle — that 
you  are  always  to  depend  on  God  for 
aid  in  all  your  trials.  See  Mark  xiii. 
11. 

15.  A  mouth.  Eloquence,  ability  to 
speak  as  the  case  may  demand.  Com- 
pare Exod.  iv.  11.  H  Gainsay.  Speak 
against.  They  will  not  be  able  to  re- 
ply  to  it,  or  to  resist  the  force  of  what 
you  shall  say. 


160 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


versaries  shall  not  be  able  to  gain- 
say ^  nor  resist. 

16  And  *  ye  shall  be  betrayed 
both  by  parents,  and  brethren, 
and  kinsfolks,  and  triends ;  and 
""some  of  you  shall  they  cause  to 
be  put  to  death. 

17  And  ye  shall  be  hated  ^  of  all 
men  for  my  name's  sake. 

18  But  ^  there  shall  not  a  hair 
of  your  head  perish. 

19  In  your  patience-^ possess  ye 
your  souls. 

20  And  when  ye  shall  see  Jerusa- 
lem compassed  with  armies,  then 
know  that  the  desolation  thereof 
is  nigh. 

a  Acts  6. 10.  h  Mic.  7.  5,  6.  c  Acts  7.  59  ;  12.  2  ; 
26.10.    Rev.  2.13;  6.9;  12.11.  Jno.  17. 14. 

c  Matt.  10.  30. 


18.  A  hair  of  your  head  pejnsh.  This 
is  a  proverbial  expression,  denoting 
that  they  should  not  suffer  any  essen- 
tial injury.  This  was  strikingly  ful- 
filled in  the  fact  that  in  the  calamities 
of  Jerusalem  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  no  Christian  suffered.  Before 
those  calamities  came  on  the  city 
they  had  fled  to  Fella^  a  city  on  the 
east  of  the  Jordan.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxiv.  18. 

19.  In  your  patience.  Kather  by  your 
perseverance.  The  ^ or (\. patience  here 
means  constancy  or  perseverance  in 
sustaining  afflictions.  H  Possess  ye  your 
souls.  Some  read  here  the  future  in- 
stead of  the  present  of  the  verb  ren- 
dered possess.  The  word  possess  means 
here  to  preserve  or  keep,  and  the  word 
souls  means  lives.  This  passage  may 
be  thus  translated :  By  persevering  in 
bearing  these  trials  you  will  save  your 
lives,  or  you  will  be  safe;  or,  by  per- 
severing preserve  your  lives ;  that  is, 
do  not  yield  to  these  calamities,  but 
bear  up  under  them,  for  he  that  en- 
dureth  to  the  end,  the  same  shall  be 
saved.    Compare  Matt.  xxiv.  13. 

22.  All  things  lohich  are  written  may  he 
fulfilled.  Judgment  had  been  threaten- 
ed by  almost  all  the  prophets  against 
that  wicked  city.  They  had  spoken 
Ci'  its  crimes  and  threatened  its  ruin. 
Once  God  had  destroyed  Jerusalem 
and  carried  the  people  to  Babylon; 
but  their  crimes  had  been  repeated 
when  they  returned,  and  God  had 
again  threatened  their  ruhi.  Particu- 


21  Then  let  them  which  are  in 
Judea  flee  to  the  mountains ;  and 
let  them  which  are  in  the  midst 
of  it  depart  out ;  and  let  not  them 
that  are  in  the  countries  enter 
thereinto. 

22  For  these  be  the  days  of 
vengeance,  that  all  ^  things  which 
are  written  may  be  fulfilled. 

23  But  woe  unto  them  ^  that  are 
with  child,  and  to  them  that  give 
suck  in  those  days !  for  there  shall 
be  great  distress  in  the  land,  and 
wrath  upon  this  people. 

24  And  tJiey  shall  fall  by  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  and  shall  be 
led  away  captive  into  all  nations ; 

/  Ro*.  5.  3.    Heb.  10.  36.    Jas.  1.4. 

9  Dent.  28.  25,48.   Dan.9.26,27.    Zech.  11. 6  ;  14. 1, 2. 

\  Lam.  4. 10. 


larly  was  this  very  destruction  fore- 
told by  Daniel,  chap.  ix.  26,  27:  "x\nd 
after  threescore  and  two  weeks  shall 
Messiah  be  cut  off,  but  not  for  him- 
self; and  the  people  of  the  prince 
that  shall  come  shall  destroy  the  city 
and  the  sanctuary ;  and  the  end  there- 
of shall  be  with  a  flood,  and  unto  the 
end  of  the  war  desolations  are  deter- 
mined." See  Notes  on  that  passage. 

24.  Shall  fall,  etc.  No  less  than  one 
million  one  hundred  thousand  perish- 
ed in  the  siege  of  J erusalem.  ^  Shall 
be  led  away  captive.  More  than  ninety 
thousand  were  led  into  captivity.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  ^  Shall  be  trod- 
den down  by  the  Gentiles.'  Shall  be  in 
possession  of  the  Gentiles,  or  be  sub- 
ject to  them.  The  expression  also 
implies  that  it  would  be  an  oppressive 
subjection,  as  when  a  captive  in  war 
is  trodden  down  under  the  feet  of 
the  conqueror.  Anciently  conquer- 
ors trod  on  the  necks  of  those  who 
were  subdued  by  them.  Josh.  x.  24. 
2  Sam.  xxii.  41.  Ezek.  xxi.  29.  The 
bondage  of  Jerusalem  has  been  long 
and  very  oppressive.  It  was  for  a  long- 
time under  the  dominion  of  the  Ro- 
mans, then  of  the  Saracens,  and  is  now 
of  the  Turks,  and  is  aptly  represented 
by  a  captive  stretched  on  the  ground 
whose  neck  is  trodden  by  the  foot  of 
the  conqueror.  \  Until  the  times  of  the 
Gentiles  be  fulfilled.  This  passage  has 
been  understood  very  differently  by 
different  expositors.  Some  refer  it  to 
the  time  which  the  Romans  wlio  con- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


and  Jerusalem  ^  shall  be  trodden 
down  of  the  Gentiles  until  the 
times  *  of  the  Gentiles  be  fulfill- 
ed. 

25  And  there  shall  be  signs  in 
the  sun,  and  in  the  moon,  and  in 

a  Dan.  12.  7.   Rev.  11.2.  6  Rom.  11.25. 

quered  it  had  dominion  over  it,  as  sig- 
nifying that  tJiey  should  keep  posses- 
sion of  it  until  a  part  of  the  pagans 
should  be  converted,  when  it  should 
be  rebuilt.  Thus  it  was  rebuilt  by 
the  Emperor  Adrian.  Otliers  suppose 
that  it  refers  to  tlie  end  of  the  world, 
when  all  the  Gentiles  shall  be  con 
verted,  and  they  shall  cease  to  be  Gen- 
tiles by  becoming  Christians,  mean- 
ing that  it  should  always  be  desolate. 
Gthers,  that  Christ  meant  to  say  that 
in  the  times  of  the  millennium,  when 
the  Gospel  should  spread  universal- 
ly, he  would  reign  personally  on  the 
earth,  and  that  the  Jeivs  would  return 
and  rebuild  Jerusalem  and  the  Tem- 
ple. This  is  the  opinion  of  the  Jews 
and  of  many  Christians.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  passage  clearly  is,  1st.  That 
Jerusalem  would  be  completely  de- 
stroyed. 2d.  That  this  would  be  done 
by  Gentiles — that  is,  by  the  Roman 
armies.  3d.  That  this  desolation  would 
continue  as  long  as  God  sliould  judge 
it  proper  in  a  tit  manner  to  express 
his  abhorrence  of  the  crimes  of  the 
nation — that  is,  until  the  times  allot- 
ted to  them  by  God  for  this  desolation 
should  be  accomplished,  without  spec- 
ifying how  long  that  would  be,  or  what 
would  occur  to  the  city  after  that.  It 
may  be  rebuilt,  and  inhabited  by  con- 
verted Jews.  Such  a  thing  is  x>ossible^ 
and  the  Jews  naturally  seek  that  as 
their  home ;  but  whether  this  be  so 
or  not,  the  time  when  the  Geritiles,  as 
such,  shall  have  dominion  over  the 
city  is  limited.  Like  all  other  cities 
on  the  earth,  it  will  yet  be  brought 
under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel,  and 
will  be  inhabited  by  the  true  friends 
of  God.  Pagan,  infidel,  anti-Christian 
dominion  shall  cease  there,  and  it  will 
be  again  a  place  where  God  will  be 
worshipped  in  sincerity — a  place  even 
then  of  peculiar  interest  from  the  rec- 
ollection of  the  events  which  have  oc- 
curred there.  How  long  it  is  to  be  be- 
fore this  occurs  is  known  only  to 
Him  "who  hath  iDut  the  times  and 
seasons  in  his  own  i^ower."  Acts  i.  7. 
25.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  29. 


the  stars ;  and  upon  the  earth  dis- 
tress of  nations,  with  perplexity ; 
the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring ; 

26  Men's  hearts  failing  them  for 
fear,  and  for  looking  after  those 
things  which  are  coming  on  the 

c  Dan.  12. 1. 

If  Upon  the  earth  distress  of  nations. 
Some  have  proiDOsed  to  render  the 
word  earth  by  land^  confining  it  to  Ju- 
dea.  It  often  has  this  meaning,  and 
there  seems  some  propriety  in  so  using 
it  here.  The  word  translated  distress 
denotes  anxiety  of  mind — such  an  anx- 
iety as  men  have  when  they  do  not 
know  what  to  do  to  free  themselves 
from  calamities ;  and  it  means  here 
that  the  calamities  would  be  so  great 
and  overwhelming  that  they  would 
not  know  what  to  do  to  escape.  There 
would  be  a  want  of  counsel,  and  deep 
anxiety  at  the  impending  evils.  H  With 
perplexity.  Rather  on  account  of  their 
perplexity,  or  the  desperate  state  of 
their  affairs.  The  Syriac  has  it,  "per- 
plexity or  wringioig  of  hands^^^  which 
is  a  sign  of  deei)  distress  and  horror. 
H  The  sea  and  the  waves  roaring.  This 
is  not  to  be  understood  literally,  but 
as  an  image  of  great  distress.  Proba- 
bly it  is  designed  to  denote  that  these 
calamities  would  come  upon  them  like 
a  deluge.  As  when  in  a  storm  the 
ocean  roars,  and  wave  rolls  on  wave 
and  dashes  against  the  shore,  and  each 
succeeding  surge  is  more  violent  than 
the  one  that  preceded  it,  so  would  the 
calamities  come  upon  Jud^.  They 
would  roll  over  the  whole 'mnd,  and 
each  wave  of  trouble  would  be  more 
violent  than  the  one  that  preceded  it, 
until  the  whole  country  would  be  des- 
olate. The  same  image  is  also  used  in 
Isa.  viii.  7,  8,  and  Rev.  xviii.  15. 

26.  Men' s  hearts  failing  them.  This 
is  an  expression  denoting  the  highest 
terror.  The  word  rendered  failing 
commonly  denotes  to  die,  ^id  here  it 
means  that  the  terror  would  be  so 
great  that  men  would  faint  and  be 
ready  to  die  in  view  of  the  approach- 
ing calamities.  And  if  this  was  true 
in  respect  to  the  judgments  about  to 
come  upon  Judea,  how  much  more  so 
will  it  be  in  the  day  of  judgment,  wlien 
the  wicked  shall  be  arraigned  before 
the  Son  of  God,  and  when  they  shall 
have 'before  them  the  prospect  of  the 
awful  sufferings  of  hell — the  pains  and 
woes  which  shall  continue  forever! 


162 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


earth ;  for  the  «  powers  of  heaven 
shall  be  shaken. 

27  And  then  shall  they  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  *  in  a  cloud 
with  power  and  great  glory. 

28  And  when  these  things  begin 
to  come  to  pass,  then  look  up  and 
lift  up  your  heads,  for  your  re- 
demption ^  draweth  nigh. 

29  And  he  spake  to  them  a  par- 
able :  Behold  the  fig-tree,  and  all 
the  trees  ; 

30  When  they  now  shoot  forth,  ye 
see  and  know  of  your  own  selves 
that  summer  is  now  nigh  at  hand. 

31  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye  see 
these  things  come  to  pass,  know 

a  2  Pet.  3. 10-12.  b  Rev.  1.7;  14. 14. 

c  Rom.  8.  23.  d  Matt.  24.  32.    Mar.  13.  28. 


It  will  be  no  wonder,  then,  if  they  call 
on  the  rocks  and  mountains  to  hide 
them  from  the  face  of  God,  and  if 
their  hearts  sink  within  them  at  the 
prosx)ect  of  eternal  suffering. 

28.  Your  reclemptio7i  draweth  nigh. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  33.  This  is 
exi)ressed  in  the  31st  verse  thus :  "the 
kingdom  of  God  is  nigh  at  hand" — 
thai  is,  from  that  time  God  will  sig- 
nally build  up  his  kingdom.  It  shall 
be  fully  established  when  the  Jewish 
policy  shall  come  to  an  end;  when 
the  Temple  shall  be  destroyed,  and 
the  Jews  scattered  abroad.  Then  the 
l)Ower  oOhe  Jews  shall  be  at  an  end ; 
they  shaff  no  longer  be  able  to  perse- 
cute you*,  and  you  shall  be  complete- 
ly delivered  from  all  these  trials  and 
calamities  in  Judea. 

34.  Ijcst  at  any  time  your  hearts  he 
overcharged^  etc.  The  meaning  of  this 
verse  is,  "Be  continually  expecting 
these  things.  Do  not  forget  them, 
and  do  not  be  secure  and  satisfied  witli 
this  life  dA}^  the  good  things  which  it 
furnishes.  Do  not  suffer  yourselves 
to  be  drawn  into  the  fashions  of  the 
world;  to  be  conformed  to  its  cus- 
toms ;  to  partake  of  its  feasts  and 
revelry;  and  so  these  calamities  shall 
come  upon  you  Avhen  you  least  expect 
them."  And  from  tli'is  we  may  learn 
— what  alas !  we  may  from  the  lives 
of  many  professing  Christians  —  that 
there  is  need  of  cautioning  the  disci- 
ples of  Jesus  now  that  they  do  not 
indulge  in  the  festivities  of  this  life, 


ye  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
nigh  at  hand. 

32  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  This 
generation  shall  not  pass  away  till 
all  be  fulfilled. 

33  Heaven  ^  and  earth  shall  pass 
away,  but  my  word  shall  not  pass 
away. 

34  And  take  heed /to  yourselves, 
lest  at  any  time  your  hearts  be 
overcharged  with  surfeiting,  s  and 
drunkenness,  and  cares  of  this  life, 
and  so  that  day  come  upon  you 
unawares. 

35  For as  a  snare  shall  it  come 
on  all  them  that  dwell  on  the  face 
of  the  whole  earth. 

(?  Tsa.40.8;  51.6.  /  Rom.  13. 12, 13.  1  Thess.  5. 
6, 8.   1  Pet.  4.  7.  g  Isa.  28. 1-3.   1  Cor.  6. 10. 

A  1  Thess.  5.  2.  2Pet.  3. 10.  Rev.  16. 15. 


and  forget  that  they  are  to  die  and 
come  to  judgment.  How  manj-,  alas  ! 
who  bear  the  Christian  name,  have  for- 
gotten this  caution  of  the  Saviour, 
and  live  as  if  their  lives  were  secure ; 
as  if  they  feared  not  death ;  as  if  inere 
were  no  heaven  and  no  judgment ! 
Christians  should  feel  that  they  are 
soon  to  die,  and  that  their  portion  is 
not  in  this  life;  and,  feeling  this,  they 
should  be  look i/)}g  for  and  hasti^tg  unto 
the  coming  of  the  day  of  God.  1|  Over- 
charged.  Literally,  be  made  heavy^  as  is 
the  case  with  those  who  have  eaten 
and  drunken  too  much.  1[  Sttyfeiting. 
Excessive  eating  and  drinking,  so  as 
to  oppress  the  body;  indulgence  in 
the  pleasures  of  the  table.  This 
word  does  not  include  iiitoxication, 
but  merely  indulgence  in  food  and 
drink,  though  the  food  and  drink 
should  be  in  themselves  lawful. 
^  Druoikemiess.  Intoxication,  intem- 
perance in  drinking.  The  ancients 
were  not  acquainted  with  the  poison 
that  we  chiefly  use  on  which  to  be- 
come drunk.  They  had  no  distilled 
spirits.  They  became  intoxicated  on 
wine,  and  strong  drink  made  of  a 
mixture  of  dates,  honey,  etc.  All  na- 
tions have  contrived  some  way  to  be- 
come intoxicated — to  bring  in  folly, 
and  disease,  and  poverty,  and  death, 
by  drunkenness ;  and  iii  nothing  is 
the  depravity  of  men  more  manifest 
than  in  thus  endeavoring  to  hasten 
the  ravages  of  crime  and  death. 
35.  As  a  snare.    In  Matthew  and 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


163 


36  Watch  «  ye,  therefore,  and  pray 
always,  that  ye  may  be  accounted 
*  worthy  to  escape  all  these  things 
that  shall  come  to  pass,  and  to*' 
stand  before  the  Son  of  man. 

37  And  in  the  daytime  he  was 
teaching  in  the  temple ;  and  at 
night  he  went  out,  and  abode  in 
the  mount  *  that  is  called  the  mount 
of  Olives. 

38  And  all  the  people  came  early 

a  Matt.  25. 13.  J  c.  20.  35.  cPsa.  1.5. 

Jude  24.  cjno.  8.1,2. 


Mark,  Jesus  compares  the  suddenness 
with  which  tliese  calamities  would 
come  to  the  deluge  coming  in  the 
days  of  Noah.  Here  he  likens  it  to  a 
snare.  Birds  are  caught  by  a  snare  or 
net.  It  is  sprung  on  them  quickly, 
and  when  they  are  not  expecting  it. 
So,  says  he,  shall  these  troubles  come 
upon  Judea.  The  figure  is  often  used 
to  denote  the  suddenness  of  calami- 
ties. Psa.  Ixix.  22.  Rom.  xi.  9.  Psa. 
cxxiv.  7.   Isa.  xxiv.  17. 

86.  To  stand  before  the  So7i  of  man. 
These  approaching  calamities  are  rep- 
resented as  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man  to  judge  J erusalem  for  its  crimes. 
Its  inhabitants  were  so  wicked  that 
thej'  were  not  worthy  to  stand  before 
him  and  would  be  condemned,  and 
the  city  would  be  overthrown.  To 
stand  before  him  here  denotes  appro- 
bation, acquittal,  favor,  and  is  equiv- 
alent to  saying  that  tJiey  would  be 
free  from  these  calamities,  while  thej^ 
should  come  upon  others.  See  Rom. 
xiv.  4.  Psa.  i.  5 ;  cxxx.  3.  Rev.  vi.  17! 
Perhaps,  also,  there  is  a  reference  here 
to  the  day  of  judgment.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxiv. 

37,  38.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  17. 
The  illustration  on  the  following 
page,  from  a  photographic  view  by  J. 
Graham  (Churton  and  Jones),  brings 
into  one  view  the  places  referred  to 
here — the  site  of  the  "Temple,"  where 
he  taught  during  the  day,  and  the 
Mount  of  Olives,  on  which,  or  near 
which,  he  passed  the  night.  H  Came 
early  in  the  morning.  He  returned 
early  from  the  Mount  of  Olives,  and 
taught  in  the  Temple.  Our  Saviour 
did  not  waste  his  mornings  in  idle- 
ness or  sleep.  He  rose  early  and  re- 
paired to  the  Temple.  The  people, 
also,  flocked  to  the  sanctuary  to  hear 


in  the  morning  to  him  in  the  tem- 
ple, for  to  hear  him. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
OW-^  the  feast  of  unleavened 
bread  drew  nigh,  which  is 
called  the  Passover. 

2  And  3  the  chief  priests  and 
scribes  sought  how  they  might  kill 
him ;  for  they  feared  the  people. 

3  Then  *  entered  Satan  into  Ju- 

/  Matt.  26.  2.   Mar.  14. 1 ,  etc. 
q  Psa.  2.  2.   Acts  4.  27. 

h  Matt.*26. 14.   Mar.  14. 10,  etc.  Jno.  13.  2, 27. 


him.  This  example  is  at  once  an  en- 
couragement to  early  rising  and  to 
the  early  worship  of  God.  It  is  a  re- 
proof of  those  who  spend  the  part  of 
the  day  best  fitted  for  devotion  in  un- 
necessary sleep ;  and  it  shows  the  pro- 
priety, where  it  can  be  done,  of  assem- 
bling early  in  the  morning  for  prayer 
and  the  worship  of  God.  Early  prayer- 
meetings  have  the  countenance  of  the 
Saviour,  and  will  be  found  to  be  emi- 
nently conducive  to  the  promotion  of 
religion.  The  whole  example  of  J esus 
goes  to  show  the  importance  of  be- 
ginning the  day  with  God,  and  of  lift- 
ing up  the  heart  to  him  for  direction, 
for  the  supply  of  our  wants,  and  for 
preservation  from  temptation,  before 
the  mind  is  engrossed  by  the  cares, 
and  distracted  by  the  perplexities,  and 
led  away  by  the  temptations  of  this 
life.  Commencing  the  day  with  God 
is  like  arresting  evil  at  the  fountain : 
prayer  at  any  other  time,  without  this, 
is  an  attempt  to  arrest  it  when  it  has 
swollen  to  a  stream  and  rolls  on  like 
a  torrent.  Let  the  day  be  begun  with 
God,  and  the  work  of  piety  is  easy. 
Let  the  world  have  the  ascendenc}^  in 
the  morning,  and  it  will  be  likely  to* 
have  it  also  at  noonday  and  at  even- 
ing. 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

1,  2.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  1,  2. 

3.  Then  entered  Satan  into  Judas.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  Satan 
entered  personally  into  the  body  of 
Judas,  but  only  that  he  brought  him 
under  his  influence ;  he  filled  his  mind 
with  an  evil  passion,  and  led  him  on 
to  betray  his  Master.  The  particular 
passion  of  which  Satan  made  use  was 
avarice — probably  the  besetting  sin  of 
Judas.  To  show  its  exceeding  evil 
and  baseness,  it  is  only  necessary  to 


N 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


165 


das,  surnamed  Iscariot,  being  of 
the  number  of  the  twelve. 

4  And  he  went  his  way,  and 
communed  with  the  chief  priests 
and  captains  how  he  might  be- 
tray him  unto  them. 

5  And  they  were  glad,  and  cov- 
enanted ^  to  give  him  money. 

6  And  he  promised,  and  sought 
opportunity  to  betray  him  unto 
them  ^  in  the  absence  of  the  mul- 
titude. 

7  Then  came  the  day  ^  of  unleav- 
ened bread,  when  the  passover 
must  be  killed. 

8  And  he  sent  Peter  and  John, 
saying,  Go  and  prepare  us  the 
passover,  that  we  may  eat. 

9  And  they  said  unto  him.  Where 
wilt  thou  that  we  prepare  ? 

10  And  he  said  unto  them,  Be- 

a  Zech.  11.12.  1  or,  without  tumult, 

b  Exod.l2. 

say  that  when  it  produced  its  appro- 
priate effect  in  this  case,  it  led  to  the 
betraying  and  crucifixion  of  the  Son 
of  God.  We  may  learn,  also,  that 
when  Satan  tempts  men,  he  commonly 
does  it  by  exciting  and  raising  to  the 
highest  pitch  their  native  passions. 
He  does  not  make  them  act  contrary 
to  their  nature,  but  leads  them  on  to 
act  out  their  proper  disposition.  ^  Sa- 
tan, This  word  properly  means  an  ad- 
versary or  an  accuser.  It  is  the  name 
which  in  the  Scriptures  is  commonly 
given  to  the  prince  or  leader  of  evil 
spirits,  and  is  given  to  him  because 
he  is  the  accuser  or  calumniator  of  the 
righteous  (see  Rev.  xii.  10  ;  compare 
Job  i.  6-9),  as  well  as  because  he  is 
the  adversary  of  God.  1[  Being  of  the 
number  of  the  twelve.  One  of  the  twelve 
apostles.  This  greatly  aggravated  his 
crime.  He  should  have  been  bound 
by  most  tender  ties  to  Jesus.  He  was 
one  of  his  family — long  with  him,  and 
treated  by  him  with  every  marli  of 
kindness  and  confidence ;  and  noth- 
ing could  more  enhance  his  guilt  than 
thus  to  make  use  of  this  confidence 
for  the  commission  of  one  of  the  ba- 
sest crimes. 

4-6.  Chief  priests  and  captains.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  14.  See  the  ac- 
count of  the  bargain  which  Judas 
made  with  them  explained  in  the 


hold,  when  ye  are  entered  into  the 
city,  there  shall  a  man  meet  you, 
bearing  a  pitcher  of  water :  follow 
him  into  the  house  where  he  en- 
tereth  in. 

11  And  ye  shall  say  unto  the  good 
man  of  the  house,  The  Master  saith 
unto  thee.  Where  is  the  guest- 
chamber,  where  I  shall  eat  the 
passover  with  my  disciples  ? 

12  And  he  shall  show  you  a  large 
upper  room  furnished :  there  make 
ready. 

13  And  they  went,  and  found  as 
he  had  said  unto  them ;  and  they 
made  ready  the  passover. 

14  And  "  when  the  hour  was 
come,  he  sat  down,  and  the  twelve 
apostles  with  him. 

15  And  he  said  unto  them,  ^  With 
desire  I  have  desired  to  eat  this 

c  Matt.  26.20.    Mar.  14.17. 

2  or,  I  have  heartily  desired. 

Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  14-16,  and  Mark 
xiv.  10, 11.  TI  Abse7ice  of  the  m  idtitude. 
The  multitude,  the  people^  were  then 
favorable  to  Jesus.  He  had  preached 
in  the  Temple,  and  many  of  them  be- 
lieved that  he  was  the  Messiah.  It 
was  a  hazardous  thing,  therefore,  to 
take  him  by  force,  and  in  their  pres- 
ence, as  they  might  rise  and  rescue 
him.  Hence  they  sought  to  take  him 
when  he  was  away  from  the  multi- 
tude; and  as  Judas  knew  of  a  place 
where  he  could  be  found  alo7ie^  they 
were  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  so 
easily  securing  him. 

7-13.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  17-19,  and 
Mark  xiv.  12-16. 

14.  When  the  hour  was  come.  The 
hour  of  eating  the  paschal  lamb,  which 
was  in  the  evening.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxvi.  20. 

15.  With  desire  I  have  desired.  This 
is  a  Hebrew  form  of  expression,  and 
means  I  have  greatly  desired.  The  rea- 
sons why  he  desired  this  we  may  sup- 
pose to  have  been — 1st.  That,  as  he 
was  about  to  leave  them,  he  was  de- 
sirous once  of  seeing  them  together, 
and  of  partaking  with  them  of  one  of 
the  religious  privileges  of  the  Jewish 
dispensation.  Jesus  was  ma7i  as  well 
as  God,  and  he  never  undervalued  the 
religious  rites  of  his  country,  or  the 


166 


Lu: 


KE. 


[A.D.  33. 


passover  with  you  before  I  suf- 
fer. 

16  For  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not 
any  more  eat  thereof,  until "  it  be 
fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

17  And  he  took  the  cup,  and 
gave  thanks,  and  said.  Take  this 
and  divide  it  among  yourselves ; 

18  For  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  not 
drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  until 
the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come. 

19  And  *  he  took  bread,  and  gave 
thanks,  and  brake  %  and  gave 
unto  them,  saying.  This  is  my 
body,  which  is  given  for  you : 
this  do  in  remembrance  of  me. 

20  Likewise  also  the  cup  after 
supper,  saying,  This  cup  is  the 

ac.  14. 15.    1  Cor.  5.  7,8.    Rev.  19.9. 
b  1  Cor.  10. 16;  11.  24,  etc. 
cPsa.41.9.    Jno.  13.  26. 


blessings  of  social  and  religious  inter- 
course; and  there  is  no  impropriety 
in  supposing  that  even  he  might  feel 
that  his  human  nature  might  be  pre- 
pared by  the  service  of  religion  for  his 
great  and  terrible  sufferings.  2d.  He 
doubtless  wished  to  take  an  opportu- 
nity to  prepare  them  for  his  sufferings, 
and  to  impress  upon  them  more  fully 
the  certainty  that  he  was  about  to 
leave  them,  that  they  might  be  pre- 
pared for  it.  3d.  We  may  also  suppose 
that  he  particularly  desired  it  that  he 
might  institute  for  their  use,  and  for 
the  edification  of  all  Christians,  the 
supper  which  is  called  by  his  name — 
the  Lord's  Supper.  All  his  sufferings 
were  the  expression  of  love  to  his 
people,  and  he  was  desirous  of  testi- 
fying always  his  regard  for  tlieir  com- 
fort and  welfare.  H  Before  I  suffer. 
Before  I  die. 

16.  Until  it  he  fill  filled.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxvi.  29. 

17.  And  he  took  the  cup  afid  gave 
thanks.  This  was  not  the  sacramental 
cup,  for  that  was  taken  after  supper. 
Verse  20.  This  was  one  of  the  cups 
which  were  usually  taken  during  the 
celebration  of  the  Passover,  and  per- 
tained to  that  observance.  After  he 
had  kept  this  in  the  usual  manner,  he 
instituted  the  supper  which  bears  his 
name,  using  the  bread  and  wine  which 
had  been  j^repared  for  the  Passover, 
and  thus  ingrafted  the  Lord's  Supper 
on  the  Passover,  or  superseded  the 


new  testament  in  my  blood,  which 
is  shed  for  you. 

21  But,  behold,  the  hand  of  him 
that  betray eth  me  is  with  me  ^  on 
the  table. 

22  And  truly  the  Son  of  man  go- 
eth  as  it  was  determined ;  hut 
woe  unto  that  man  by  whom  he 
is  betrayed ! 

23  And  they  began  to  inquire 
among  themselves  which  of  them 
it  was  that  should  do  this  thing. 

24  And  ^  there  was  also  a  strife 
among  them  which  of  them  should 
be  accounted  the  greatest. 

25  And  he  said  unto  them.  The  / 
kings  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  lord- 
ship over  them ;  and  they  that  ex- 

d  c.  24.  46.    Acts  2.  23  ;  4.  28.    1  Cor.  15.  3. 

e  Mar.  9.  34.    c.  9.  46. 

/  Matt.  20.  25.    Mar.  10.  42. 


Passover  by  another  ordinance,  which 
was  intended  to  be  perpetual. 

19,  20.  See  Notes  on  Matt  xxvi.  26- 
28. 

21-23.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  21- 
25. 

24.  A  strife.  A  contention  or  debate. 
^  Which  of  them  should  be  the  greatest. 
The  apostles,  in  common  with  the 
Jews  generally,  had  supposed  that  the 
Messiah  would  come  as  a  temporal 
prince,  and  in  the  manner  of  other 
princes  of  the  earth — of  course,  that 
he  would  have  officers  of  his  govern- 
ment, ministers  of  state,  etc.  Their 
contention  was  founded  on  this  ex- 
pectation, and  they  were  disputhig 
which  of  them  should  be  raised  to 
the  highest  office.  They  had  before 
had  a  similar  contention.  See  Matt, 
xviii.  1;  xx.  20-28.  Nothing  can  be 
more  humiliating  than  that  the  disci- 
ples should  have  had  such  contentions, 
and  in  such  a  time  and  place.  That 
just  as  Jesus  was  contemplating  his 
own  death,  and  laboring  to  prepare 
them  for  it,  they  sliould  strive  and 
contend  about  office  and  rank,  shows 
how  deeply  seated  is  the  love  of  pow- 
er ;  how  ambition  will  find  its  way 
into  the  most  secret  and  sacred  places ; 
and  how  even  the  disciples  of  the  meek 
and  lowly  Jesus  are  sometimes  actu- 
ated by  this  most  base  and  wicked 
feeling. 

25.  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles.  The 
kings  of  the  nations^  or  of  the  earth. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


167 


ercise  authority  upon  them  are 
called  benefactors. 

26  But  ye  shall  not  le  so;  but 
he  that  is  greatest  among  you,  let 
him  be  as  the  younger;  and  he 
that  is  chief,  as  he  that  doth  serve. 

27  For  whether  is  greater,  he  that 
sitteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  serveth  ? 
Is  not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat  ?  But 
*I  am  among  you  as  he  that  serv- 
eth. 

a  1  Pet.  5.  3.    3  Jno.  9, 10. 
6  Jno.  13. 13, 14.    Phil.  2.  7. 
c  Heb.  4. 15. 


They  do  this,  and  it  is  to  be  expected 
of  them,  and  it  is  right.  Our  Lord 
does  not  mean  to  say  that  it  was  wrong 
that  there  should  be  such  authority, 
but  that  his  kingdom  was  to  be  of  a 
diflferent  character,  and  they  were  not 
to  expect  it  there.  ^  Over  them.  That 
is,  over  the  nations.  H  Are  called  ben- 
efactors. The  word  benefactor  is  ap- 
plied to  one  who  bestows /az/or  on  an- 
other. It  was  applied  to  kings  by  way 
of  compliment  or  flattery.  Some  of  them 
might  have  been  truly  benefactors  of 
their  people,  but  this  was  by  no  means 
true  of  all.  Yet  it  was  applied  to  all, 
and  especially  to  the  Roman  emperors. 
It  is  found  applied  to  them  often  in 
the  writings  of  Josephus  and  Philo. 

26,  27.  But  ye  shall  not  be  so.  Christ 
here  takes  occasion  to  explain  the  na- 
ture of  his  kingdom.  He  assures  them 
that  it  is  established  on  different  prin- 
ciples from  those  of  the  world ;  that 
his  subjects  were  not  to  expect  titles, 
and  power,  and  offices  of  pomp  in  his 
kingdom.  He  that  would  be  most 
advanced  in  his  kingdom  would  be  he 
that  was  most  humble ;  and  in  order 
to  show  them  this,  he  took  a  towel 
and  girded  himself  after  the  manner 
of  a  servant,  and  washed  their  feet,  to 
show  them  what  ought  to  be  their 
feelings  toward  each  other.  See  John 
xiii.  4-17.  1[  He  that  sitteth  at  meat. 
The  master  of  the  feast,  or  one  of  his 
guests.  H  But  I  am  among  you^  etc. 
This  was  said  in  connection  with  his 
washing  their  feet.  He  showed  them 
how  they  ought  to  feel  and  act  toward 
each  other.  They  ought,  therefore, 
not  to  aim  at  office  and  power,  but  to 
be  humble,  and  serve  and  aid  one  an- 
other. 

28.  3fjj  temptations.  My  trials,  my 
humiliations,  and  my  assaults  from 


28  Ye  are  they  which  have  con- 
tinued with  me  in  my  temptations.'' 

29  And  I  appoint  unto  you  a^ 
kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  ap- 
pointed unto  me ; 

30  That  ^  ye  may  eat  and  drink 
at  my  table  in  my  kingdom,  and 
sit  on  thrones,  judging  the -^  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel. 

31  And  the  Lord  said,  Simon,  Si- 
mon, behold,  Satan  hath  desired  ^ 

Matt.  25.  34.  c.12.32.   1  Cor.  9.  25.   1  Pet.  5.  4. 
e  Rev.  19.  9.       /  Matt.  19.  28.  1  Cor.  6.  2.  Rev.  3.  21. 
^1  Pet.  5. 8. 


the  power  of  Satan  and  a  wicked 
world.  ^  And  I  appoint  unto  you  a 
kingdom.  He  assures  them  here  that 
they  should  have  a  kingdom  —  their 
expectations  would  be  realized.  They 
had  continued  with  him  ;  they  had 
seen  how  fie  had  lived,  and  to  what 
trials  he  had  been  subjected ;  they  had 
all  along  expected  a  kingdom,  and  he 
assures  them  that  they  should  not  be 
disappointed.  T[  As  my  Father^  etc. 
They  had  seen  how  God  had  appoint- 
ed a  kingdom  to  him.  It  was  not  with 
pomp,  and  splendor,  and  external  glo- 
ry, but  it  was  in  poverty,  want,  per- 
secution, and  trial.  So  would  he  ap- 
point to  them  a  kingdom.  They  should 
surely  possess  it ;  but  it  would  be  not 
with  external  splendor,  but  by  pover- 
ty and  toil.  The  original  word  ap- 
point has  the  force  of  a  covenant  or 
compact,  and  means  that  it  should  be 
surely  or  certainly  done,  or  that  he 
pledged  himself  to  do  it.  All  Chris- 
tians must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  after  the  manner  of  their  Lord 
— through  much  tribulation;  but, 
though  it  must  be,  as  it  was  witli  him, 
by  many  tears  and  sorrows,  yet  they 
shall  surely  reach  the  place  of  their 
rest  and  the  reward  of  heaven,  for  it 
is  secured  to  them  by  the  covenant 
pledge  and  faithfulness  of  their  Lord 
and  King. 

30.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xix.  28. 

31.  Simon.  Peter.  Jesus,  foreseeing 
the  danger  of  Peter,  and  knowing  that 
he  was  about  to  deny  him,  took  occa- 
sion to  forewarn  him  and  put  him  on 
his  guard,  and  also  to  furnish  him  with 
a  solace  when  he  should  be  brought  to 
repentance.  1[  Satan  hath  desired.  Sa- 
tan is  the  prince  of  evil.  One  of  his 
works  is  to  try  the  faith  of  believers 
— to  place  temptations  and  trials  in 


168 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


to  ham  you,  that  lie  may  sift  *  you 
as  wheat ; 

32  But  I  *  have  prayed  for  thee, 
that  thy  faith  fail  not ;  and  when 
thou  art  converted,  strengthen'' 
thy  brethren. 

33  And  he  said  unto  him.  Lord, 
I  am  ready  to  go  with  thee  both 
into  prison  and  to  death. 

34  And  he  said,  I  tell  thee,  Pe- 

a  Amos  9.  9. 

b  Jno.  17.  9, 15.    Heb.  7.  25.    1  Jno.  2. 1. 


their  way,  that  they  may  be  tested. 
Thus  God  gave  Job  into  his  hands, 
that  it  might  be  seen  whether  he 
would  be  found  faithful,  or  would 
apostatize.  See  Notes  on  Job  i.  7-12. 
So  Satan  desired  to  have  Peter  in  his 
hands,  that  he  might  also  try  him. 
^  May  sift  you  as  wheat.  Grain  was 
agitated  or  shaken  in  a  kind  of  fan  or 
sieve.  The  grain  remained  in  the  fan, 
and  the  chaff  and  dust  were  thrown 
off.  So  Christ  says  that  Satan  desired 
to  try  Peter;  to  place  trials  and  temp- 
tations before  him ;  to  agitate  him  ;  to 
see  whether  any  thing  of  faith  would 
remain,  or  whether  all  would  not  be 
found  to  be  chaff— mere  natural  ardor 
and  false  professions. 

32.  That  thy  faith  fail  not.  The  word 
faith.,  here,  seems  to  be  used  in  the 
sense  of  religion,  or  attachment  to 
Christ,  and  the  words  fail  not  mean 
utterly  fail  or  fail  altogether — that  is, 
apostatize.  It  is  true  that  the  courage 
of  Peter  failed ;  it  is  true  that  he  had 
not  that  immediate  confidence  in  Je- 
sus and  reliance  on  him  which  he  had 
before  had ;  but  the  prayer  of  J esus 
was  that  he  might  not  altogether  apos- 
tatize from  the  faith.  God  heard  Je- 
sus always  (John  xi.  42) ;  it  follows, 
therefore,  that  every  prayer  which  he 
ever  offered  was  answered ;  and  it  fol- 
lows, as  he  asked  here  for  a  specific 
thing,  that  that  thing  was  granted; 
and  as  he  prayed  that  Peter's  faith 
might  not  utterly  fail,  so  it  follows 
that  there  was  no  time  in  which  Pe- 
ter was  not  really  a  pious  man.  Far 
as  he  wandered,  and  grievously  as  he 
sinned,  yet  h'3  well  knew  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah.  He  did  know  the 
man ;  and  though  his  fears  overcame 
him  and  led  him  to  aggravated  sin, 
yet  the  prayer  of  Christ  was  prevalent, 
and  he  was  brought  to  true  repent- 
ance. II  When  thou  art  converted.  The 


ter,  the  cock  shall  not  crow  this 
day  before  that  thou  shalt  thrice 
deny  that  thou  knowest  me. 

35  And  he  said  unto  them.  When 
sent  you  without  purse,  and 

scrip,  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  any 
thing  ?    And  they  said.  Nothing. 

36  Then  said  he  unto  them,  But 
now  he  that  hath  a  purse,  let  him 
take  i^,  and  likewise  his  scrip ;  and 

cPsa.51.13.    Jno.  21. 16-17. 
d  c.9.3. 


word  converted  means  turned,  changed, 
recovered.  The  meaning  is,  when  thou 
art  turned  from  this  sin,  when  thou 
art  recovered  from  this  heinous  of- 
fence, then  use  your  experience  to 
warn  and  strengthen  those  who  are 
in  danger  of  like  sins.  A  man  may  be 
converted  or  turned  from  any  sin,  or  any 
evil  course.  He  is  regenerated  but  once 
— at'  the  beginning  of  his  Christian 
life ;  he  may  be  converted  as  often  as 
he  falls  into  sin.  ^  Strengthen  thy 
brethren.  Confirm  them,  warn  them, 
encourage  them.  They  are  in  con- 
tinual danger,  also,  of  sinning.  Use 
your  experience  to  warn  them  of  their 
danger,  and  to  comfort  and  sustain 
them  in  their  temptations.  And  from 
this  we  learn — 1st.  That  one  design 
of  permitting  Christians  to  fall  into 
sin  is  to  show  their  own  weakness 
and  dependence  on  God;  and,  2d.  That 
they  who  have  been  overtaken  in  this 
manner  should  make  use  of  their  ex- 
perience to  warn  and  i^reserve  others 
from  the  same  path.  The  two  epis- 
tles of  Peter,  and  his  whole  life,  show 
that  7ie  was  attentive  to  this  command 
of  Jesus;  and  in  his  death  he  mani- 
fested his  deep  abhorrence  of  this  act 
of  dreadful  guilt  in  denying  his  bless- 
ed Lord,  by  requesting  to  be  crucified 
with  his  head  downward,  as  unwor- 
thy to  suffer  in  the  same  manner  that 
Christ  did.  Compare  Notes  on  John 
xxi.  18. 

33,  34.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  33- 
35. 

35.  When  I  sent  you.,  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  X.  9,  10.  1  Lacked  ye,  etc. 
Did  3^ou  want  any  thing  ?  Did  not 
God  fully  provide  for  you?  He  re- 
fers to  this  to  convince  them  that  his 
words  were  true ;  that  their  past  cx- 
y)crience  should  lead  them  to  i)ut  con- 
fidence in  liim  and  in  God. 

36.  But  now.    The  Saviour  says  the 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


169 


he  tliat  hath  no  sword,  let  him 
sell  his  garment  and  buy  one. 

37  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  this 
that  is  written  ^  must  yet  be  ac- 
complished in  me.  And  he  was 
reckoned  among  the  transgress- 

a  Isa.  53.12. 

times  are  changed.  Before^  he  sent 
them  out  only  for  a  little  time.  They 
were  in  their  own  country.  Their 
journeys  would  be  short,  and  there 
was  no  need  that  they  should  make 
preparation  for  a  long  absence,  or  for 
encountering  great  dangers.  But  now 
they  were  to  go  into  the  wide  world, 
among  strangers,  trials,  dangers,  and 
wants.  And  as  the  time  was  near ;  as 
he  was  about  to  die ;  as  these  dangers 
pressed  on,  it  was  proper  that  they 
should  make  provision  for  what  was 
before  them.  H  A  purse.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  X.  9.  He  intimates  that  they 
should  now  take  money,  as  it  would 
be  necessary  to  provide  for  their  wants 
in  traveling,  it  /Sicn^.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  X.  10.  \  And  he  that  hath  no 
sword.  There  has  been  much  diflS.- 
culty  in  understanding  why  Jesus  di- 
rected his  disciples  to  arm  themselves, 
as  if  it  was  his  purpose  to  make  a  de- 
fence. It  is  certain  that  the  spirit  of 
his  religion  is  against  the  use  of  the 
sword,  and  that  it  was  not  his  pur- 
pose to  defend  himself  against  Judas. 
But  it  should  be  remembered  that 
these  directions  about  the  purse,  the 
scrip,  and  the  sword  were  not  made 
with  reference  to  his  being  taken  in  tlie 
garden,  but  with  reference  to  their  fu- 
ture life.  The  time  of  the  trial  in  Geth- 
semane  was  just  at  hand;  nor  was 
there  time  then,  if  no  other  reason  ex- 
isted, to  go  and  make  the  purchase. 
It  altogether  refers  to  their  future 
life.  They  were  going  into  the  midst 
of  dangers.  The  country  was  infested 
with  robbers  and  wild  beasts.  It  was 
customary  to  go  armed.  He  tells 
them  of  those  dangers — of  the  neces- 
sity of  being  prepared  in  the  usual 
way  to  meet  them.  This,  then,  is  not 
to  be  considered  as  a  specific,  positive 
c<ymmand  to  procure  a  sword,  but  an 
intimation  that  great  dangers  were 
before  them ;  that  their  manner  of 
life  would  be  changed,  and  that  they 
would  need  the  provisions  appropriate 
to  that  ki7id  of  life.  Tlie  common  prep- 
aration for  that  manner  of  life  consist- 
ed in  money,  provisions,  and  arms: 
II.— H  . 


ors ;  for  the  things  concerning  me 
have  an  end. 

38  And  they  said.  Lord,  behold, 
here  are  two  swords ;  and  he  said 
unto  them.  It  is  enough. 

39  And  *  he  came  out,  and  went, 

6  Matt.  26. 36.    Mar.  14.  32,  etc.    Jno.  18.1,  etc. 


and  he  foretels  them  of  that  manner 
of  life  by  giving  them  directions  com- 
monly understood  to  be  appropriate 
to  it.  It  amounts,  then,  to  a  predic- 
tion that  they  would  soon  leave  the 
place^hich  they  had  been  accustom- 
ed to,  and  go  into  scenes  of  poverty, 
want,  and  danger,  where  they  would 
feel  the  necessity  of  money,  provis- 
ions, and  the  means  of  defence.  All, 
therefore,  that  the  passage  justifies  is, 
1st.  That  it  is  proper  for  men  to  pro- 
vide beforehand  for  their  wants,  and 
for  ministers  and  missionaries  as  well 
as  any  others.  2d.  That  self-defence 
is  lawful.  Men  encompassed  with  dan- 
ger may  lawfully  defmd  their  lives.  It 
does  not  prove  that  it  is  lawful  to  make 
offensive  war  on  a  nation  or  an  individ- 
ual. 11  Let  him  sell  his  garment.  His 
mantle  or  his  outer  garment.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  v.  40.  The  meaning 
is,  let  him  procure  one  at  any  ex- 
pense, even  if  he  is  obliged  to  sel^his 
clothes  for  it — intimating  that  the  dan- 
ger would  be  very  great  and  pressing. 

37.  This  that  is  written.  See  Notes 
on  Isa.  liii.  12.  1[  Was  reckoned  among 
the  transgressors.  Not  reckoned  as  a 
transgressor,  but  among  or  with  them 
— that  is,  he  was  treated  as  transgress 
ors  are.  He  was  put  to  death  in  their 
company,  and  as  he  would  have  been  if 
he  had  been  a  transgressor.  He  was 
innocent,  holy,  harmless,  and  unde- 
filed.  Heb.  vii.  26.  God  knew  this  al- 
ways, and  could  not  thi7ik  of  him,  or 
make  him  to  be.,  otherwise  than  he 
was ;  yet  it  pleased  him  to  bruise  him, 
and  to  give  him  into  the  hands  of  men 
who  did  reckon  him  as  a  transgress- 
or, and  who  ti-eated  him  accordingly. 
1[  Have  an  end.  This  may  either  mean, 

shall  be  surely  accomplished,"  or 
"they  are  about  to  be  fulfilled,"  or 
"are  now  fulfilled."  The  former  is 
probably  the  meaning,  denoting  that 
every  prophecy  in  regard  to  him  would 
certainly  be  accomplished. 

38.  Are  two  swords.  The  Galileans, 
it  is  said,  often  went  armed.  The  Es- 
senes  did  so  also.  The  reason  was 
that  the  country  was  full  of  robbers 


170 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


as  he  was  wont,  to  the  mount  of 
Olives,  and  his  disciples  also  fol- 
lowed him. 

40  And  when  he  was  at  the 
place,  he  said  unto  them,  Pray 
that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 

41  And  he  was  withdrawn  from 
them  about  a  stone's  cast,  and 
kneeled  down  and  prayed, 

4^  Saying,  Father,  if  thou  be 
^  willing,  remove  this  cup  from 
me  ;  nevertheless,  not  will, 
but  thine  be  done. 

43  And  there  appeared  an  angel 
«  unto  him  from  heaven,  strength- 
ening him. 

44  And  *  being  in  an  agony,  he 

1  willing  to  remove.  a  Matt.  4. 11. 

6  Lam.  1.12.    Jno.12.27.    Heb.  5.  7. 

and  wild  b.easts,  and  it  was  necessary 
to  carry,  in  tlieir  travels,  some  means 
of  defence.  It  seems  that  the  disci- 
ples followed  the  customs  of  the  coun- 
try, and  had  with  them  ^omQ  means 
of  defence,  though  they  had  hut  two 
swords  among  the  twelve.  H  It  is 
enough.  It  is  difficult  to  understand 
thig.  Some  suppose  that  it  is  spoken 
ironicalhj ;  as  if  he  had  said,  "You 
are  bravely  armed  indeed,  with  two 
swords  among  twelve  men,  and  to 
meet  such  a  host !"  Others,  that  he 
meant  to  reprove  them  for  under- 
standing him  literally^  as  if  he  meant 
that  they  were  then  to  procure  swords 
fo  r  immediate  battle.  As  if  h  e  had  said, 
"  This  is  absurd,  or  a  perversion  of  my 
meaning.  I  did  not  intend  tJiis,  but 
merely  to  foretell  you  of  impending 
dangers  after  my  death."  It  is  to  be 
observed  that  he  did  not  say  the 
two  sivo7'ds  arc  enough,"  but  "  i7  is 
enough ;"  perhaps  meaning  simply, 
enough  has  been  said.  Other  matters 
press  on,  and  you  will  yet  understand 
what  I  mean. 

39-46.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  30- 
46.  Mark  xiv.  26-42.  The  cut  on  the 
opposite  page  is  from  a  drawing  by 
Rev.  S.  C.  Malan  (Churton  and  Jones), 
and  furnishes  an  interesting  view  of 
tlie  spot  where  Jesus  endured  the 
great  "agony,"  as  the  place  appeared 
a  few  years  since. 

43.  Strengthenincj  him.  His  human 
nature,  to  sustain  the  great  burden 
that  was  upon  his  soul.  Some  have 
supposed  from  this  that  he  was  not 


prayed  more  earnestly ;  and  his 
sweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops 
of  blood  falling  down  to  the 
ground. 

45  And  when  he  rose  up  from 
prayer,  and  was  come  to  his  dis- 
ciples, he  found  them  sleeping  for 
sorrow, 

46  And  said  unto  them.  Why 
sleep  ye  ?  rise  and  pray,  ^  lest  ye 
enter  into  temptation. 

47  And  while  he  yet  spake,  be- 
hold, ^  a  multitude,  and  he  that 
was  called  Judas,  one  of  the 
twelve,  went  before  them,  and 
drew  near  unto  Jesus  to  kiss 
him. 

c  ver.  40. 

d  Matt.  26. 47,  etc.  Mar.  14. 43,  etc.  Jno.  18.  3,  etc. 


divine  as  well  as  human ;  for  if  he  was 
God^  how  could  an  angel  give  any 
strength  or  comfort  ?  and  why  did  not 
the  divine  nature  aZone  sustain  the  hu- 
man ?  But  the  fact  that  he  was  divine 
does  not  affect  the  case  at  all.  It 
might  be  asked  with  the  same  pro- 
priety, If  he  was,  as  all  admit,  the 
friend  of  God,  and  beloved  of  God, 
and  holy,  why,  if  he  was  a  mere  man, 
did  not  GodJ  sustain  him  alone,  with- 
out an  angel's  intervening?  But  the 
objection  in  neither  case  would  have 
any  force.  The  man^  Christ  Jesus,  was 
suffering.  His  human  nature  was  in 
agony,  and  it  is  the  manner  of  God  to 
sustain  the  afflicted  by  the  interven- 
tion of  others ;  nor  was  there  any 
more  unfitness  in  sustaining  the  hu- 
man nature  of  his  Son  in  this  man- 
ner than  any  other  sufferer. 

44.  In  an  agony.  See  this  verse  ex- 
plained in  the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi. 
42-44. 

45.  Sleeping  for  sorrow.  On  account 
of  the  greatness  of  their  sorrow.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  40. 

47-53.  See  this  explained  in  Matt, 
xxvi.  48-56. 

48.  Betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man  with 
a  kiss?  By  the  Son  of  man  was  evi- 
dently meant  the  Messiah.  J udas  had 
had  the  most  satisfactory  evidence  of 
that,  and  did  not  doubt  it.  A  kiss  was 
the  sign  of  affection.  By  that  slight 
artifice  Judas  thought  to  conceal  his 
base  purpose.  Jesus  with  severity  re- 
proaches him  for  it.  Every  word  is 
emphatic.    Betrayest  thou — dost  thou 


173 


Lu: 


[A.D.  33. 


48  But  Jesus  said  unto  liim,  Ju- 
das, betrayest  thou  the  Son  of  man 
with  a  kiss  ? 

49  When  they  which  were  about 
him  saw  what  would  follow,  they 
said  unto  him.  Lord,  shall  we  smite 
with  the  sword  ? 

50  And  one  of  them  smote  the 
servant  of  the  high-priest,  and  cut 
off  his  right  ear. 

51  And  Jesus  answered  and  said. 
Suffer  ye  thus  far.  And  he  touch- 
ed his  ear,  and  healed  him. 

52  Then  Jesus  said  unto  the  chief 
priests,  and  captains  of  the  temple, 
and  the  elders,  which  were  come 
to  him,  Be  ye  come  out,  as  against 
a  thief,  with  swords  and  staves  ? 

53  When  I  was  daily  with  you 
in  the  temple,  ye  stretched  forth 
no  hands  against  me ;  but  this  is 
your  hour  «  and  the  power  of  dark- 
nes|^ 

54  Then  took  they  him,  and  led 
Aim,  and  brought  him  into  the 
high  -  priest's  house.  And  Peter 
followed  afar  off. 

55  And  when  they  had  kindled 
a  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  hall,  and 
were  set  down  together,  Peter  sat 
down  among  them. 

56  But  *  a  certain  maid  beheld 
him  as  he  sat  by  the  fire,  and  earn- 
estly looked  upon  him,  and  said. 
This  man  was  also  with  him. 

57  And  he  denied  him,  saying, 
Woman,  I  know  him  not. 

58  And  after  a  little  while  an- 
other saw  him,  and  said,  Thou 

a  Job  20.  6.  Jno.  12.  27.  h  Matt.  26.  69.  Mar. 

14.66-69.  Jno.  18. 17.  c  Matt.  26.  71.  Mar.  14.  69. 
Jno.  18.25.  Matt.  26.  73.  Mar.  14.  70.  Jno.  18.  26. 
c  Matt.  26.  75.   Mar.  14.  72. 

violate  all  thy  obligations  of  fidelity, 
and  deliver  thy  Master  up  to  death  ? 
Betrayest  iliou — thou,  so  long  with 
him,  so  much  favored,  so  sure  that 
this  is  the  Messiah  ?  Betrayest  thou 
the  Son  of  man — the  Messiah,  the  liope 
of  the  nations,  the  desire  of  all  peo- 
ple, the  world's  Redeemer?  Betray- 
est thou  the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss 
— the  sign  of  friendship  and  affec- 
tion employed  in  a  base  and  wick- 


art  also  of  them.  And  Peter  said, 
Man,  I  am  not. 

59  And  about  the  space  of  one 
hour  after,  another  confidently 
affirmed,  saying.  Of  a  truth  this 
felloic  also  was  with  him,  for  he  is 
a  Galilean. 

60  And  Peter  said,  Man,  I  know 
not  what  thou  sayest.  And  im- 
mediately, while  he  yet  spake,  the 
cock  crew. 

61  And  the  Lord  turned  and 
looked  upon  Peter.  And  '  Peter 
remembered  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
how  he  had  said  unto  him.  Before 

the  cock  crow,  thou  shalt  deny 
me  thrice. 

62  And  ^  Peter  went  out  and 
wept  bitterly. 

63  And  ^  the  men  that  held  Jesus 
mocked  him  and  smote  him. 

64  And  when  they  had  blindfold- 
ed him,  they  struck  him  on  the 
face,  and  asked  him,  saying.  Proph- 
esy, who  is  it  that  smote  thee  ? 

65  And  many  other  things  blas- 
phemously spake  they  against 
him. 

66  And  ^  as  soon  as  it  was  day, 
the  elders  of  the  people  and  the 
chief  priests  and  the  scribes  came 
together,  and  led  him  into  their 
council,  saying, 

67  Art  thou  J  the  Christ  ?  tell  us. 
And  he  said  unto  them.  If  I  tell 
you,  ye  will  not  believe : 

68  And  if  I  also  ask  you,  ye  will 
not  answer  me  nor  let  me  go. 

69  Hereafter  shall  the  Son  of 

/ver.34.  Psa.  130. 1-4  ;  143. 1-4.  Jer.31.18. 

Ezek.  7.  16.  1  Cor.  10. 12.  2  Cor.  7. 10, 11.  h  Matt. 
26.  67, 68.  Mar.  14.  65.  i  Matt.  27. 1.  Acta  4.  26-28. 
./  Matt.  26.  63,  etc.    Mar.  14.  61 ,  etc. 

ed  purpose,  intending  to  add  deceit, 
disguise,  and  the  prostitution  of  a 
mark  of  affection  to  the  criine  of 
treason.^  Every  word  of  this  must 
have  gone  to  the  very  soul  of  Judas. 
Perhaps  few  reproofs  of  crime  more 
resemble  the  awful  searchings  of  the 
souls  of  the  wicked  in  the  day  of 
judgment. 

54-62.  Sec  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  57- 
75. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


173 


man  sit  on  the  right  hand  «  of  the 
power  of  God. 

70  Then  said  they  all,  Art  thou, 
then,  the  Son  of  God  ?  And  he 
said  unto  them,  Ye  say  that  I  am. 

71  And  they  said,  What  need 
we  any  further  witness  ?  for  we 
ourselves  have  heard  of  his  own 
mouth. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

AND  *  the  whole  multitude  of 
them  arose,  and  led  him  unto 
Pilate. 

2^And  they  began  to  accuse  him, 
sayl%',  We  found  this  fellow  ^  per- 
verting the  nation,  and  forbid- 
ding to  give  tribute  *  to  Cesar, 

a  Heb.  1.3;  8.1.   Rev.  3.  21. 

b  Matt.  27.  2, 11,  etc.  Mar.  15. 1,  etc.  Jno.  18.  28,  etc. 
cZech.  11.8.  cfver.5.  Acts  16.  20,  21  ;  17.  6,  7. 


63-71.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  57- 
68. 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

1.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  1,  2. 

3.  This  fellow.  The  word  fellow  is 
not  in  the  original.  It  conveys  a  no- 
tion of  contempt^  which  no  doubt  they 
felt^  but  which,  is  not  expressed  in 
tlie  Greeks  and  wliich  it  is  not  proper 
should  be  expressed  in  tlie  transla- 
tion. It  might  be  translated,  "We 
found  this  man."  H  Perverting  the  na- 
tion. That  is,  exciting  them  to  sedi- 
tion and  tumults.  This  was  a  mere 
wanton  accusation,  but  it  was  plausi- 
ble before  a  Roman  magistrate;  for, 
1st.  The  Galileans,  as  Josephus  testi- 
fies, were  prone  to  seditions  and  tu- 
mults. 2d.  Jesus  drew  multitudes  aft- 
er him,  and  they  thought  it  was  easy 
to  show  that  this  was  itself  promoting 
tumults  and  seditions.  ^  Forbidding., 
etc.  About  their  charges  they  were 
very  cautious  and  cunning.  They  did 
not  say  that  he  taught  that  men  should 
not  give  tribute  — that  would  have 
been  too  gross  a  charge,  and  would 
have  been  easily  refuted ;  but  it  was 
an  inference  which  they  drew.  They 
said  \i  followed  from  his  doctrine.  He 
professed  to  be  a  king.  They  %7iferred^ 
therefore,  if  he  was  a  king^  that  he 
must  hold  that  it  was  not  right  to 
acknowledge  allegiance  to  any  for- 
eign prince ;  and  if  they  could  make 
this  out,  they  supposed  that  Pilate 
must  condemn  him  of  course.  ^  Trib- 
ute. Taxes.  H  Ccesar.  The  Roman  em- 


saying  that  he  ^  himself  is  Christ 
a  king. 

3  And  Pilate  asked  him,  saying, 
Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ? 
And  ^  he  answered  him,  and  said, 
Thou  sayest  it. 

4  Then  said  Pilate  to  the  chief 
priests  and  to  the  people,  I  find  no 
^  fault  in  this  man. 

5  And  they  were  the  more  fierce, 
*  saying.  He  stirreth  up  the  peo- 
ple, teaching  throughout  all  Jew- 
ry, beginning  from  Galilee  to  this 
place. 

6  When  Pilate  heard  of  Galilee, 
he  asked  whether  the  man  were  a 
Galilean. 

e  Matt.  17.  27;  22.  21.  Mar.  12. 17.  /Jno.  18.  36; 
19.12.  (7  1  Tim.  6. 13.  A  Jno.  18.  38  ;  19.  4. 

Heb.  7.26.   1  Pet.  2.  22.  tPsa.57.4. 


peror,  called  also  Tiberius.  The  name 
Ccesar  was  common  to  the  Roman  em- 
perors, as  Pharaoh  was  to  the  Egyp- 
tian kings.  All  the  kings  of  Egypt 
were  called  Pharaoh,  or  the  Pharaoh ; 
so  all  the  Roman  emperors  were  call- 
ed Ccesar. 

3.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  11. 

4.  I  find  no  fault,  I  see  no  evidence 
that  he  is  guilty  of  what  you  charge 
him  with.  This  was  after  Pilate  had 
taken  Jesus  into  the  judgment-hall  by 
himself  and  examined  him  privately., 
and  had  been  satisfied  in  regard  to  the 
nature  of  his  kingdom.  See  John 
xviii.  33-38.  He  was  then  satisfied  that 
though  he  claimed  to  be  a  Mng^  yet 
his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world, 
and  that  his  claims  did  not  interfere 
with  those  of  Caesar. 

5.  The  more  fierce.  The  more  urgent 
and  pressing.  They  saw  that  there 
was  a  prospect  of  losing  their  cause, 
and  they  attempted  to  press  on  Pilate 
the  point  that  would  be  most  likely 
now  to  affect  him.  Pilate  had,  in  fact, 
acquitted  him  of  the  charge  of  being 
an  enemy  to  Csesar,  and  they  therefore 
urged  the  other  point  more  vehement- 
ly. Stirreth  up  the  people.  Excites 
them  to  tumult  and  sedition.  H  All 
Jewry.  All  Judea.  ^  From  Galilee  to 
this  place.  To  Jerusalem  —  that  is, 
throughout  the  whole  country.  It  is 
not  merely  in  one  place,  but  from  one 
end  of  the  land  to  the  other. 

6.  Whether  he  were  a  Galilean.  He 
asked  this  because,  if  he  was,  he  prop- 


174 


[A.D.  33. 


7  And  as  soon  as  he  knew  that 
he  belonged  unto  Herod's  juris- 
diction, he  sent  him  to  Herod,  who 
himself  also  was  at  Jerusalem  at 
that  time. 

8  And  when  Herod  saw  Jesus  he 
was  exceeding  glad,  for  *  he  was 
desirous  to  see  him  of  a  long  sea- 
son, because  ^  he  had  heard  many 
things  of  him ;  and  he  hoped  to 
have  seen  some  miracle  done  by 
him. 

9  Then  he  questioned  with  him 
in  many  words but  ^  he  answered 
him  nothing. 

10  And  the  chief  priests  and 
scribes  stood  and  vehemently  ac- 
cused him. 

11  And  Herod  with  his  men  of 

ac.  3. 1.  6  c.  9.9. 

cMatt.  14. 1.    Mar.  6. 14.  2  Kin.  5. 11. 


erly  belonged  to  Herod's  jurisdictioij, 
who  reigned  over  Galilee. 

7.  HerocV s  jurisdictio7i.  Herod  Anti- 
pas,  a  son  of  Herod  the  Great.  This 
was  the  same  Herod  that  put  John  the 
Baptist  to  death.  Jesus  had  passed 
the  most'  of  his  life  in  the  part  of  the 
country  where  he  ruled,  and  it  was 
therefore  considered  that  he  belonged 
to  his  jurisdiction— that  is,  that  it  be- 
longed to  Herod,  not  to  Pilate,  to  try 
this  cause. 

10.  Vehemently  accused  him.  Violent- 
ly or  unjustly  accused  him,  endeavor- 
ing to  make  it  appear  that  he  had  been 
guilty  of  sedition  in  Herod's  province. 

11.  Herod^  with  his  men  of  war.  With 
his  soldiers,  or  his  body-guard.  It  is 
probable  that  in  traveling  he  had  a 
guard  to  attend  him  cojistantly.  H  Set 
him  at  naught.  Treated  him  with  con- 
tempt and  ridicule.  1[  A  gorgeous  robe. 
A  white  or  shining  robe,  for  this  is 
the  meaning  of  the  original.  The  Ro- 
man princes  wore  purple  robes,  and 
Pilate  therefore  put  such  a  robe  on 
Jesus.  The  Jewish  kings  wore  a  white 
robe,  which  was  often  "rendered  very 
shining  or  gorgeous  by  much  tinsel 
or  silver  interwoven.  Josephus"  says 
that  the  robe  which  Agrippa  wore  was 
60  bright  with  silver  that  when  the 
sun  shone  on  it,  it  so  dazzled  the  eyes 
that  it  was  difficult  to  look  on  it.  The 
Jews  and  Romans  thei-efore  decked 
him  in  the  manner  appropriate  to  their 


war  set  him  at  naught,  f  and  mock- 
ed Mm.,  and  arrayed  him  in  a  gor- 
geous robe,  3  and  sent  him  again 
to  Pilate. 

12  And  the  same  day  Pilate  and  ^ 
Herod  were  made  friends  togeth- 
er ;  for  before  they  were  at  enmity 
between  themselves. 

13  And  Pilate,  when  he  had  call- 
ed together  the  chief  priests,  and 
the  rulers,  and  the  people, 

14  Said  unto  them,  Ye  have 
brought  this  man  unto  me  as  one 
that  perverteth  the  people ;  ^d, 
behold,  I,  *  having  examinedwm 
before  you,  have  found  no  fault  in 
this  man  touching  those  things 
whereof  ye  accuse  him : 

15  No,  nor  yet  Herod ;  for  I  sent 

e  Psa.  38, 13, 14 ;  39. 1,9.  Isa.  53.  7.  /  Isa.  49.  7  ; 
53.  3.         g  Jno.  19.  5.         h  Acts  4.  27.         i  ver.  4. 


own  country,  for  purposes  of  mockery. 
All  this  was  unlaw^ful  and  malicious, 
as  there  was  not  the  least  evidence  of 
his  guilt.  ^  Sent  him  to  Pilate.  It  was 
by  the  interchange  of  these  civilities 
that  they  were  made  friends.  It  would 
seem  tha-t  Pilate  sent  him  to  Herod  as 
a  token  of  civility  and  respect,  and 
with  a  design,  perhaps,  of  putting  an 
end  to  their  quarrel.  Herod  returned 
the  civility,  and  it  resulted  in  their 
reconciliation. 

12.  Made  friends  together^  etc.  What 
had  been  the  cause  of  their  quarrel  is 
unknown.  It  is  commonly  supposed 
that  it  was  Pilate's  slaying  the  Gali- 
leans in  Jerusalem,  as  related  in  Luke 
xiii.  1,  2.  The  occasion  of  their  rec- 
onciliation seems  to  have  been  the  ci- 
vility and  respect  which  Pilate  showed 
to  Herod  in  this  case.  It  was  not  be- 
cause they  were  united  in  hating  Je- 
sus, as  is  often  the  case  with  wicked 
men,  for  Pilate  was  certainly  desirous 
of  releasing  him,  and  both  considered 
him  merely  as  an  object  of  ridicule  and 
sport.  It  is  true,  however,  that  wick- 
ed men,  at  variance  in  other  things, 
are  often  united  in  opposing  and  ridi- 
culing Christ  and  his  followers ;  and 
that  cnrhities  of  long  standing  arc 
sometimes  made  up,  and  the  most  op- 
posite characters  brought  together, 
sinii)ly  to  oppose  religion.  Compare 
Psahn  Ixxxiii.  5,  6,  7. 

15.  Nothing  worthy  of  death  is  done 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


175 


you  to  Mm ;  and,  lo,  notliing  wor- 
thy of  death  is  done  unto  Mm. 

16  I  will  therefore  chastise  *  him, 
and  release  Tiim. 

17  For  of  necessity  he  must  re- 
lease one  unto  them  at  the  feast. 

18  And  they  cried  out  all  at  once, 
saying.  Away  with  this  man^  and 
release  unto  us  Barabbas 

19  (Who  for  a  certain  sedition 
made  in  the  city,  and  for  murder,^ 
was  cast  into  prison). 

20  Pilate  therefore,  willing  to  re- 
lease Jesus,  spake  again  to  them. 

21  But  they  cried,  saying.  Cru- 
cify Aim,  crucify  him. 

22  And  he  said  unto  them  the 
third  time,  Why,  what  evil  hath 
he  done  ?  I  have  found  no  cause 
of  death  in  him :  I  will  therefore 
chastise  him  and  let  him  go. 

23  And  they  were  instant  with 
loud  voices,  requiring  that  he 

a  Isa.  53.  5.  b  Acts  3. 14. 

c  Psa.  22. 12.  ver.  5.  1  or,  assented. 


unto  him.  Deserving  of  death.  The 
charges  are  not  proved  against  him. 
They  had  had  every  opportunity  of 
proving  them,  first  before  Pilate  and 
then  before  Herod,  unjustly  subject- 
ing him  to  trial  before  two  men  in 
succession,  and  thus  giving  them  a 
double  opportunity  of  condemning 
him,  and  yet,  after  all,  he  was  declared 
by  both  to  be  innocent.  There  could 
be  no  better  evidence  that  he  was  in- 
nocent. 

16.  /  will  therefore  chastise  him.  The 
word  chastise  here  means  to  scourge  or 
to  whip.  This  was  usually  done  before 
cai)ital  punishment,  to  increase  the 
sufferings  of  the  man  condemned.  It 
is  not  easy  to  see  the  reason  why,  if 
Pilate  supposed  Jesus  to  be  innocefit, 
he  should  propose  publicly  to  scourge 
him.  It  was  as  really  unjust  to  do 
that  as  it  was  to  crucify  him.  But 
probably  he  expected  by  this  to  con- 
ciliate the  minds  of  his  accusers ;  to 
show  them  that  he  was  willing  to 
gratify  them  if  it  could  be  done  with 
propriety;  and  perhaps  he  expected 
that  by  seeing  him  whipped  and  dis- 
graced, and  condemned  to  ridicule, 
to  contempt,  and  to  suffering,  they 
would  be  satisfied.   It  is  farther  re- 


might  be  crucified.  And  the  voices 
of  them  and  of  the  .chief  priests 
prevailed. 

24  And  Pilate  ^  gave  sentence 
that  it  should  be  as  they  ^  required. 

25  And  he  released  unto  them  ^ 
him  that  for  sedition  and  murder 
was  cast  into  prison,  whom  they 
had  desired ;  but  he  delivered  Je- 
sus to  their  will. 

26  And  as  they  led  him  away, 
they  laid  hold  upon  one  Simon,  a* 
Cyrenian,  coming  out  of  the  coun- 
try, and  on  him  they  laid  the  cross, 
that  he  might  bear  it  after  Jesus. 

27  And  there  followed  Mm  a 
great  company  of  people,  and  of 
women,  which  also  bewailed  and 
lamented  him. 

28  But  Jesus,  turning  unto  them, 
said.  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep 
not  for  me,  but  weep  for  yourselves 
and  for  your  children : 

d  Ex.  23.  2.  e  Acts  3. 14. 

/  Matt.  27.  32,  etc.  Mar.  15.  21,  etc.  Jno.  19. 17. 


marked  that  among  the  Romans  it 
was  competent  for  a  magistrate  to 
inflict  a  slight  punishment  on  a  man 
when  a  charge  of  gross  offence  was 
not  fully  made  out,  or  where  there 
was  not  sufficient  testimonj^  to  sub- 
stantiate the  precise  charge  alleged. 
All  this  shows,  1st,  the  palpable  m- 
justice  of  our  Lord's  condemnation; 
2d,  the  persevering  malice  and  obsti- 
nacy of  the  Jews ;  and,  3d,  the  want 
of  firmness  in  Pilate.  He  should  have 
released  him  at  once ;  but  the  love  of 
popularity  led  him  to  the  murder  of 
the  Son  of  God.  Man  should  do  his 
duty  in  all  situations ;  and  he  that, 
like  Pilate,  seeks  only  for  public  favor 
and  popularity,  will  assuredly  be  led 
into  crime. 

17.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  15. 

18-23.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  20- 

23 

23-25.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  26. 

26.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  32. 
^  After  Jesus.  Probably  to  bear  one 
end  of  the  cross.  Jesus  was  feeble 
and  unable  to  bear  it  alone,  and  they 
compelled  Simon  to  help  him. 

28.  Daughters  of  Jerusalem.  Women 
of  Jerusalem.  This  was  a  common 
mode  of  speaking  among  the  Hebrews. 


176 


LUKE. 


LA.D.  33. 


29  For,  behold,  the  days  are 
coming,  in  the  which  they  shall 
say,  Blessed  are  the  barren,  and 
the  wombs  that  never  bare,  and 
the  paps  which  never  gave  suck. 

30  Then  ^  shall  they  begin  to  say 
to  the  mountains.  Fall  on  us ;  and 
to  the  hills,  Cover  us. 

31  For  ^  if  they  do  these  things 
in  a  green  tree,  what  shall  be  done 
in  the  dry  ? 

a  Matt.  24. 19.  c.  2L  23.  h  Isa.  2. 19.  Ho8. 10. 8. 
Rev.  6. 16;  9.6.  cProv.11.31.  Jer.25.29.  Ezek. 
20.47;  21.4.  1  Pet.  4. 17. 


^[  Weep  for  yourselves^  etc.  This  refers 
to  the  calamities  that  were  about  to 
come  upon  them  in  the  desolation  of 
their  city  by  the  Romans. 

30.  To  the  mountains^' Fall  on  uSj  etc. 
This  is  an  image  of  great  calamities 
and  judgments.  So  great  will  be  the 
calamities  that  they  will  seek  for  shel- 
ter from  the  storm,  and  will  call  on 
the  hills  to  protect  them.  The  same 
figure  is  used  respecting  the  wicked 
in  the  day  of  judgment  in  Rev.  vi.  16, 
17.  Compare  also  Isa.  ii.  21. 

31.  For  if  they  do  these  things  in  a 
green  tree^  etc.  This  seems  to  be  a  pro- 
verbial expression.  A  green  tree  is  not 
easily  set  on  fire;  a  dry  one  is  easily 
kindled  and  burns  rapidly;  and  the 
meaning  of  the  passage  is,  "If  they, 
the  Romans,  do  these  things  to  me^ 
who  am  innocent  and  blameless ;  if 
they  punish  me  in  this  manner  in  the 
face  of  justice,  what  will  they  not  do  in 
relation  to  this  guilty  nation  ?  What 
security  have  they  that  heavier  judg- 
ments will  not  come  upon  them? 
What  desolations  and  woes  may  not 
be  expected  when  injustice  and  op- 
pression have  taken  the  place  of  jus- 
tice, and  have  set  up  a  rule  over  this 
wicked  people?"  Our  Lord  alludes, 
evidently,  to  the  calamities  that  would 
come  upon  them  by  the  Romans  in  the 
destruction  of  their  city  and  Temple. 
The  passage  may  be  applied,  however, 
without  impropriety,  and  with  great 
beauty  and  force,  to  the  punishment 
of  the  wicked  in  the  future  world. 
Thus  applied,  it  means  that  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  Saviour,  as  compared 
with  the  sufferings  of  the  guilty,  were 
like  the  burning  of  a  green  tree  as 
compared  with  the  burning  of  one 
that  is  dry.  A  green  tree  is  not  adapt- 
ed to  bum ;  a  dry  one  is.    So  the  Sa- 


32  And  there  were  also  two  oth- 
ers, malefactors,  ^  led  with  him  to 
be  put  to  death. 

33  And  when  they  were  come  to 
the  place  which  is  called  ^  Cal- 
vary, there  they  crucified  him, 
and  the  malefactors ;  one  on  the 
right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the 
left. 

34  Then  said  Jesus,  Father, « for- 
give them,  for  they  know  not  what 

d  Isa.  53.12. 

1  or,  the  place  of  a  skull. 

e  Matt.  5. 44. .  Acts  7 .  60.    1  Cor.  4. 1 2. 


viour  —  innocent,  pure,  and  holy  — 
stood  in  relation  to  suff*ering.  There 
were  suff'erings  which  an  innocent  be- 
ing could  not  endure.  There  was  re- 
morse of  conscience,  the  sense  of 
guilt,  punishment  properly  so  called, 
and  the  eternity  of  woes.  He  had  the 
consciousness  of  innocence,  and  he 
would  not  suff'er  forever.  He  had  no 
passions  to  be  enkindled  that  would 
rage  and  ruin  the  soul.  The  sinner  is 
adapted  to  suff'erings,  like  a  dry  tree 
to  the  fire.  He  is  guiltj^  and  will  suf- 
fer all  the  horrors  of  remorse  of  con- 
science. He  will  be  punished  literal- 
ly. He  has  raging  and  impetuous  pas- 
sions, and  they  will  be  enkindled  in 
hell,  and  will  rage  forever  and  ever. 
The  meaning  is,  that  if  the  innocent 
Saviour  suff'ered  so  much^  the  suff'er- 
ings of  the  sinner  forever  in  hell  must 
be  more  unspeakably  dreadful.  Yet 
who  could  endure  the  suflferings  of 
the  Redeemer  on  the  cross  for  a  sin- 
gle day  ?  Who  could  bear  them  for- 
ever and  ever,  aggravated  by  all  the 
horrors  of  a  guilty  conscience,  and  all 
the  terrors  ot  unrestrained  anger,  and 
hate,  and  fear,  and  wrath  ?  Why  will 
the  loicked  die  ? 

32,  33.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  35, 
38. 

34.  Father^  forgive  them.  This  is  a 
fulfilment  of  the  prophecy  in  Isa.  liii. 
12 :  He  made  intercession  for  the  trans- 
gressors. The  prayer  was  off'ered  for 
those  who  were  guilty  of  putting 
liim  to  death.  It  is  not  quite  certain 
whether  he  referred  to  the  Jews  or  to 
the  Roman  soldiers.  Perhaps  he  refer- 
red to  both.  The  Romans  knew  not 
what  they  did,  as  they  were  really  ig- 
norant that  he  was  the  Son  of  God, 
and  as  they  were  merely  obeying  the 
command  of  their  rulers.    The  Jews 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


177 


they  do.  And  they  parted  his  rai- 
ment, and  cast  lots. 

35  And  the  people  stood  behold- 
ing. And  the  rulers  also  with 
them*  derided  Jiim^  saying,  He 
saved  others;  let  him  save  him- 
self, if  he  be  Christ,  the  chosen  of 
God. 

36  And  the  soldiers  also  mocked 
him,  coming  to  him  and  offering 
him  vinegar, 

a  Psa.  22.  7. 

knew,  indeed,  that  he  was  hmocent^ 
and  they  had  evidence,  if  they  would 
have  looked  at  it,  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah; but  they  did  not  know  what 
would  be  the  effect  of  their  guilt; 
they  did  not  know  what  judgments 
and  calamities  they  were  bringing 
down  upon  their  country.  It  may  be 
added,  also,  that,  though  they  had 
abundant  evidence,  if  they  would  look 
at  it,  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and 
enough  to  leave  them  without  excuse, 
yet  they  did  not,  in  fact^  believe  that 
he  was  the  Saviour  promised  by  the 
prophets,  and  had  not,  in  fact^  any 
proper  sense  of  his  rank  and  dignity 
as  "  the  Lord  of  glory."  If  they  had 
had,  they  would  not  have  crucified 
him,  as  we  can  not  suppose  that  they 
would  knowingly  put  to  death  their 
own  Messiah,  the  hope  of  the  nation, 
and  him  who  had  been  so  long  prom- 
ised to  the  fathers.  See  Notes  on 
1  Cor.  ii.  8.  We  may  learn  from  this 
prayer— 1st.  The  duty  of  praying  for 
our  enemies,  even  when  they  are  en- 
deavoring most  to  injure  us.  2d.  The 
thing  for  which  we  should  pray  for 
them  is  that  God  would  pardon  them 
and  give  them  better  minds.  3d.  The 
power  and  excellence  of  the  Christian 
religion.  No  other  religion  teaches 
men  to  pray  for  the  forgiveness  of  en- 
emies ;  no  other  disposes  them  to  do 
it.  Men  of  the  world  seek  for  revenge  ; 
the  Christian  bears  reproaches  and 
persecutions  with  patience,  and  prays 
that  God  would  pardon  those  who 
injure  them,  and  save  them  from 
their  sins.  4th.  The  greatest  sinners, 
through  the  intercession  of  Jesus, 
may  obtain  pardon.  God  heard  him, 
and  still  hears  him  always^  and  there 
is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  many  of 
his  enemies  and  murderers  obtained 
forgiveness  and  life.  Compare  Acts 
ii.  37, 43, 43 ;  vi.  7 ;  xiv.  1.  If  They  k7iow 


37  And  saying,  If  thou  be  the 
King  of  the  Jews,  save  thyself. 

38  And  a  superscription  also  was 
written  over  him,  in  letters  of 
Greek,  and  Latin,  and  Hebrew, 
THIS  IS  THE  KING  OF  THE 
JEWS. 

39  And  one*  of  the  malefactors 
wliich  were  hanged  railed  on  him, 
saying,  If  thou  be  Christ,  save  thy- 
self and  us. 

6  c.  17.  34-36. 


not  what  they  do.  It  was  done  through 
ignorance.  Actsiii.  17.  Paul  says  that, 
''had  they  known  it,  they  would  not 
have  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory." 
1  Cor.  ii.  8.  Ignorance  does  not  ex- 
cuse altogether  a  crime  if  the  igno- 
rance be  wilful,  but  it  diminishes  its 
guilt.  They  7ia(i  evidence ;  they  might 
have  learned  his  character ;  they  might 
have  known  what  they  were  doing, 
and  they  might  be  held  answerable  for 
all  this.  But  Jesus  here  shows  the 
compassion  of  his  heart,  and  as  the}- 
were  really  ignorant,  whatever  might 
have  been  the  cause  of  their  ignorance, 
he  implores  God  to  pardon  them.  He 
even  urges  it  as  a  reason  why  they 
should  be  pardoned,  that  they  were 
ignorant  of  what  they  were  doing; 
and  though  men  are  often  guilty  for 
their  ignorance,  yet  God  often  in  com- 
passion overlooks  it,  averts  his  anger, 
and  grants  them  the  blessings  of  par- 
don and  life.  So  he  forgave  Paul,  for 
he  "did  it  in  ignorance,  in  unbelief." 
1  Tim.  i.  13.  So  God  winked  at  the  ig- 
norance of  the  Gentiles.  Acts  xvii.  30. 
Yet  this  is  no  excuse,  and  no  evidence 
of  safety,  for  those  who  in  our  day 
contemptuously  put  away  from  them 
and  their  children  the  means  of  in- 
struction. 

85-39.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  41- 
44. 

38.  I7i  letters  of  Greek^  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  xvii.  37. 

39.  One  of  the  malefactors.  Matthew 
(chap,  xxvii.  44)  says  "^/le  thieves — cast 
the  same  in  his  teeth. ' '  See  the  apparent 
contradiction  in  these  statements  rec- 
onciled in  the  Notes  on  that  place. 

If  thou  he  Christ.  If  thou  art  the 
Messiah ;  if  thou  art  what  thou  dost 
pretend  to  be.  This  is  a  taunt  or  re- 
proach of  the  same  kind  as  that  of  the 
priests  in  verse  35.  ^  Save  thyself  and 
us.    Save  our  lives.    Deliver  us*  from 


178 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


40  But  the  other  answering,  re- 
buked hhn,  saymg,  Dost  not  thou 
fear  God,  seeing  thou  art  in  the 
same  *  condemnation  ? 

41  And  we  indeed  justly ;  for  we 
receive  the  due  reward  of  our 

a  Pea.  36.1.  6Jer.5.3.  cl  Pet.  1.19. 


the  cross.  This  man  did  not  seek  for 
salvation  truly;  he  asked  not  to  be 
delivered  from  his  sins ;  if  he  had,  Je- 
sus would  also  have  heard  him.  Men 
often,  in  sickness  and  affliction,  call 
upon  God.  Tliey  are  earnest  in  prayer. 
They  ask  of  God  to  save  them,  but  it 
is  only  to  save  them  from  temporal 
death.  It  is  not  to  be  saved  from 
their  sins,  and  the  consequence  is, 
that  when  God  does  raise  them  up, 
they  forget  their  promises,  and  live 
as  they  did  before,  as  this  robber 
would  have  done  if  Jesus  had  heard 
his  prayer  and  delivered  him  from 
the  cross. 

40.  Bost  not  thou  fear  God^  etc.  You 
are  condemned  to  die  as  well  as  he. 
It  is  improper  for  you  to  rail  on  him 
as  the  rulers  and  Romans  do.  God  is 
just,  and  you  are  hastening  to  his  bar, 
and  you  should  therefore  fear  him,  and 
fear  that  he  will  punish  you  for  railing 
on  this  innocent  man.  ^  Same  con- 
demnation. Condemnation  to  death; 
not  death  for  the  same  thing,  but  the 
same  kind  of  death. 

41.  Due  reward  of  our  deeds.  The 
proper  punishment  for  our  crimes. 
They  had  been  highwaymen,  and  it 
was  just  that  they  should  die. 

42.  Remember  me.  This  is  a  phrase 
praying  for  favor,  or  asking  him  to 
grant  him  an  interest  in  his  kingdom, 
or  to  acknowledge  him  as  one  of  his 
followers.  It  implied  that  he  believed 
that  Jesus  was  what  he  claimed  to  be 
— the  Messiah  ;  that,  though  he  was 
dying  with  them,  yet  he  would  set 
up  his  kingdom  ;  and  that  he  had  full 
power  to  bless  him,  though  about  to 
expire.  It  is  possilole  that  this  man 
might  have  heard  him  preach  before 
his  crucifixion,  and  have  learned  there 
the  nature  of  his  kingdom ;  or  it  may 
have  been  that  while  on  the  cross  Je- 
sus had  taken  occasion  to  acquaint 
them  with  the  nature  of  his  kingdom. 
While  he  might  have  been  doing  this, 
one  of  the  malefactors  may  have  con- 
tinued to  rail  on  him  while  the  other 
became  truly  penitent.  Such  a  result 
of  preaching  the  Gospel  would  not 


deeds;  but  this  man  hath  done 
nothing  ^  amiss. 

42  And  he  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord, 
remember  ^  me  when  thou  comest 
into  thy  kingdom. 

43  And  Jesns  said  unto  him, 

Psa.  106. 4, 5.    Rom.  10.9, 10.    1  Cor.  6. 10, 11. 

have  been  unlike  what  has  often  oc- 
curred since,  where,  while  the  Gospel 
has  been  proclaimed,  one  has  been 
"taken  and  another  left;"  one  has 
been  melted  to  repentance,  another 
has  been  more  hardened  in  guilt.  The 
13romise  which  follows  shows  that  this 
prayer  was  answered.  This  was  a  case 
of  repentance  in  the  last  hour,  the  try- 
ing hour  of  death ;  and  it  has  been  re- 
marked that  one  was  brought  to  re- 
pentance there,  to  show  that  no  one 
should  despair  on  a  dying  bed ;  and 
hut  one,  that  none  should  be  presump- 
tuous and  delay  repentance  to  that 
awful  moment.  H  When  thou  comest^ 
etc.  It  is  impossible  now  to  fix  the 
precise  idea  which  this  robber  had  of 
Christ' s  coming.  Whether  it  was  that 
he  expected  that  he  would  rise  from 
the  dead,  as  some  of  the  Jews  sup- 
posed the  Messiah  would ;  or  wheth- 
er he  referred  to  the  day  of  judgment; 
or  whether  to  an  immediate  transla- 
tion to  his  kingdom  in  the  heavens, 
we  can  not  tell.  All  tha|  we  know  is, 
that  he  fully  believed  him  to  be  the 
Messiah,  and  that  he  desired  to  ob- 
tain an  interest  in  that  kingdom  which 
he  knew  he  would  establish. 

43.  To-day^  etc.  It  is  not  probable 
that  the  dying  thief  expected  that  his 
prayer  would  be  so  soon  answered.  It 
is  rather  to  be  supposed  that  he  look- 
ed to  some  future  period  when  the 
Messiah  would  rise  or  would  return ; 
but  Jesus  told  him  that  his  prayer 
would  be  answered  that  very  day,  im- 
plying, evidently,  that  it  would  be  im- 
mediately at  death.  This  is  the  more 
remarkable,  as  those  who  were  cruci- 
fied commonly  lingered  for  several 
days  on  the  cross  before  they  died; 
but  Jesus  foresaw  that  measures  would 
be  taken  to  hasten  their  death,  and  as- 
sured him  that  that  day  he  should  re- 
ceive an  answer  to  his  prayer  and  be 
with  him  in  his  kingdom.  It  Paradise. 
This  is  a  word  of  Persian  origin,  and 
means  a  garden^  particularly  a  gar- 
den of  pleasure,  filled  with  trees,  and 
shrubs,  and  fountains,  and  flowers.  In 
hot  climates  such  gardens  were  pecu- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


179 


Verily  «  I  say  unto  thee,  To  -  day 
shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  ^  paradise. 

44  And  it  was  about  the  sixth 
hour,  and  there  was  darkness  over 
all  ^  the  earth  until  the  ninth  hour. 

45  And  the  sun  was  darkened, 
and  the  veil  of  the  temple  was 
rent  in  the  midst. 

46  And  when  Jesus  had  cried 
with  voice,  he  said.  Father, 
into  "  Uplands  I  commend  my 
spirit ;  and  ^  having  said  thus,  he 
gave  up  the  ghost. 

47  Now  when  the  centurion  saw 
what  was  done,  he  glorified  God, 
saying.  Certainly  this  was  a  right- 
eous man. 

48  And  all  the  people  that  came 
together  to  that  sight,  beholding 

a  Rom.  5.  20, 21.  6  2  Cor.  12.4.    Rev.  2.  7. 

1  or,  land.  c  Psa.  31.5.    1  Pet.  2.  23. 

d  Matt.  27.  50,  etc.    Mar.  15.  37,  etc.    Jno.  19. 30. 


the  things  which  were  done,  smote 
their  breasts  and  returned. 

49  And  all  his  acquaintance,  and 
the  women  that  followed  him  from 
Galilee,  stood  afar  *  off,  beholding 
these  things. 

50  And,  behold,  thei^e  was  a  man 
named  Joseph,  a  counsellor;  mid 
he  was  a  good  man,  and  a  just : 

51  The  same  had  not  consented 
to  the  counsel  and  deed  of  them : 
he  was  of  Arimathea,  a  city  of  the 
J ews ;  who  /  also  himself  waited 
for  the  kingdom  of  God. 

52  This  man  went  unto  Pilate 
and  begged  the  body  of  Jesus. 

53  And  he  took  it  down,  and 
wrapped  it  in  linen,  and  laid  it  in 
a   a  sepulchre  that  was  hewn  in 

e  Psa.  38. 11  ;  142.4. 

/Mar.  15.43.    c.  2.  25, 38.  ^  Isa.  53.  9. 


liarly  pleasant,  and  hence  they  were 
attached  to  the  mansions  of  the  rich 
and  to  the  palaces  of  princes.  The 
word  came  thus  to  denote  any  place 
of  happiness,  and  was  used  particular- 
ly to  denote  the  abodes  of  the  blessed 
in  another  world.  The  Romans  spoke 
of  their  Elysium,  and  the  Greeks  of 
the  gardens  of  Hesperides,  where  the 
trees  bore  golden  fruit.  The  garden 
of  Eden  means,  also,  the  garden  of 
pleasure^  and  in  Gen.  ii.  8  the  Septua- 
gint  renders  the  word  Eden  by  Para- 
dise. Hence  this  name  in  the  Script- 
ures comes  to  denote  the  abodes  of 
the  blessed  in  the  other  world.  See 
Notes  on  2  Cor.  xii.  4.  The  Jews  sup- 
posed that  the  souls  of  the  righteous 
would  be  received  into  such  a  place, 
and  those  of  the  wicked  cast  down  to 
Gehenna  until  the  time  of  the  judg- 
ment. They  had  many  fables  about 
this  state  which  it  is  unnecessary  to 
repeat.  The  plain  meaning  of  the  pas- 
sage is,  "To-day  thou  shalt  be  made 
happy,  or  be  received  to  a  state  of 
blessedness  with  me  after  death."  It 
is  to  be  remarked  that  Christ  says 
nothing  about  the  place  where  it  should 
be,  nor  of  the  condition  of  tliose  there, 
excepting  that  it  is  a  place  of  blessed- 
ness, and  that  its  happiness  is  to  com- 
mence immediately  after  death  (see 
also  Phil.  i.  23) ;  but  from  the  narra- 
tive we  may  learn — 1st.  That  the  soul 
will  exist  separately  from  the  body; 


for,  while  the  thief  and  the  Saviour 
would  be  in  Paradise,  their  bodies 
would  be  on  the  cross  or  in  the  grave. 
2d.  That  immediately  after  death — the 
same  day — the  souls  of  the  righteous 
will  be  made  happy.  They  will  feel 
that  they  are  secure ;  they  will  be  re- 
ceived among  the  just ;  and  they  will 
have  the  assurance  of  a  glorious  im- 
mortality. 3d.  That  state  will  differ 
from  the  condition  of  the  wicked. 
The  promise  was  made  to  but  one  on 
the  cross,  and  there  is  no  evidence 
whatever  that  the  other  entered  there. 
See  also  the  parable  of  the  rich  man 
and  Lazarus.  Luke  xvi.  19-31.  4th.  It 
is  the  chief  glory  of  this  state  and  of 
heaven  to  be  permitted  to  see  Jesus 
Christ  and  to  be  with  him:  "Thou 
shalt  be  with  me. "  "I  desire  to  depart 
and  to  be  with  Christ.""  Phil.  i.  23.  See 
also  Rev.  xxi.  23 ;  v.  9-14. 

44-46.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  45- 
50. 

47-49.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  52- 
55. 

48.  The  things  which  were  done.  The 
earthquake,  the  darkness,  and  the  suf- 
ferings of  Jesus.  IF  Smote  their  breasts. 
In  token  of  alarm,  fear,  and  anguish. 
They  saw  the  judgments  of  God ;  they 
saw  the  guilt  of  the  rulers  ;  and  they 
feared  the  farther  displeasure  of  the 
Almighty. 

50-56.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  57- 
61.  Mark  XV.  42-47. 


'180 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


stone,  wlierein  man  never  before 
was  laid. 

54  And  that  day  was  the  "  prep- 
aration, and  the  sabbath  drew  on. 

55  And  the  women  *  also,  which 
came  with  him  from  Galilee,  fol- 
lowed after,  and  beheld  the  sepul- 
chre, and  how  his  body  was  laid. 

56  And  they  returned,  and  pre- 
pared spices  and  ointments;  and 
rested  the  sabbath  day,  accord- 
ing ^  to  the  commandment. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

NOW  *  upon  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, they  came  unto  the  sepulchre, 
bringing  the  spices  which  they  had 
l^repared,  and  certain  others  with 
them. 

2  And  they  found  the  stone  roll- 
ed away  from  the  sepulchre. 

3  And  they  entered  in,  and  found 
not  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

4  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they 
were  much  perplexed  thereabout, 
behold,  f  two  men  stood  by  them 
in  shining  garments : 

5  And,  as  they  were  afraid,  and 
bowed  down  theiv  faces  to  the 
earth,  they  said  unto  them.  Why 
seek  ye  ^  the  living  among  the 
dead? 

a  Matt.  27.  62.  6  c,  8.  2.  ver.  49.       c  Mar.  1 6. 1 . 

d  Ex.  20.  8-10.  c  Matt.  28. 1 ,  etc.    Mar.  16.  2,  etc. 

Jno.  20.  l,etc.  /Jno.20. 12.   Acts  1. 10. 

1  or,  him  that  liveth.    Rev.  1. 18. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
1-12.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxviii.  1- 
11. 

13.  Two  of  them.  Two  of  the  disci- 
ples. The  name  of  one  of  them  was 
Cleopas  (verse  18).  Many  have  sup- 
posed that  the  other  was  Luke,  and 
that  he  omitted  his  own  name  from 
modesty.  Others  have  supposed  that 
it  was  Peter.  See  verse  34.  1  Cor.  xv. 
5.  There  is  no  evidence  to  guide  us 
here.  Dr.  Lightfoot  has  shown  that 
Cleopas  is  the  same  name  as  Alpheus, 
who  was  the  Mher  of  the  apostle 
James.  Matt.  x.  3.  ^  Emmaus.  In 
regard  to  the  locality  of  Emmaus,  it 
seems  quite  probable  that  it  is  the 
same  village  which  is  referred  to  by 


6  He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen: 
remember  how  he  spake  ^  unto 
you  when  he  was  yet  in  Gali- 
lee, 

7  Saying,  The  Son  of  man  must 
be  delivered  into  the  hands  of  sin- 
ful men,  and  be  crucified,  and  the 
third  day  rise  again. 

8  And  they  remembered  his 
words,  .^ttk 

9  And  returned  from«Bpiepul- 
chre,  and  told  all  the^s  things 
unto  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the 
rest. 

10  It  was  Mary  Magdalene,  and 
^Joanna,  and  Mary  the  mother  of 
James,  and  other  women  that  were 
with  them,  which  told  these  things 
unto  the  apostles. 

11  And  their  words  seemed  to 
them  as  idle  tales, '  and  they  be- 
lieved them  not. 

12  Then  3  arose  Peter,  and  ran 
unto  the  sepulchre ;  and  stooping 
down,  he  beheld  the  linen  clothes 
laid  by  themselves,  and  departed, 
wondering  in  himself  at  that  which 
was  come  to  pass. 

13  And,  behold,  two  *  of  them 
went  that  same  day  to  a  village 
called  Emmaus,  which  was  from 
Jerusalem  alout  threescore  fur- 
longs. 

i7  Matt.  16.  21;  17.  23.  Mar.  8.  31  ;  9.  31.  c.  9.  22. 
Jno.  2.  22.  A  0.8.  3.  «  Gen.  19. 14.  2  Kin.  7.  2. 
Job  9. 16.  Psa.  126, 1.  Actsl2.  9, 15.  ^■Jno.20. 
3,6.  ArMar.  16. 12. 

Josephus  (Jewish  Wars,  vii.  6,  §  6), 
who  states  that,  after  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  Titus  gave  Emmam^  dis- 
tant from  Jerusalem  threescore  fur- 
longs, to  eight  hundred  of  his  troops, 
whom  he  had  dismissed  from  his  army, 
for  their  habitation.  Dr.  Thomson  (The 
Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  ii.,  p.  307, 540) 
regards  it  as  the  present  Kurict  el 
'Aineb,  which  Dr.  Robinson  identifies 
with  Kirjath-jcarim.  Of  this  place  he 
says:  "Kurict  el  'Aineb  itself  would 
be  the  proper  distance  from  Jerusa- 
lem, and  being  on  the  road  to  Jaffa, 
and  on  the  dividing  ridge  between  the 
plain  and  the  mountains,  the  Roman 
emperor  might  have  deemed  it  an  ad- 
vantageous post  for  a  colony  made  up 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


181 


14  And  they  talked  together  of 
all  these  things  which  had  hap- 
pened. 

15  And  it  came  to  pass  that, 
while  they  communed  ^  together 

a  Mai.  3. 16.    Matt.  18.  20.    ver.  36. 


of  his  disbanded  soldiers,  who  could 
keep  in  check  the  surrounding  coun- 
try. Certain  it  is  that  in  these  later 
ages  the  occupants  of  this  place  have 
controlled  the  whole  adjacent  region, 
and  for  many  a  generation  exercised 
their  lawless  tyranny  upon  helpless 
pilgrims. 

"  It  took  just  three  hours'  moderate 
riding  from  Kuriet  el  'Aineb  to  Jeru- 
salem :  first,  a  long  descent  into  Wady 
Hanina,  whicli  passes  between  it  and 
Soba;  tlien  a  similar  ascent,  succeed- 
ed by  a  very  steep  pass,  and  a  very 
slippery  path  down  to  Kulonia.  At 
this  place  are  some  heavy  foundations 
of  church,  convent,  or  castle  by  the 
road  side,  which  may  be  of  almost 
any  age,  and  also  gardens  of  fruit- 
trees,  irrigated  by  a  fountain  of  excel- 
lent water.  Kulonia  is  on  a  hill  north 
of  the  road,  and  appears  in  a  fair  way 
to  become  a  ruin  itself  before  long. 
The  path  then  winds  up  a  valley,  and 
stretches  over  a  dreary  waste  of  bare 
rocks  until  within  a  mile  of  the  city, 
when  the  view  opens  upon  its  naked 
ramparts  and  the  mysterious  regions 
toward  the  Dead  Sea."  T[  Threescore 
furlongs.  Sixty  furlongs,  or  about 
seven  or  eight  miles.  It  is  not  cer- 
tain that  these  were  apostles,  but  the 
contrary  seems  to  be  implied  in  verse 
33.  See  Notes  on  that  verse.  If  they 
were  not,  it  is  probable  that  they  were 
intimate  disciples  who  may  have  been 
much  with  the  Saviour  during  the  lat- 
ter part  of  his  ministry  and  the  clos- 
ing scenes  of  his  life.  But  it  is  whol- 
ly unknown  why  they  were  going  to 
Emmaus.  It  may  have  been  that  this 
was  their  native  place,  or  that  they 
had  friends  in  the  vicinity.  They  seem 
to  have  given  up  all  for  lost,  and  to 
have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Je- 
sus was  not  the  Messiah,  though  they 
naturally  conversed  about  it,  and  there 
were  many  things  which  they  could 
not  explain.  Their  Master  had  been 
crucified  contrary  to  their  expecta- 
tion, their  hopes  dashed,  their  antici- 
pation disappointed,  and  they  were 
now  returning  in  sadness,  and  very 
naturally  conversed,  in  the  way,  of 


and  reasoned,  Jesus  himself  drew 
near  and  went  with  them. 

16  But  their  eyes  were  holden,^ 
that  they  should  not  know  him. 

17  And  he  said  unto  them.  What 

b  Jno.  20. 14, 15  ;  21.4. 


the  things  which  had  happened  in  Je- 
rusalem. 

15.  Communed  together.  Talked  to- 
gether. ^  And  reasoned.  They  rea- 
soned, doubtless,  about  the  probabil- 
ity or  improbability  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah;  about  the  evidence  of 
his  resurrection ;  about  what  was  to 
be  done  in  the  present  state  of  things. 

Jesus  himself  drew  nem\  etc.  The 
disciples  were  properly  employed. 
Their  minds  were  anxious  about  the 
state  of  things,  and  they  endeavored 
to  arrive  at  the  truth.  In  this  state 
of  things  Jesus  came  to  solve  their 
doubts,  and  to  establish  them  in  the 
belief  that  he  was  the  Christ ;  and  we 
may  learn  from  this  that  Christ  will 
guide  those  who  are  sincerely  endeav- 
oring to  know  the  truth.  They  who 
candidlj^  and  seriously  endeavor  to  as- 
certain what  is  true  and  right  he  will 
direct ;  and  often  in  an  unexpected 
manner  he  will  appear,  to  dissipate 
their  doubts  and  to  scatter  all  their 
perplexities.  Our  duty  is  sincerely  to 
strive  to  ascertain  the  truth,  and  to 
do  his  will ;  and  if  his  people  do  this, 
he  will  not  leave  them  to  perplexity 
and  wandering. 

16.  Their  eyes  were  holden.  This  ex- 
pression is  used  merely  to  denote  that 
they  did  not  know  who  he  was.  It 
does  hot  appear  that  there  was  any 
thing  supernatural  or  miracuious  in 
it,  or  that  God  used  any  power  to 
blind  them.  It  may  easily  be  account- 
ed for  without  any  such  supposition ; 
for,  1st.  Jesus  appeared  in  another  form 
(Mark  xvi.  12) — that  is,  diff'erent  from 
his  iisual  appearance.  2d.  They  were 
not  expecting  to  see  him — indeed,  they 
did  not  suppose  that  he  was  alive,  and 
it  required  the  strongest  evidence  to 
convince  them  that  he  was  really  risen 
from  the  dead. 

17.  What  manner  of  communications , 
etc.  What  is  the  subject  of  your  con- 
versation ?  What  is  it  that  has  so 
much  affected  your  minds  ?  They 
were  deeply  affected  in  the  recollec- 
tion of  the  death  of  Jesus ;  and,  as 
became  all  Christians,  they  were  con- 
versing about  him,  and  were  sad  at 


182 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


manner  of  communications  are 
these  that  ye  have  one  to  another, 
as  ye  walk  and  are  sad  ? 

18  And  the  one  of  them,  whose 
name  was  Cleopas,  «  answering, 
said  unto  him.  Art  thou  only  a 
stranger  in  Jerusalem,  and  hast 
not  known  the  things  which  are 
come  to  pass  there  in  these  days  ? 

19  And  he  said  unto  them,  What 
things  ?  And  they  said  unto  him. 
Concerning  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
which  was  a  *  prophet  mighty  in 

aJno.  19.25.  6  c.  7. 16.  Jno.  3.  2.  Acts  2.  22. 

c  Acts  7.  22. 


the  overwhelming  events  that  had 
come  upon  them. 

18.  Art  thou  07ily  a  stranger?  etc. 
This  is  an  expression  of  surprise  that 
he  should  be  unacquainted  with  an 
affair  that  had  made  so  much  noise, 
and  that  had  been  attended  with  so 
remarkable  circumstances.  The  word 
stranger  here  denotes  one  who  had 
come  to  reside  at  a  place  only  for  a 
time^  not  a  permanent  inhabitant. 
Many  Jews  came  up  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  to  Jerusalem,  to  keep  the 
Passover  there.  They  appear  to  have 
taken  Jesus  to  be  such  a  stranger  or 
foreigner.  The  meaning  of  this  verse 
may  be  thus  expressed:  "The  affair 
concerning  which  we  are  sad  has  been 
well  known,  and  has  made  a  great 
talk  and  noise,  so  that  all,  even  the 
strangers  who  have  come  up  to  re- 
main there  but  a  little  time,  are  well 
acquainted  with  it.  Art  thou  the  only 
one  of  them  who  has  not  heard  it  ?  Is 
every  bt)dy  so  well  acquainted  with  it, 
and  tliou  hast  not  heard  of  it  ?  It  is  a 
matter  of  surprise,  and  we  can  not  ac- 
count for  it." 

19.  A  prophet.  A  teacher  sent  from 
God.  They  did  not  now  call  him  the 
Messiah^  for  his  death  had  led  them  to 
doubt  that,  but  they  had  no  doubt 
that  he  was  a  distinguished  prophet. 
The  evidence  of  that  was  so  clear 
that  they  could  not  call  it  in  question. 
1  Mighty  in  deed.  Powerful  in  work- 
ing miracles,  in  raising  the  dead,  heal- 
ing the  sick,  etc.  H  Bi  word.  In  teach- 
ing. ^  Before  God  a7id  all  the  people. 
Manifestly ;  publicly.  So  that  God 
owned  him,  and  the  people  regarded 
him  as  a  distinguished  teacher. 

20.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  59-66. 

21.  We  trusted.   We  hoped  and  ex- 


deed  and  word  before  God  and  all 
the  people ; 

20  And  ^  how  the  chief  priests 
and  our  rulers  delivered  him  to 
be  condemned  to  death,  and  have 
crucified  him. 

21  But  we  trusted  that  it  had 
been  ^  he  which  should  have  re- 
deemed Israel ;  and,  beside  all 
this,  to-day  is  the  third  day  since 
these  things  were  done. 

22  Yea,  and  certain  women  f  also 
of  our  company  made  us  astonish- 

dQ.n.\.  Acts  13.  27, 28.  cel.  68.  Acts  1.6. 

/  ver.  9, 10. 

pected.  ^  Shoidd  have  redeemed  Israel. 
That  he  was  the  Messiah,  who  would 
have  delivered  the  nation  from  the 
Romans.  ^  Besides  all  this.  It  is  to 
be  observed  that  Cleopas  states  things 
just  as  they  occurred  to  his  own  mind. 
There  is  little  connection.  His  mind 
is  confused  and  distracted.  There 
were  so  many  things  that  were  re- 
markable in  Jesus ;  there  was  so  much 
evidence  that  he  w^as  the  Messiah ; 
their  hopes  had  been  so  suddenly 
dashed  by  his  death,  and  the  succeed- 
ing events  had  been  so  wonderful,  that 
his  mind  was  confused,  and  he  knew 
not  what  to  think.  The  things  which 
he  now  stated  served  to  increase  his 
perplexity.  The  expressions  here  are 
perfectly  natural.  They  bespeak  an 
agitated  mind.  They  are  simple  touch- 
es of  nature,  which  show  that  the  book 
was  not  forged.  If  the  book  had  been 
the  work  of  imposture,  this  artless 
and  perplexed  narrative  would  not 
have  been  thought  of  1"  To-day  is 
the  third  day,  etc.  Jesus  had  foretold 
them  that  he  would  rise  on  the  third 
day.  This  they  did  not  understand ; 
but  it  is  not  improbable  that  they 
looked  to  this  day  expecting  some- 
thing wonderful,  and  that  the  visit  to 
the  sepulchre  had  called  it  to  their 
recollection,  and  they  were  more  and 
more  amazed  when  they  put  all  these 
things  together.  As  if  they  had  said, 
"  The  third  day  is  come,  and  we  have 
not  seen  him.  Yet  we  begin  to  re- 
member his  promise — the  angels  have 
informed  us  that  he  is  alive — but  we 
do  not  know  how  to  put  these  things 
together,  or  what  to  make  of  them.'' 
22,  23.  Certain  women.  See  Matt, 
xxviii.  1-7.  John  xx.  12.  T[  A  vision 
of  afigels.  An  appearance  of  angels,  or 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


183 


ed,  which  were  early  at  the  sepul- 
chre ; 

23  And  when  they  found  not  his 
body,  they  came,  saying  that  they 
had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels, 
which  said  that  he  was  alive. 

24  And  certain  of  them  which 
were  with  us  went  to  the  sepul- 
chre, and  found  it  even  so  as  the 
women  had  said;  but  him  they 
saw  not. 

aver.  12.  5  Heb.  5. 11, 12. 

c  ver.  46.    Acts  17. 3.    Heb.  9.  22,  23. 


they  had  seen  angels.    See  John  xx. 

24.  Certain  of  them  loMch  were  with  us. 
Peter  and  John.    See  John  xx.  2-9. 

25.  0  fools.  The  word  fool  some- 
times is  a  term  of  reproach  denoting 
wickedness.  In  this  sense  we  are  for- 
bidden to  employ  it  in  addressing  an- 
other. Matt.  v.  22.  Tliat,  however, 
is  a  different  word  in  the  Greek  from 
the  one  which  occurs  here.  Tlie  one 
there  used  implies  contempt,  but  the 
one  employed  in  this  place  denotes 
weakness  or  dullness.  lie  reproached 
them  for  not  seeing  what  he  had  him- 
self so  clearly  predicted,  and  what  had 
been  foretold  by  the  prophets.  The 
word  used  in  the  original  does  not 
imply  as  much  reproach  as  the  word 
fool  does  among  us.  It  was  not  an 
expression  of  contempt ;  it  was  an  ex- 
pression d^oting  merely  that  they 
were  thoughtless^  and  that  they  did  not 
properly  attend  to  the  evidence  that  he 
must  die  and  rise  again.  ^  Slow  of 
heart  to  believe.  Not  quick  to  perpeive. 
Dull  of  learning.  They  had  suffered 
their  previous  opinions  and  prejudices 
to  prevent  their  ^Mng  the  evidence 
that  he  must  die^Sl  rfee  from  the 
dead.  IF  All  that  the  prophets  have  spo- 
ken. Respecting  the  character  and 
sufferings  of  the  Messiah.  See  Notes 
on  verse  27. 

26.  Ought  not  Christy  etc.  Ought  not 
the  Messiah.  Was  there  not  evidence 
that  he  would  do  it  ?  and  was  it  not 
indispensable  that  he  should,  in  order 
to  fulfil  the  prophecies  ?  The  necessity 
of  his  suffering  these  things  referred 
to  here  was  that  it  was  foretold  that 
he  would.  The  reason  why  it  was  pre- 
dicted, and  why  it  was  necessary  that 
it  should  occur,  was  that  it  was  prop- 
er that  God  should  manifest  his  jus- 
tice, and  do  honor  to  his  law,  and  se- 


25  Then  he  said  unto  them,  *  O 
fools,  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe 
all  that  the  prophets  have  spo- 
ken ! 

26  Ought  not  Christ  to  have 
suffered  these  things,  and  to  en- 
ter ^  into  his  glory  ? 

27  And  beginning  at  Moses,  ^  and 
all  the  prophelfe,  he  expounded 
unto  them  in  all  the  scriptures  the 
things  concerning  himself. 

<Z  1  Pet.  1 .  3, 1 1 .  ever.U.   Acts  3.  22. 

/  Acts  10. 43  ;  26.  22. 


cure  the  due  regard  for  his  govern- 
ment, while  he  pardoned  the  guilty. 

27.  Beginning  at  Moses.  At  the  writ- 
ings of  Moses,  or  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Old  Testament ;  or  rather  the 
word  beginning  should  be  separated 
from  what  follows,  denoting  simply 
that  he  commenced  his  discourse,  and 
not  that  he  began  at  the  prophets  as 
well  as  at  Moses;  thus,  "And  com- 
mencing his  discourse,  or  replying  to 
them,  he  expounded  from  Moses  and 
the  prophets,"  etc.  1[  All  the  prophets. 
The  books  of  the  Old  Testament  gen- 
erally. 1[  He  expounded.  He  explain- 
ed or  interpreted  it  to  them.  Proba- 
bly he  showed  them  that  ^/lar  notions 
of  the  Messiah  were  not  according  to 
the  Scriptures.  They  expected  a  tem- 
poral prince ;  they  were  perplexed  be- 
cause Jesus  had  not  assumed  the  re- 
gal power,  but  had  been  put  to  death. 
He  showed  them  that  according  to 
the  prophecies  he  ought  to  suffer, 
and  that  his  deaths  therefore,  was  no 
argument  that  he  was  not  the  Mes- 
siah. ^  In  all  the  scriptures.  In  all 
the  writitigs  of  the  Old  Testament. 
They  were  called  scriptures  because 
they  were  written^  the  art  of  printing 
being  then  unknown.  1[  The  things 
concerning  himself.  Concerning  the 
Messiah.  It  does  not  appear  that  he 
applied  them  to  himself,  but  left  them, 
probably,  to  make  the  application.  He 
showed  what  the  Scriptures  foretold, 
and  they  saw  that  these  things  applied 
to  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  be^an  to  be 
satisfied  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  The 
most  striking  passages  foretelling  the 
character  and  sufferings  of  Christ  are 
the  following,  which  we  may  suppose 
it  possible  our  Saviour  dwelt  upon  to 
convince  them  that,  though  he  was 
crucified,  yet  he  was  the  Christ :  Gen. 
iii.  15.   Deut.  xviii.  15.   Gen.  xlix.  10. 


184 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


28  And  they  drew  nigh  unto  the 
village  whither  they  went ;  and  he 

made  as  though  he  would  have 
gone  farther. 

29  But  they  constrained  him,  say- 
ing, Abide  with  us ;  for  it  is  to- 
ward evening,  and  the  day  is  far 
«pent.  And  he  went  in  to  tarry 
with  them. 

a  Gen.  32.  26.    Mar.  6. 48. 
b  Matt.  14. 19. 


Num.  xxi.  8,  9.  Isa.  liii.  Dan.  ix.  25- 
27.  Isa.  ix.  6,  7.  Psa.  ex. ;  xvi. ;  xxii. 
Mai.  iv.  2-6. 

28.  He  made  as  though  he  would  have 
gone  farther.  He  did  not  say  he  would 
go  farther,  but  he  kept  on  as  if  it  was 
not  his  intention  to  stop,  and  doubt- 
less he  would  have  gone  on  if  they  had 
not  constrained  him  to  tarry. 

29.  Co7istrained  him.  They  urged 
him,  or  pressingly  invited  him.  Tliey 
did  not  yet  perceive  that  it  was  Jesus, 
but  they  liad  been  charmed  and  de- 
lighted with  his  discourse,  and  they 
wished  to  hear  him  farther.  Chris- 
tians are  delighted  with  communion 
with  the  Saviour.  They  seek  it  as  the 
chief  object  of  their  desire,  and  they 
find  their  chief  pleasure  in  fellowship 
with  him.  The  two  discij^les  felt  it  a 
privilege  to  entertain  the  stranger,  as 
they  supposed,  who  had  so  charmed 
them  with  his  discourse;  and  so  those 
to  whom  the  Gospel  is  reached,  and 
who  love  it,  feel  it  a  privilege,  and  not 
a  burden,  to  show  kindness  to  those 
who  bear  to  them  the  message  of  sal- 
vation. ^  Abide  with  us.  Remain  with 
us,  or  pass  the  night  in  our  house. 

80.  Sat  at  meat.  Reclined  at  the  ta- 
ble, or  while  he  was  at  supper.  He 
took  bread  and  blessed  it,  etc.  This  was 
the  office  of  the  master  of  a  feast,  and 
perhaps  this  first  attracted  particular- 
ly their  attention.  Though  he  was  in 
their  house,  yet  he  acted  as  master  of 
the  feast,  as  he  used  to  do  with  them 
before  his  death.  Perhaps,  also,  as  he 
gave  them  the  bread,  they  observed  the 
prints  in  his  hands,  and  they  knew 
that  it  was  Jesus.  This  was  not  a 
sacramental,  but  a  common  supper; 
yet  our  Saviour  sought  a  blessing  on 
the  food,  and  thus  set  an  example  to 
all  his  followers  to  acknowledge  God 
in  their  daily  gifts,  and  to  seek  his 
benediction  in  all  their  enjoyments. 

31.  Their  eyes  vjere  opened.    The  ob 


30  And  it  came  to  pass  as  he  sat 
at  meat  with  them,  he  *  took  bread, 
and  blessed  it.,  and  brake,  and 
gave  to  them. 

31  And  their  eyes  were  opened, 
and  they  knew  him ;  and  he  ^  van- 
ished out  of  their  sight. 

32  And  they  said  one  to  another, 
Did  not  our  heart  burn  within  us 

1  or,  ceased  to  be  seen  of  them, 
c  Psa.  39.  3.    Jer.  20.  9  ;  23.  29. 


scurity  was  removed.  They  saw  him 
to  be  the  Messiah.  Their  doubts  were 
gone,  and  they  saw  clearly  that  he 
was  risen,  and  w^as  truly,  as  they  had 
long  hoped,  the  Saviour  of  men.  It 
is  not  meant  that  they  were  before 
blind,  but  that  they  did  not  know  till 
then  who  he  was.  ^  He  vanished  out 
of  their  sight.  He  suddenly  departed. 
It  does  not  appear  that  there  was  any 
thing  miraculous  in  this,  but,  during 
their  surprise,  he  took  the  opportu- 
nity suddenly  to  withdraw  from  them. 

32.  Our  heart  burn  within  us.  This 
is  an  expression  denoting  the  deep  in- 
terest and  pleasure  which  they  had 
felt  in  his  discourse  before  they  knew 
who  he  was.  They  now  recalled  his 
instruction;  they  remembered  how 
his  words  reached  the  heart  as  he  spoke 
to  them;  how  convincingly  he  had 
showed  them  that  the  Messiah  ought 
to  suffer,  and  how,  while  he  talked  to 
them  of  the  Christ  that  they  so  much 
loved,  their  hearts  glowed  with  in- 
tense love.  This  feeling  was  not  con- 
fined to  them  alone.  All  the  follow- 
ers o/  Jesus  know  how  precious  and 
tender  are  the  communications  of  the 
Saviour,  and  how  the  heart  glows  with 
love  as  they  thii^pr  hear  of  his  life, 
and  sufferings,  dWrdeath.  U  He  open- 
ed to  us.  He  explained  to  us  the  Script- 
ures.   See  verse  27. 

This  narrative  shows  us,  1st.  How 
blind  men  may  be  to  the  plainest  doc- 
trines of  the  Scriptures  until  they  are 
explained  to  them.  These  disciples 
had  often  read  or  heard  the  Scriptures, 
but  never,  till  then,  did  they  fully  un- 
derstand that  the  Messiah  must  suf- 
fer. 2d.  It  is  proper  there  should  be 
those  whose  office  it  is  to  explain  the 
Scriptures.  Jes-us  did  it  while  on 
earth  ;  he  does  it  now  by  his  Spirit; 
and  he  has  appointed  his  ministers, 
whose  business  it  is  to  explain  them. 
3d.  If  men  attempt  to  explain  the  Bi- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


185 


while  he  talked  with  us  by  the 
way,  and  while  he  opened  to  us 
the  scriptures  ? 

33  And  they  rose  up  the  same 
hour  and  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
and  found  the  eleven  gathered  to- 
gether, and  them  that  were  with 
them, 

34  Saying,  The  Lord  is  risen  in- 
deed, and  hath  ^  appeared  to  Si- 
mon. 

a  1  Cor.  15.  5. 

ble,  they  should  themselves  under- 
stand it.  They  should  give  their  time 
and  talents  to  a  suitable  preparation 
to  understand  the  sacred  volume. 
Preaching  should  consist  in  real^  and 
not  fancied  explanations  of  the  Script- 
ures ;  the  real  doctrines  which  God 
has  taught  in  his  Word,  and  not  the 
doctrines  that  men  have  taught  in 
their  systems.  4th.  Here  was  con- 
vincing evidence  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah.  Tliis  was  but  one  of  many 
instances  where  Jesus  convinced  his 
disciples  contrary  to  their  previous 
belief.  In  this  case  the  evidence  was 
abundant.  He  first  satisfied  them 
from  the  Old  Testament  that  the  very 
things  which  had  happened  were  fore- 
told ;  he  then  dissipated  every  doubt 
by  showing  himself  to  them,  and  con- 
vincing them  that  he  was  truly  the 
Christ.  There  was  no  chance  here  for 
deception  and  juggling.  Who  would 
have  met  them  and  talked  with  them 
in  this  way  but  the  real  Saviour? 
Who  would  have  thought  of  writing 
this  narrative  to  help  an  ihaposture  ? 
What  impostor  would  have  recorded 
the  dullness  of  the  disciples  as  to  the 
plain  declarations  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, and  then  have  thought  of  this 
device  to  prop  up  the  narrative  ?  Ev- 
ery thing  about  this  narrative  —  its 
simplicity — its  tenderness — its  partic- 
ularity— its  perfect  nature — its  free- 
dom from  all  appearance  of  trick — 
shows  that  it  was  taken  from  real 
life ;  and  if  so,  then  the  Christian  re- 
ligion is  true,  for  here  is  evidence 
that  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead. 

83.  The  same  hour.  Though  it  was 
late,  and  they  had  stopped,  as  they 
thought,  for  the  night,  yet  such  was 
their  joy  that  they  hastened  to  tell  it 
to  their  companions  and  friends.  This 
was  natural  and  proper,  and  it  shows 
how  quick  and  ready  they  who  have 


35  And  they  told  what  things 
were  done  in  the  way,  and  how  he 
was  known  of  them  in  breaking 
of  bread. 

36  And  *  as  they  thus  spake,  Je- 
sus himself  stood  in  the  midst  of 
them,  and  saith  unto  them,  Peace 
l)e  unto  you. 

37  But  they  were  terrified  and  af- 
frighted, and  supposed  ^  that  they 
had  seen  a  spirit. 

h  Mar.  16. 14,  etc.  Jno.  20. 19,  etc.  c  Mar.  6. 49. 


found  the  Saviour  are  to  tell  it  to  oth- 
ers. Compare  John  i.  41,  45.  Young 
converts  to  Christ  should  hasten  to 
tell  their  joy,  and  should  not  shrink 
at  self-denial  to  proclaim  to  others 
what  God  hath  done  for  the  soul. 
Psalm  Ixvi.  16. 

"  My  lips  and  cheerful  heart,  prepare 
To  make  his  mercies  known ; 
Come,  ye  that  fear  my  God,  and  hear 
The  wonders  he  hath  done. 
"  When  on  my  head  huge  sorrows  fell, 
I  sought  his  heavenly  aid ; 
He  saved  my  sinking  soul  from  hell, 
And  death's  eternal  shade." 

^  The  eleven.  The  eleven  apostles. 
Judas  was  now  dead.  This  shows 
that  the  two  that  went  to  Emmaus 
were  not  apostles. 

34.  Saijmg.  The  eleven  said  this. 
\  Hath  appeared  to  Simon.  To  Peter. 
It  is  not  known  precisely  when  this 
happened,  as  the  time  and  place  are 
not  mentioned.  Paul  has  referred  to 
it  in  1  Cor.  xv.  5,  from  which  it  ap- 
pears that  he  appeared  to  Cephas  or 
Peter  before  he  did  to  any  other  of  the 
apostles.  This  was  a  mark  of  special 
love  and  favor,  and  particularly,  after 
Peter's  denial,  it  showed  how  ready 
he  was  to  pardon,  and  how  willing  to 
impart  comfort  to  those  who  are  pen- 
itent, though  their  sins  are  great. 

36, 37.  Jesus  stood  in  the  midst  of  them. 
This  was  when  the  apostles  were  as- 
sembled, and  when  they  had  closed 
the  doors  for  fear  of  the  Jews.  John 
XX.  19.  It  was  this  fact,  as  well  as  his 
sudden  and  unexpected  appearance, 
that  alarmed  them.  The  doors  were 
shut,  and  the  suddenness  of  his  ap- 
pearance led  them  to  suppose  they 
had  seen  a  spirit.  U  Peace  be  to  you. 
This  was  a  form  of  salutation  among 
the  Hebrews  denoting  a  wish  of  peace 
and  prosperity.  See  Gen.  xliii.  23.  It 
was  peculiarly  appropriate  for  Jesus, 


186 


LU 


KE. 


[A.D.  83. 


38  And  he  said  unto  tliem,  Why 
are  ye  troubled?  and  why  do 
thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts  ? 

39  Behold  my  hands  and  my 
feet,  that  it  is  I  myself :  handle 
me,  and  see ;  for  a  si3irit  hath  not 
flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me 
have. 

40  And  when  he  had  thus  spo- 
ken, he  showed  them  Ms  hands 
and  Ms  feet. 

41  And  while  they  yet  believed 

a  Gen.  45.  26.         b  Jno.  21.  5,  etc.         c  Acts  10. 41. 


as  he  had  said  before  his  death  that  he 
left  his  peace  with  them  as  their  inher- 
itance (John  xiv.  27),  and  as  they  were 
now  alarmed  and  fearful  at  their  state, 
and  trembling  for  fear  of  the  Jews. 
John  XX.  19. 

38.  WJiy  are  ye  troubled?  Why  are 
you  alarmed  or  frightened  V  ^  A7id  why 
do  thoughts^  etc.  Tlie  word  thoughts 
here  means  doubts  or  suspicions.  It 
is  used  in  this  sense  also  in  1  Tim.  ii. 
8.  The  doubts  which  they  had  were 
whether  he  was  the  Christ.  He  re- 
proves them  for  doubting  this,  for, 
1st.  The  Scriptures  had  foretold  his 
death ;  2d.  He  liad  himself  repeatedly 
done  it ;  and,  3d.  Tliey  liad  now  the 
testimony  of  Peter  that  he  had  seen 
Jesus  alive,  and  of  the  angels  that  he 
was  risen.  After  all  this  evidence,  Je- 
sus reproves  them  for  doubting  wheth- 
er he  was  truly  the  Messiah. 

39-43.  Behold  ray  Jiatids,  etc.  Jesus 
proceeds  to  give  them  evidence  that 
he  was  truly  the  same  person  that  had 
been  crucified.  He  first  showed  them 
his  hands  and  his  feet — still  pierced, 
and  with  the  wounds  made  by  the 
nails  still  open.  Compare  John  xx. 
27.  He  told  them  to  handle  him  and 
see  him.  He  ate  before  them.  All  this 
was  to  satisfy  them  that  he  was  not, 
as  they  supposed,  a  spirit.  Nor  could 
better  evidence  have  been  given.  He 
appealed  to  their  senses,  and  perform- 
ed acts  which  a  disembodied  spirit 
could  not  do.  1[  Ha^idle  me.  Or  touch 
me  ;  feel  of  me.  Compare  John  xx. 
27.  ^  And  see.  Be  convinced,  for  you 
could  not  thus  handle  a  spirit.  The 
object  here  was  to  convince  them 
that  his  body  had  really  come  to  life. 
H  For  a  spirit^  etc.  He  appeals  here 
to  what  they  well  knew ;  and  this  im- 
plies that  the  spirit  may  exist  sepa- 


not  for  joy,  and  wondered,  he  said 
unto  them.  Have  *  ye  here  any 
meat  ? 

42  And  they  gave  him  a  piece 
of  a  broiled  fish,  and  of  an  honey- 
comb. 

43  And  he  took  it,  and  did  eat« 
before  them. 

44  And  he  said  unto  them.  These 
^  are  the  words  wiiich  I  spake  unto 
you  while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that 
all  ^  things  must  be  fulfilled  which 

Matt.  16.  21.  e  0.21.  22.  Acts  3. 18  ;  13. 27,33. 


rate  from  the  body.  That  was  the 
view  of  the  apostles,  and  our  Saviour 
distinctly  countenances  that  belief. 

41.  Believed  not  for  joy.  Their  joy 
was  so  great,  and  his  appearance  was 
so  sudden  and  unexpected,  that  they 
were  bewildered,  and  still  sought  more 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  wliat  they 
loished  to  believe.  This  is  nature.  We 
have  similar  expressions  in  our  lan- 
guage. The  7iews  is  too  good  to  be  true; 
or,  lean  not  believe  it;  it  is  too  much  for 
me.  t  Any  meat.  This  word  does  not 
mean  meat  in  our  sense  of  it,  but  in 
the  old  English  sense,  denoting  a7iy 
tiling  to  eat. 

42.  Honey -comb.  Honey  abounded 
in  Palestine,  and  was  a  very  common 
article  of  food.  Bees  lived  in  caves 
of  the  rocks,  in  the  hollows  of  trees, 
and  were  also  kept  as  with  us.  The 
disciples  gave,  probably,  just  what 
was  their  own  common  fare,  and  what 
was  ready  at  the  time. 

44.  These  are  the  words.  Or  this  is 
the  fuljihnent  of  what  I  before  told  you 
respecting  my  death.  See  Luke  xviii. 
33.  Mark'x.  33.  ^  While  I  was  yet  with 
you.  Before  my  death.  While  I  was 
with  you  as  a  teacher  and  guide,  t  M 
the  law  of  Hoses.  The  five  books  of 
Moses  —  Genesis,  Exodus,  Leviticus, 
Numbers,  Deuteronomy.  Among  the 
Jews  this  was  the  first  division  of  the 
Old  Testament,  and  was  called  the  law. 
TI  The  prophets.  This  was  the  second 
and  largest  part  of  the  Hebrew  Script- 
ures. It  comprehended  the  books  of 
Joshua,  Judges,  1st  and  2d  Samu"el, 
1st  and  2d  Kings,  which  were  called 
i\\Q,  former  prop] lets  ;  and  Isaiah,  Jere- 
miah, Ezekiel,  and  the  twelve  smaller 
books  from  Daniel  to  Malachi,  which 
were  called  the  latter  prophets.  ^  The 
psalms.    The  word  here  used  proba- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


187 


were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses, 
and  in  tlie  "  projDhets,  and  In  the 
psalms,  *  concerning  me. 

45  Then  opened  he  theii*  under- 
standing, that  they  might  under- 
stand the  scriptures, 

46  And  said  unto  them,  Thus  it 
is  written,  and  thus  it  behooved 

aver.  27.  6  Psa.  22. 1,  etc. 

clsa.63.3,  5.    Acts  4. 12. 

bly  means  what  were  comprehended 
under  the  name  of  Hagiographa^  or 
holy  writings.  This  consisted  of  the 
Psalms,  Proverbs,  Job,  Song  of  Solo- 
mon, Ruth,  Lamentations,  Ecclesias- 
tes,  Esther,  Daniel,  Ezra,  and  Nehe- 
miah,  and  the  two  books  of  Chroni- 
cles. This  division  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment was  in  use  long  before  the  time 
of  Christ,  and  was  what  he  referred  to 
here ;  and  he  meant  to  say  that  in  eacJi 
of  these  divisions  of  the  Old  Testament 
there  were  prophecies  respecting  him- 
self. The  particular  subject  before 
them  was  his  resurrectiooifrom  the  dead. 
A  most  striking  i)rediction  of  this  is 
contained  in  Psalm  xvi.  9-11.  Com- 
pare it  with  Acts  ii.  24-32 ;  xiii.  35-37. 

45.  Opened  he  their  understanding. 
Enabled  them  fully  to  comprehend 
the  meaning  of  the  prophecies  which 
foretold  his  death  and  resurrection. 
They  had  seen  him  die,  they  now  saw 
him  risen.  Their  i)rejudices  were  now, 
by  his  instructions,  and  by  the  facts 
which  they  could  no  longer  call  in 
question,  removed,  and  they  no  longer 
doubted  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and 
that  all  \\\^  facts  in  the  case  which  had 
before  confounded  them  could  be  ea- 
sily accounted  for.  Hence  we  may 
learn  —  1st.  That /acfe,  or  the  farther 
disclosure  of  truth,  will  yet  remove 
the  mysteries  that  we  now  see  in  relig- 
ion. 2d.  That  our  prejudices  and  our 
preconceived  opinions  are  one  cause 
of  our  seeing  so  many  mysteries  in 
the  Bible.  If  a  man  is  willing  to  take 
the  plain  declarations  of  the  Bible, 
he  will  commonly  be  little  perplexed 
with  mj^steries.  3d.  That  God  only 
can  open  the  mind  so  as  fully  to  com- 
prehend the  Scriptures.  He  only  can 
overcome  our  prejudices,  open  our 
hearts,  and  dispose  us  to  receive  the 
ingrafted  Word  with  meekness,  and 
with  the  simplicity  of  a  child.  See 
Acts  xvi.  14.  James  i.  21.  Mark  x.  15. 
4th.  The  design  of  God's  opening  the 
understanding  is  that  we  may  be  ac- 


Christ "  to  suffer,  and  to  rise  ^  from 
the  dead  the  third  day ; 

47  And  that  repentance  and  ^  re- 
mission of  sins  should  be  preached 
in  his  name  among  all  nations,  be- 
ginning at  Jerusalem. 

48  And  ye  are  witnesses  f  of  these 
things. 

d  1  Pet.  1.3.  c  Acts  5. 31;  13.38. 

/  Acts  1.8. 

quainted  with  the  Scriptures.  It  is 
not  that  we  may  be  made  wise  above 
what  is  written,  but  that  we  may  sub- 
mit ourselves  wholly  to  the  Word  of 
God. 

46.  It  behooved.  It  became;  it  was 
proper  or  necessary  that  the  Messiah 
should  thus  sulfer.  It  was  predicted 
of  him,  and  all  things  have  happened 
as  it  was  foretold. 

47.  Repentance.  Sorrow  for  sin  and 
forsaking  of  it.  It  was  proper  that 
the  necessity  of  repentance  should  be 
preached  among  all  nations,  for  all 
were  sinners.  See  Acts  xvii.  30.  1[  Re- 
mission of  sins.  Pardon  or  forgiveness 
of  sins.  It  should  be  proclaimed  that 
all  men  should  repent,  and  that  those 
who  are  penitent  may  be  pardoned. 
^  Li  my  name.  By  my  command  it 
should  be  proclaimed  that  men  should 
repent,  and  by  my  merit  that  they  may 
be  pardoned.  Pardon  is  offered  by  the 
authorit}^  of  Christ  to  all  nations,  and 
this  is  a  sufficient  warrant  to  offer  the 
Gospel  to  every  man.  ^  Beginning  at 
Jerusalem.  This  was  the  dwelling  of 
his  murderers,  and  it  shows  his  readi- 
ness to  forgive  the  vilest  sinners.  It 
was  the  holy  place  of  the  Temple,  the 
habitation  of  God,  the  place  of  the  so- 
lemnities of  the  ancient  dispensation, 
and  it  was  proper  that  pardon  should 
be  first  proclaimed  there.  This  was 
done — the  Gospel  was  first  preached 
there.  See  Acts  ii.  Paul  also,  in  his 
travels,  preached  the  Gospel  first  to 
the  Jews,  the  ancient  people  of  God, 
offering  them  pardon  through  their 
own  Messiah ;  and,  when  they  reject- 
ed it,  turned  to  the  Gentiles.  Acts 
xiii.  46. 

48.  Are  witnesses  of  these  things.  Of 
my  life,  my  sufferings,  my  death,  and 
my  resurrection.  How  solemn  was 
their  office — to  testify  these  things  to 
the  world,  and,  in  the  face  of  suffer- 
ing and  death,  to  go  and  proclaim 
them  to  all  nations  !  In  like  maimer, 
all  Christians  are  witnesses  for  Christ. 


188 


LUKE. 


[A.D.  33. 


49  And,  behold,  I  send  the  23rom- 
ise  of  my  Father  upon  you ;  but 
tarry  ye  in  the  -city  of  Jerusalem 
until  ye  be  endued  with  power « 
from  on  high. 

50  And  he  led  them  out  as  far 
as  to  Bethany ;  and  he  lifted  uj) 
his  hands  and  blessed  them. 

51  And  it  came  to  pass,  while 

a  Isa.  44. 3.    Joel  2.  28,  etc.   Acts  2. 1-21 ;  1 . 8. 
6  Acts  1.9.    Heb.4. 14. 


They  are  the  evidences  of  his  mercy  and 
his  love,  and  they  should  so  live  that 
others  may  also  be  brought  to  see  and 
love  the  Saviour. 

49.  The  promise  of  my  Father.  The 
promise  which  the  Father  had  made 
to  them  through  the  Saviour.  See 
Matt.  X.  19.  John  xiv.  16, 17,  26.  The 
promise  was,  that  they  should  be  aid- 
ed by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
He  also  doubtless  referred  to  the 
i)romise  of  God,  made  in  the  days  of 
Joel,  respecting  the  outpouring  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  See  Joel  ii.  38,  29, 
compared  with  Acts  ii.  16-21.  ^  En- 
dued with  power  from  on  high.  The 
l^ower  which  would  be  given  them  by 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  —  the 
power  of  speaking  with  tongues,  of 
working  miracles,  and  of  preaching 
the  Gospel  with  the  attending  bless- 
ing and  aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This 
was  accomplished  in  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 
See  Acts  ii. 

50,  51.  To  Bethany.  See  Notes  on 
Mark  xvi.  19.  Bethany  was  on  the 
eastern  declivity  of  the  Mount  of  Ol- 
ives, from  which  our  Lord  was  taken 
up  to  heaven.  Acts  i.  12.  Bethany 
was  a  favored  place.  It  w^as  the  abode 
of  Martha,  and  Maiy,  and  Lazarus,  and 
our  Saviour  delighted  to  be  there. 
From  this  place,  also,  he  ascended  to 
his  Father  and  our  Father,  and  to  his 
God  and  our  God.  H  While  he  blessed 
them.  While  he  commanded  his  ben- 
ediction to  rest  upon  them ;  while  he 
assured  them  of  his  favor,  and  com- 
mended them  to  the  protection  and 


he  blessed  them,  he  was  parted 
from  them,  and  carried  *  up  into 
heaven. 

52  And  they  worshipped  -him, 
and  returned  to  Jerusalem  with 
great  joy; 

53  And  were  continually  in  the 
temple,  praising  ^  and  blessing 
God.  Amen. 

c  Matt.  28.  9,17. 

d  Acts  2.46,47  ;  5.42. 

guidance  of  God,  in  the  dangers, 
trials,  and  conflicts  which  they 
were  to  meet  in  a  sinful  and  miser- 
able world. 

52.  They  ivorshipped  him.  The  word 
worship  does  not  always  denote  relig- 
ious homage.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii. 
11.  Compare  Luke  xiv.  10.  But  here 
it  is  to  be  remarked,  1st.  That  they 
offered  this  worship  to  an  absent  Sa- 
viour. It  v/sis  after  he  left  them  and 
had  vanished  out  of  their  sight.  It 
was  therefore  an  act  of  religion,  and 
was  the  first  religious  homage  that 
was  paid  to  Jesus  after  he  had  left  the 
world.  2d.  If  they  worshipped  an  ab- 
sent Saviour — a  Saviour  unseen  by  the 
bodily  eye,  it  is  right  for  us  to  do  it. 
It  was  an  example  which  we  may  and 
should  follow.  3d.  If  worship  may  be 
rendered  to  Jesus,  he  is  divine.  See 
Exodus  XX.  4,  5. 

53.  We7^e  continually  i7i  the  Temple, 
Until  the  day  of  Pentecost — that  is, 
about  ten  days  after.  See  Acts  ii. 
II  Praising  and  blessing  God.  Chiefly 
for  the  full  proof  that  the  Messiah  had 
come ;  had  redeemed  them,  and  had 
ascended  to  heaven.  Thus  the  days 
of  their  mourning  were  ended."  They 
were  filled  with  happiness  at  the  as- 
surance of  redemption,  and  expressed 
what  every  Christian  should  feel — 
fullness  of  joy  ai  the  glad  tidings  that 
a  Saviour  has  died,  and  risen,  and  as- 
cended to  God ;  and  an  earnest  desire 
to  pour  forth  in  the  sanctuary  prayers 
and  thanksgivings  to  the  God  of  grace 
for  his  mercy  to  a  lost  and  ruined 
world. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  GOSPEL  ACCOKDING  ITO  JOHN. 


John,  the  writer  of  this  Gospel,  was  the  son  of  Zebedee  and  Salome. 
Compare  Matt,  xxvii.  56  with  Mark  xv.  40, 41.  His  father  was  a  fish- 
erman of  Galilee,  though  it  would  appear  that  he  was  not  destitute  of 
property,  and  was  not  in  the  lowest  condition  of  life.  He  had  hired 
men  in  his  employ.  Mark  i.  20.  Salome  is  described  as  one  who  at- 
tended our  Saviour  in  his  travels,  and  ministered  to  his  wants.  Matt, 
xxvii.  55.  Mark  xv.  41.  Jesus  commended  his  own  mother  Mary,  on 
the  cross,  to  John,  and  he  took  her  to  his  own  home  (John  xix.  26,  27), 
with  whom,  history  informs  us,  she  lived  until  her  death,  about  fifteen 
years  after  the  crucifixion  of  Christ ;  and  John  was  known  to  Caia- 
phas,  the  high-priest.  John  xviii.  15.  From  all  this  it  would  seem 
not  improbable  that  John  had  some  property,  and  was  better  known 
than  any  of  the  other  apostles. 

He  was  the  youngest  of  the  apostles  when  called,  and  lived  to  the 
greatest  age,  and  is  the  only  one  who  is  supposed  to  have  died  a 
peaceful  death.  He  was  called  to  be  a  follower  of  Jesus  while  en- 
gaged with  his  father  and  his  elder  brother  James,  mending  their  nets 
at  the  Sea  of  Tiberias.    Matt.  iv.  21.    Mark  i.  19.    Luke  v.  10. 

John  was  admitted  by  our  Saviour  to  peculiar  favor  and  friendship. 
One  of  the  ancient  fathers  (Theophylact)  says  that  he  was  related  to 
him.  Joseph,"  he  says,  "  had  seven  children  by  a  former  wife,  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  Martha,  Esther,  and  Salome^  whose  son  John 
was ;  therefore  Salome  was  reckoned  our  Lord's  sister,  and  John  was 
his  nephew."  If  this  was  the  case,  it  may  explain  the  reason  why 
James  and  John  sought  and  expected  the  first  places  in  his  kingdom. 
Matt.  XX.  20,  21.  These  may  also  possibly  be  the  persons  who  were 
called  our  Lord's  ^'  brethren"  and  "  sisters."  Matt.  xiii.  55,  56.  This 
may  also  explain  the  reason  why  our  Saviour  committed  his  mother 
to  the  care  of  John  on  the  cross.    John  xix.  27. 

The  two  brothers,  James  and  John,  with  Peter,  were  several  times 
admitted  to  peculiar  favors  by  our  Lord.  They  were  the  only  disci- 
ples that  were  permitted  to  be  present  at  the  raising  of  the  daughter 
of  Jairus  (Mark  v.  37;  Luke  viii.  51) ;  they  only  were  permitted  to  at- 
tend the  Saviour  to  the  mount  where  he  was  transfigured.  Matt.  xvii. 
1.  Mark  ix.  2.  The  same  three  were  permitted  to  be  present  at  his 
sufferings  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane.  Matt.  xxvi.  36-45.  flkrk 
xiv.  32-42.  And  it  was  to  these  disciples,  together  with  And^^to 
whom  the  Saviour  especially  addressed  himself  when  he  made  known 
the  desolations  that  were  coming  upon  Jerusalem  and  Judea.  Com- 


cxc 


PREFACE. 


pare  Matt.  xxiv.  12 ;  Mark  xiii.  3,  4.  John  was  also  admitted  to  pe- 
culiar friendship  with  the  Lord  Jesus.  Hence  he  is  mentioned  as 
"that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved"  (John  xix.  26),  and  he  is  repre- 
sented (John  xiii.  23)  as  leaning  on  his  bosom  at  the  institution  of 
the  Lord's  Supper — an  evidence  of  peculiar  friendship.  See  Notes  on 
that  place.  Though  the  Redeemer  was  attached  to  all  his  disciples, 
yet  there  is  no  improbability  in  supposing  that  Ms  disposition  was 
congenial  with  that  of  the  meek  ancl  amiable  John — thus  authorizing 
and  setting  the  example  of  special  friendships  among  Christians. 

To  John  was  committed  the  care  of  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus. 
After  the  ascension  of  Christ  he  remained  some  time  at  Jerusalem. 
Acts  i.  14 ;  iii.  1 ;  iv.  1 3.  J ohn  is  also  mentioned  as  having  been  sent 
down  to  Samaria  to  preach  the  Gospel  there  with  Peter  (Acts  viii.  14- 
25) ;  and  from  Acts  xv.  it  appears  that  he  was  present  at  the  council 
at  Jerusalem,  A.D.  49  or  50.  All  this  agrees  with  what  is  said  by 
Eusebius,  that  he  lived  at  Jerusalem  till  the  death  of  Mary,  fifteen 
years  after  the  crucifixion  of  Christ.  Till  this  time  it  is  probable  that 
he  had  not  been  engaged  in  preaching  the  Gospel  among  the  Gentiles. 

At  what  time  he  went  first  among  the  Gentiles  to  preach  the  Gospel 
is  not  certainly  known.  It  has  commonly  been  supposed  that  he  re- 
sided in  Judea  and  the  neighborhood  until  the  war  broke  out  with 
the  Romans,  and  that  he  came  into  Asia  Minor  about  the  year  69  or 
70.  It  is  clear  that  he  was  not  at  Ephesus  at  the  time  that  Paul  visit- 
ed those  regions,  as  in  all  the  travels  of  Paul  and  Luke  there  is  no 
mention  made  of  John. 

Ecclesiastical  history  informs  us  that  he  spent  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  in  Asia  Minor,  and  that  he  resided  chiefly  at  Ephesus,  the  chief 
city  of  that  country.  Of  his  residence  there,  little  is  certainly  known. 
In  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  was  banished  to  Patmos,  a  small  deso- 
late island  in  the  ^gean  Sea,  about  twenty  miles  in  circumference. 
This  is  commonly  supposed  to  have  been  during  the  persecution  of 
Domitian,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  reign.  Domitian  died  A.D.  96.  It 
is  probable  that  he  returned  soon  after  that,  in  the  reign  of  the  Em- 
peror Trajan.  In  that  island  he  wrote  the  book  of  Revelation.  See 
Notes  on  Rev.  i.  9.  After  his  return  from  Patmos  he  lived  peaceably 
at  Ephesus  until  his  death,  which  is  supj)osed  to  have  occurred  not 
long  after.  He  was  buried  at  Ephesus ;  and  it  has  been  commonly 
thought  that  he  was  the  only  one  of  the  apostles  who  did  not  suffer 
martyrdom.  It  is  evident  that  he  lived  to  a  very  advanced  period  of 
life.  We  know  not  his  age,  indeed,  when  Christ  called  him  to  follow 
him,  but  we  can  not  suppose  it  was  less  than  twenty -five  or  thirty.  If 
so,  he  must  have  been  not  far  from  one  hundred  years  old  when  he 
died. 

Many  anecdotes  are  related  of  him  while  he  remained  at  Ephesus, 
but  there  is  no  suflficient  evidence  of  their  truth.  Some  have  said 
that  he  was  taken  to  Rome  in  a  time  of  persecution  and  thrown  into 
a  caldron  of  boiling  oil,  and  came  out  uninjured.  It  has  been  said 
alaHiat,  going  into  a  bath  one  day  at  Ephesus,  he  perceived  Gerinthus^ 
who  denied  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour,  and  that  he  fled  from  him 
hastily,  to  express  his  disapprobation  of  his  doctrine.  It  is  also  said, 
and  of  this  there  can  be  no  doubt,  that  during  his  latter  years  he  was 


PREFACE. 


cxci 


not  able  to  make  a  long  discourse.  He  was  carried  to  tlie  church, 
and  was  accustomed  to  say  nothing  but  this :  "  Little  children,  love 
one  another."  At  length  his  disciples  asked  him  why  he  always 
dwelt  upon  ^he  same  thing.  He  replied,  "  Because  it  is  the  Lord's 
command ;  and  if  this  be  done,  it  is  sufficient." 

Learned  men  have  been  much  divided  about  the  time  when  this 
Gospel  was  written.  Wetstein  supposed  it  was  written  just  after  our 
Saviour's  ascension ;  Mill  and  Le  Clerc,  that  it  was  written  in  97 ;  Dr. 
Lardner,  that  it  was  about  the  year  68,  just  before  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem.  The  common  opinion  is  that  it  was  written  at  Ephesus 
after  his  return  from  Patmos,  and  of  course  as  late  as  the  year  97  or 
98.  Nothing  can  be  determined  with  certainty  on  the  subject,  and  it 
is  a  matter  of  very  little  consequence. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  it  was  written  by  John.  This  is  abundantly 
confirmed  by  the  ancient  fathers,  and  was  not  questioned  by  Celsus, 
Porphyry,  or  Julian,  the  acutest  enemies  of  revelation  in  the  early 
ages.  It  has  never  been  extensively  questioned  to  have  been  the  work 
of  John,  and  is  one  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  whose  canon- 
ical authority  was  never  disputed.  See  Lardner;  or  Paley's  Evi- 
dences. 

The  design  of  writing  it  John  himself  states.  Ch.  xx.  31.  It  was 
to  show  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  those  who 
believed  might  have  life  through  his  name.  This  design  is  Jcept  in  view 
through  the  whole  Gospel^  and  should  'be  remembered  in  our  attempts  to  ex- 
plain it.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  show  that  he  wrote  it 
to  confute  the  followers  of  Cerinthus,  and  the  Gnostics,  but  no  satis- 
factory evidence  of  such  a  design  has  been  furnished. 

As  he  wrote  after  the,  other  evangelists,  he  has  recorded  many  things 
which  they  omitted.  He  dwells  much  more  fully  than  they  do  on  the 
divine  character  of  Jesus ;  relates  many  things  pertaining  to  the  early 
part  of  his  ministry  which  they  had  omitted ;  records  many  more  of 
his  discourses  than  they  have  done,  and  particularly  the  interesting 
discourse  at  the  institution  of  the  Supper.    See  chs.  xiv.,  xv.,  xvi.,  xvii. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  there  are  evidences  in  this  Gospel  that  it 
was  not  written  for  the  Jews.  The  author  explains  words  and  cus- 
toms which  to  a  Jew  would  have  needed  no  explanation.  See  ch.  i. 
38, 41 ;  V.  1,  2 ;  vii.  2 ;  iv.  9.  The  style  in  the  Greek  indicates  that  he 
was  an  unlearned  man.  It  is  simple,  plain,  unpolished,  such  as  we 
should  suppose  would  be  used  by  one  in  his  circumstances.  At  the 
same  time  it  is  dignified,  containing  pure  and  profound  sentiments, 
and  is  on  many  accounts  the  most  difficult  of  all  the  books  of  the  New 
Testament  to  interpret.  It  contains  more  about  Christy  his  person, 
design,  and  work,  than  any  of  the  other  Gospels.  The  other  evangel- 
ists were  employed  more  in  recording  the  miracles^  and  giving  exter- 
nal evidence  of  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus.  John  is  employed  chiefly 
in  telling  us  what  he  was,  and  what  was  his  peculiar  doctrine.  His 
aim  was  to  show,  1st.  That  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  2d.  To  sliow,/r6>m 
the  wm^ds  of  Jesus  himself  what  the  Messiah  was.  The  other  evangel- 
ists record  his  parables,  his  miracles,  his  debates  with  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees ;  John  records  chiefly  his  discourses  about  himself  If  any 
one  wishes  to  learn  the  true  doctrine  respecting  the  Messiah^  the  Son 


cxcii 


PREFACE. 


of  God^  expressed  in  simple  language,  but  with  most  sublime  concep- 
tions ;  to  learn  the  true  nature  and  character  of  God,  and  the  way  of 
approach  to  his  mercy-seat ;  to  see  the  true  nature  of  Christian  piety, 
or  the  source  and  character  of  religious  consolation ;  to  have  perpetu- 
ally before  him  the  purest  model  of  character  the  world  has  seen,  and 
to  contemplate  the  purest  precepts  that  have  ever  been  delivered  to 
man,  he  can  not  better  do  it  than  by  a  prayerful  study  of  the  Gospel 
by  John.  It  may  be  added  that  this  Gospel  is  of  itself  proof  that 
can  not  be  overthrown  of  the  truth  of  revelation.  John  was  a  fisher- 
man, unhonored  and  unlearned.  Acts  iv.  13.  What  man  in  that  rank 
of  life  now  could  compose  a  book  like  this  ?  Can  it  be  conceived  that 
any  man  of  that  rank,  unless  under  the  influence  of  inspiration,  could 
conceive  so  sublime  notions  of  God,  could  present  so  pure  views  of 
morals,  and  could  draw  a  character  so  inimitably  lovely  and  pure  as 
that  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  To  ask  these  questions  is  to  answer  them.  And 
this  Gospel  wall  stand  to  the  end  of  time  as  an  unanswerable  demon- 
stration that  the  fisherman  who  wrote  it  was  under  a  more  than  human 
guidance,  and  was,  according  to  the  promise  that  he  has  recorded 
(xvi.  13 ;  compare  xiv.  26),  guided  into  all  truth.  It  will  also  remain  as 
an  unanswerable  proof  that  the  character  which  he  has  described — 
the  character  of  the  Lord  Jesus — was  real.  It  is  a  perfect  character. 
It  has  not  a  flaw.  How  has  this  happened  ?  The  attempt  has  often 
been  made  to  draw  a  perfect  character — and  as  often,  in  eveiy  other 
instance,  failed.  How  is  it,  when  Homer  and  Virgil,  and  the  ancient 
historians,  have  all  failed  to  describe  a  perfect  character,  with  the 
purest  models  before  them,  and  with  all  the  aid  of  imagination,  that 
in  every  instance  they  have  failed  ?  How  is  it  that  this  has  at  last 
been  accomplished  only  by  a  Jewish  fisherman  ?  The  difl^culty  is 
vastly  increased  if  another  idea  is  borne  in  mind.  John  describes  one 
who  he  believed  had  a  divine  nature.  Ch.  i.  1.  It  is  an  attempt  to 
describe  God  in  human  nature^  or  to  show  how  the  divine  being  acts 
when  united  with  man,  or  when  appearing  in  human  form.  And  the 
description  is  complete.  There  is  not  a  word  expressed  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  or  an  emotion  ascribed  to  him,  inconsistent  with  such  a  suppo- 
sition. But  this  same  attempt  was  often  made,  and  as  often  failed. 
Homer  and  Virgil,  and  all  the  -ancient  poets,  have  undertaken  to  show 
what  the  gods  would  be  if  they  came  down  and  conversed  with  man. 
And  what  were  they  ?  What  were  Jupiter,  and  Juno,  and  Venus,  and 
Mars,  and  Vulcan  ?  Beings  of  lust,  and  envy,  and  contention,  and 
blood.  How  has  it  happened  that  the  only  successful  account  which 
has  been  given  of  the  divine  nature  united  with  the  human,  and  of 
living  and  acting  as  became  such  a  union,  has  been  given  by  a  J ewish 
fisherman  ?  How,  unless  the  character  was  rmZ,  and  the  writer  under 
a  guidance  far  superior  to  the  genius  of  Homer  and  the  imagmation 
of  Virgil — the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ? 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO  JOHN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

IN  ^  the  beginning  was  the 
Word,  *  and  the  Word  was 

a  Pro  V.  8.  22-31.    Col.  1.16, 17.    IJno.  1.1. 

1.  Bi  the  begmning.  This  expression 
is  used  also  in  Gen.  i.  1.  To  that  place 
John  evidently  has  allusion  here,  and 
means  to  apply  to  "the  Word"  an  ex- 
pression which  is  there  applied  to  God. 
In  both  places  it  clearly  means  "be- 
fore creation,"  "  before  the  world  was 
made,"  "when  as  yet  there  was  noth- 
ing." The  meaning  is,  that  the  Word 
had  an  existence  before  the  world  was 
created.  This  is  not  spoken  of  the 
mari  Jesus,  but  of  that  which  became  a 
man,  or  was  incarnate.  Verse  14.  The 
Hebrews,  hy  expressions  like  this, 
commonly  denoted  eternity.  Thus 
the  eternity  of  God  is  described  (Psa. 
xc.  2) :  Before  the  moimtains  were  brought 
forth^  etc. ;  and  eternity  is  commonh^ 
expressed  by  the  phrase,  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  Whatever  is 
meant  by  the  term  "Word,"  it  is  clear 
that  it  had  an  existence  before  crea- 
tion. It  is  not,  then,  a  creature  or  cre- 
ted  being,  and  must  be,  therefore,  un- 
created and  eternal.  There  is  but  one 
Being  that  is  uncreated,  and  Jesus 
must  be  therefore  divine.  Compare 
the  Saviour's  own  declarations  re- 
specting himself  in  the  following  pla- 
ces :  John  viii.  58 ;  xvii.  5 ;  vi.  62 ;  iii. 
13;  vi.46;  viii.  14;  xvi.  28.  ^  Was  the 
Word.  Greek,  "was  the Zo^os."  This 
name  is  given  to  him  who  afterward 
became  jlesh^  or  was  incarnate  (verse 
14) — that  is,  to  the  Messiah.  What- 
ever is  meant  by  it,  therefore,  is  ap- 
plicable to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
There  have  been  many  opinions  about 
the  reason  why  this  name  was  given 
to  the  Son  of  God.  Those  opinions 
it  is  unnecessary  to  repeat.  The  opin- 
ion which  seems  most  plausible  may 
be  expressed  as  follows :  1st.  A  word 
is  that  by  which  we  communicate 
our  will ;  by  which  we  convey  our 
thoughts ;  or  by  which  we  issue  com- 
mands— the  medium  of  communica- 
tion with  others.  2d.  The  Son  of  God 
may  be  called  "  the  Word,"  because 
he  is  the  medium  by  which  God  pro- 
mulgates his  will  and  issues  his  com- 
mandments. See  Heb.  i.  1-3.  3d.  This 
term  was  in  use  before  the  time  of 
II.— I 


with  God,  and  the  Word  was 
God. 

6  Rev.  19.  13.  cc.17.5. 
Phil.  2.  6.  Heb.1.8-13.  lJno.5.7. 


John,  {a.)  It  was  use^in  the  Chal- 
dee  translation  of  the  Old  Testament, 
as,  e. Isa.  xlv.  12 :  "I  have  made  the 
earth,  and  created  man  upon  it.''  In 
the  Chaldee  it  is,  "  I,  '^^V  i^ord^  have 
made,"  etc.  Isaiah  xlviii.  13 :  "  Mine 
hand  also  hath  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  earth."  In  the  Chaldee,  By  7ny 
word  I  have  founded  the  earth."  And 
so  in  many  other  places.  (&.)  This 
term  was  used  by  the  Jews  as  appli- 
cable to  the  Messiah.  In  their  writ- 
ings he  was  commonly  known  by  the 
term  "Mimra" — that  is,  "Word;"  and 
no  small  part  of  the  interpositions  of 
God  in  defence  of  the  Jewish  nation 
were  declared  to  be  by  "the  Word  of 
God."  Thus,  in  their  Targum  on  Deut. 
xxvi.  17,  18,  it  is  said,  "Ye  have  ap- 
pointed THE  Word  of  God  a  king 
over  you  this  day,  that  he  may  be 
your  God. "  (c. )  The  term  was  used  by 
the  Jews  who  were  scattered  among 
the  Gentiles,  and  especially  those  who 
were  conversant  with  the  Greek  phi- 
losophy, {d.)  The  term  was  used  by 
the  followers  of  Plato  among  the 
Greeks^  to  denote  the  second  person 
of  the  Trinity.  The  term  7ious^  or  mioid^ 
was  commonly  given  to  this  second 
person,  but  it  was  said  that  this  nous 
was  the  word  or  reason  of  the  first  per- 
son. The  term  was  therefore  exten- 
sively in  use  among  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles before  John  wrote  his  Gospel, 
and  it  was  certain  that  it  woidd  be  ap- 
plied to  the  second  person  of  the  Trin- 
ity by  Christians,  whether  converted 
from  Judaism  or  Paganism.  It  was 
important,  therefore,  that  the  meaii- 
ing  of  the  term  should  be  settled  by  an 
inspired  man,  and  accordingly  John, 
in  the  commencement  of  his  Gospel, 
is  at  much  pains  to  state  clearly  what 
is  the  true  doctrine  respecting  the 
Logos,  or  Word.  It  is  possible,  also, 
that  the  doctrines  of  the  Gnostics  had 
begun  to  spread  in  the  time  of  John. 
They  were  an  Oriental  sect,  and  held 
that  the  Logos  or  Word  was  one  of  the 
JEons  that  had  been  created,  and  that 
this  one  had  been  united  to  the  man 
Jesus.    If  that  doctrine  had  begun 


194 


JOHN. 


2  The  same  was  in  fhe  begin- 
ning with  God. 


•then  to  prevail,  it  was  of  the  more 
importance  for  John  to  settle  the 
truth  in  regard  to  the  rank  of  the 
Logos  or  Word.  This  he  has  done  in 
such  a  way  that  there  need  be  no 
doubt  about  his  meaning.  ^  Was  with 
God.  This  e:^ression  denotes  friend 
ship  or  intimacy^  Compare  Mark  ix. 
19.  John  affirms  that  he  was  with 
God  in  the  beginning — that  is,  before 
the  world  was  made.  It  implies,  there- 
fore, that  he  was  partaker  of  the  di- 
vine glory;  that  he  was  blessed  and 
happy  with  God.  It  proves  that  he 
was  intimately  united  with  the  Fa- 
ther, so  as  to  partake  of  his  glory  and 
to  be  appropriately  called  by  the  name 
God.  He  has  himself  explained  it. 
See  J ohn  xvii.  5 :  And  now^  0  Father^ 
glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self  with 
the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the 
world  was.  See  also  John  i.  18 :  No 
man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the 
only-begotten  Son^  which  is  in  the  bo- 
som OF  THE  Father,  he  hath  declared 
Mm.  See  also  John  iii.  13 :  The  Son  of 
man.,  which  is  in  heaven.  Compare  Phil, 
ii.  6,  7.  1[  Was  God.  In  the  previous 
phrase  John  had  said  that  the  Word 
was  with  God.  Lest  it  should  be  sup- 
posed that  he  was  a  different  and  m- 
ferior  being,  he  here  states  that  he  loas 
God.  There  is  no  more  unequivocal 
declaration  in  the  Bible  than  this,  and 
there  could  be  no  stronger  proof  that 
the  sacred  writer  meant  to  affirm  that 
the  Son  of  God  was  equal  with  the 
Father;  for,  1st.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  by  the  Logos  is  meant  Jesus 
Christ.  2d.  This  is  not  an  attribute 
or  quality  of  God,  but  is  a  real  sub- 
sistence, for  it  is  said  that  the  Logos 
was  made  flesh — that  is,  became  a  man. 
3d.  There  is  no  variation  here  in  the 
manuscripts,  and  critics  have  observed 
that  the  Greek  will  bear  no  other  con- 
struction than  what  is  expressed  in 
our  translation  —  that  the  Word  loas 
God.  4th.  There  is  no  evidence  that 
John  intended  to  use  the  word  God  in 
an  inferior  sense.  It  is  not  "  the  Word 
was  a  God,"  or  '*the  Word  was  like 
God,"  but  the  Word  was  God.  He  had 
just  used  the  word  God  as  evidently 
applicable  to  Jehovah,  the  true  God ; 
and  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  he 
would  in  the  same  verse^  and  without 
any  indication  that  he  was  using  the 
word  in  an  inferior  sense,  employ  it 


3  All « things  were  made  by  him ; 

a  Psa.  33.  6.    Eph.  3.  9. 


to  denote  a  being  altogether  inferior 
to  the  true  God.  5th.  The  name  God 
is  elsewhere  given  to  him,  showing 
that  he  is  the  supreme  God.  See  Rom. 
ix.5.  Heb.  i.  8,  9,  iO-12.  1  John  v.  20. 
John  XX.  28.  The  meaning  of  this  im- 
portant verse  may  then  be  thus  sum- 
med up  :  1st.  The  name  Logos,  or 
Word,  is  given  to  Christ  in  reference 
to  his  becoming  the  Teacher  or  In- 
structor of  mankind ;  the  medium 
of  communication  between  God  and 
man.  2d.  The  name  was  in  use  at  the 
time  of  John,  and  it  was  his  design  to 
state  the  correct  doctrine  respecting 
the  Logos.  3d.  The  Word.,  or  Logos, 
existed  before  creation — of  course  was 
not  a  creature^  and  must  have  been, 
therefore,  from  eternity.  4th.  He  was 
with  God — that  is,  he  was  united  to 
him  in  a  most  intimate  and  close 
union  before  the  creation ;  and,  as  it 
could  not  be  said  that  God  was  with 
himself  it  follows  that  the  Logos  was 
in  some  sense  distinct  from  God,  or 
that  there  was  a  disthiction  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son.  When  we 
say  that  one  is  icith  another^  we  imply 
that  there  is  some  sort  of  distinction 
between  them.  5th.  Yet,  lest  it  should 
be  supposed  that  he  was  a  different  and 
inferior  being — a  creature — he  aflBlrms 
that  he  was  God — that  is,  was  equal 
with  the  Father.  This  is  the  founda- 
tion of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity : 
1.  That  the  second  person  is  in  some 
sense  distinct  from  the  first.  2.  That 
he  is  intimately  united  with  the  first 
person  in  essence,  so  that  there  are 
not  two  or  more  Gods.  3.  That  the 
second  person  may  be  called  by  the 
same  name ;  has  the  same  attributes ; 
performs  the  same  works ;  and  is  en- 
titled to  the  same  honors  with  the 
first,  and  that  therefore  he  is  *'the 
same  in  substance,  and  equal  in  pow- 
er and  glory,"  with  God. 

2.  The  same.  The  Word,  or  the  Lo- 
gos. H  Was  in  the  beginning  with  God. 
Tliis  seems  to  be  a  repetition  of  what 
was  said  in  the  first  verse ;  but  it  is 
stated  over  again  to  guard  the  doctrine., 
and  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  a 
mistake.  John  had  said  that  he  ex- 
isted before  the  creation,  and  that  he 
was  with  God ;  but  he  had  not  said  in 
the  first  verse  that  the  union  ivith  God. 
existed  in  the  beginning.  He  now  ex- 
presses that  idea,  and  assures  us  that 


CHAPTER  I. 


195 


and  without  him  was  not  any  thing 
made  that  was  made. 

ac.5.26.    IJno.  5. 11. 


that  union  was  not  one  which  was 
commenced  in  time^  and  which  might 
be,  therefore,  a  mere  union  of  feeling^ 
or  a  compact^  like  that  between  any 
other  beings,  but  was  one  wliicli  ex- 
isted in  eternity^  and  which  was  tliere- 
fore  a  union  oi  nature  or  essence. 

3.  All  things.  Tlie  universe.  The 
expression  can  not  be  limited  to  any 
part  of  the  universe.  It  approjDriately 
expresses  every  thing  which  exists — 
all  the  vast  masses  of  material  worlds, 
and  all  the  animals  and  things,  great 
or  small,  that  compose  those  worlds. 
See  Rev.  iv.  11.  Heb.  i.  2.  Col.  i.  16. 
1  Were  made.  The  original  word  is  from 
the  verb  to  6e,  and  signifies  "were"  by 
him ;  but  it  expresses  the  idea  of  cre- 
ation here.  It  does  not  alter  the  sense 
whether  it  is  said"2^ere  by  him,"  or 
"were  created  by  him."  The  word  is 
often  used  in  the  sense  of  creating^  or 
forming  from  nothing.  See  James  iii. 
9 ;  and  Gen.  ii.  4,  Isa.  xlviii.  7,  in  the 
Septuagint.  II  By  him.  In  this  place 
it  is  affirmed  that  creatioti  was  effected 
by  the  Wo7%  or  the  Son  of  God.  In 
Gen.  i.  1,  it  is  said  that  the  Being  who 
created  the  hQiJens  and  the  earth  was 
God.  In  PsaWii.  25-28,  this  work  is 
ascribed  to  Jehovah.  The  Word,  or 
the  Son  of  God,  is  therefore  appro- 
priately called  God.  The  work  of 
creation  is  uniformly  ascribed  in  the 
Scriptures  to  the  second  person  of 
the  Trinity.    See  Col.  i.  16.   Heb.  i.  2, 

10.  By  this  is  meant,  evidently,  that 
he  was  the  agent,  or  the  efficient 
cause,  by  which  the  universe  was 
made.  There  is  no  higher  proof  of 
omnipotence  than  the  wo'rk  of  creation; 
and  hence  God  often  appeals  to  that 
work  to  prove  that  he  is  the  true  God, 
in  opposition  to  idols.  See  Isa.  xl.  18 
-28.  Jer.  x.  3-16.  Psa.  xxiv.  2 ;  xxxix. 

11.  Prov.  iii.  19.  It  is  absurd  to  say 
that  God  can  invest  a  creature  with 
omnipotence.  If  he  can  make  a  creat- 
ure omnipotent,  he  can  make  him  om- 
niscient, and  can  in  the  same  way  make 
him  omnipresent,  and  infinitely  wise 
and  good ;  that  is,  he  can  invest  a 
creature  with  all  his  own  attributes, 
or  make  another  being  like  himself, 
or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  there 
could  be  two  Gods,  or  as  many  Gods 
as  he  should  choose  to  make.  But 
this  is  absurd.    The  Being,  therefore, 


4  In  him  «  was  life ;  and  the  life 
was  the  light  ^  of  men. 

h  C.8. 12. 


that  created  all  things  must  be  divine ; 
and  as  this  work  is  ascribed  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  as  it  is  uniformly  in  the 
Scriptures  declared  to  be  the  work  of 
God,  Jesus  Christ  is  therefore  equal 
with  the  Father.  %  Without  him.  With- 
out his  agency;  his  notice;  the  exer- 
tion of  his  power.  Compare  Matt.  x. 
29.  This  is  a  strong  way  of  speaking, 
designed  to  confirm,  beyond  the  pos- 
sibility of  doubt,  what  he  had  just 
said.  He  says,  therefore,  in  general, 
that  all  things  were  made  by  Christ. 
In  this  part  of  the  verse  he  shuts  out 
all  doubt,  and  affirms  that  there  was 
no  exception  ;  that  there  was  not  a  sin- 
gle thing,  however  minute  or  unim- 
portant, which  was  not  made  by  him. 
In  this  way  he  confirms  what  he  said 
in  the  first  verse.  Christ  was  not 
merely  called  God,  but  he  did  the  works 
of  God,  and  therefore  the  name  is  used 
in  its  proper  sense  as  implying  su- 
preme divinity.  To  this  same  test 
Jesus  himself  appealed  as  proving 
that  he  was  divine.  John  x.  37:  Ifl 
do  not  THE  WORKS  of  my  Father,  be- 
lieve me  not.  John  v.  17 :  My  Father 
worketh  hitherto,  and  JS^j^^k. 

4.  loi  him  was  life.  The  evangelist 
had  just  affirmed  (verse  3)  that  by  the 
Logos  or  Woi^d  the  world  was  original- 
ly created.  One  part  of  that  creation 
consisted  in  breathing  into  man  the 
breath  of  life.  Gen.  ii.  7.  God  is  de- 
clared to  be  life,  or  the  living  God,  be- 
cause he  is  the  source  or  fountain  of 
life.  This  attribute  is  here  ascribed 
to  Jesus  Christ.  He  not  merelj^  made 
the  material  worlds,  but  he  also  gave 
life.  He  was  the  agent  by  which  the 
vegetable  world  became  animated;  by 
which  brutes  live;  and  by  which  mayi 
became  a  living  soul,  or  was  endowed 
with  immortality.  This  was  a  higher 
proof  that  the  "Word  was  God,!'  than 
the  creation  of  the  material  worlds ; 
but  there  is  another  sense  in  which  he 
Avas  life.  The  7iew  creation,  or  the  ren- 
ovation of  man  and  his  restoration 
from  a  state  of  sin,  is.  often  compared 
with  first  creation;  and  as  the  Lo- 
gos was  the  source  of  life  then,  so,  in 
a  similar  but  higher  sense,  he  is  the 
source  of  life  to  the  soul  dead  in  tres- 
passes and  sins.  Eph.  ii.  1.  And  it  is 
probably  in  reference  to  this  that  he 
is  so  often  called  life  in  the  writings 


196 


JOHN. 


5  And  the  light  shineth  in  «  dark- 
ness, and  the  darkness  compre- 
hended *  it  not. 

of  John.  "For  as  the  Father  hath  life 
in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  the  Son 
to  have  life  in  himself"  John  v.  26. 
* '  He  giveth  life  unto  the  world. ' '  John 
vi.  33.  "I  am  the  resurrection  and 
the  life."  John  xi.  25.  "This  is  the 
true  God  and  eternal  life."  1  John  v. 
20.  See  also  1  John  i.  1,  2;  V.  11.  Acts 

iii.  15.  Col.  iii.  4.  The  meaning  is, 
that  he  is  the  source  or  the  fountain 
of  both  natural  and  spiritual  life. .  Of 
course  he  has  the  attributes  of  God. 
II  The  life  was  the  light  of  men.  Light 
is  that  by  which  we  see  objects  dis- 
tinctly. The  light  of  the  sun  enables 
us  to  discern  the  form,  the  distance, 
the  magnitude,  and  the  relation  of 
objects,  and  prevents  the  perplexities 
and  dangers  which  result  from  a  state 
of  darkness.  Light  is  in  all  languages, 
therefore,  put  ioY  knowledge — for  what- 
ever enables  us  to  discern  our  duty, 
and  that  saves  us  from  the  evils  of  ig- 
norance and  error.  "Whatsoever  doth 
make  manifest  is  light."  Eph.  v.  13. 
See  Isa.  viii.  20 ;  ix.  2.  The  Messiah 
was  predicted  as  the  light  of  the  world. 
Isa.  ix.  2,  conaaflired  with  Matt.  iv.  15, 
16.  Isa.  Ix.  iJpSee  John  viii.  12  :  "I 
am  the  light  of  the  world."  xii.  35, 
36,46:  "I  am  come  a  light  into  the 
world."  The  meaning  is,  that  the  Lo- 
gos or  Word  of  God  is  the  iiistructor 
or  teadier  of  mankind.  This  was  done 
before  his  advent  by  his  direct  agency 
in  giving  man  reason  or  understand- 
ing, and  in  giving  his  law,  for  the  "law 
was  ordained  by  angels  in  the  hand  of 
a  mediato?'^''  (Gal.  iii.  19) ;  after  his  ad- 
vent by  his  personal  ministry  when 
on  earth,  by  his  Spirit  (John  xiv.  16, 
26),  and  by  his  ministers  since.  Eph. 

iv.  U.   ICor.  xii.  28. 

5.  The  light  shineth  in  darJmess.  Dark- 
ness, in  the  Bible,  commonly  denotes 
ignorance,  guilt,  or  misery.  See  Isa. 
ix.  1,  2.  Matt.  iv.  16.  Acts  xxvi.  18. 
Eph.  V.  8, 11.  Rom.  xiii.  12.  It  refers 
here  to  a  wicked  and  ignorant  people. 
When  it  is  said  that  "the  light  shin- 
eth in  darkness,"  it  is  meant  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  came  to  teach  an  ignorant, 
benighted,  and  wicked  world.  This 
has  always  been  the  case.  It  was  so 
when  he  sent  his  prophets;  so  during 
his  own  ministry ;  and  so  in  every  age 
since.  His  efforts  to  enlighten  and 
save  men  have  been  like  light  strug- 


6  There  was  a  man  sent  from 
God,  whose  name  was  John. 

ac.3. 19.  6  1  Cor.  2. '14.  cLu.3.  2,3. 


gling  to  penetrate  a  thick,  dense  cloud, 
and  though  a  few  rays  may  pierce  the 
gloom,  yet  the  great  mass  is  still  an 
impenetrable  shade.  ^  Comprehended 
it  not.  This  word  means  admitted  it 
not,  or  received  it  not.  The  word  com- 
prehendy  with  us,  means  to  understsnd. 
This  is  not  the  meaning  of  the  orig- 
inal. The  darkness  did  not  receive  or 
admit  the  rays  of  light ;  the  shades 
were  so  thick  that  the  light  could  not 
penetrate  them;  or,  to  drop  the  fig- 
ure, men  were  so  ignorant,  so  guilty, 
so  debased,  that  they  did  not  appre- 
ciate the  value  of  his  instructions ; 
they  despised  and  rejected  him.  And 
so  it  is  still.  The  great  mass  of  men, 
sunk  in  sin,  will  not  receive  his  teach- 
ings, and  be  enlightened  and  saved  by 
him.  Sin  always  blinds  the  mind  to 
the  beauty  and  excellency  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  indisposes 
the  mind  to  receive  his  instructions, 
just  as  darkness  has  no  affinity  for 
light,  and  if  the  one  exists,  the  other 
must  be  displaced. 

6.  A  man  sent  from  God.  See  Matt, 
iii.  The  evangelist  proceeds  now  to 
show  that  John  the  Biptist  was  hot 
the  Messiah,  and  to  state  the  true  na- 
ture of  his  office.  Many  had  supposed 
that  he  was  the  Christ,  but  this  opin- 
ion he  corrects;  yet  he  admits  that 
he  was  se7it  from  God — that  he  was 
divinely  commissioned.  Though  he 
denied  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  yet  he 
did  not  deny  that  he  was  sent  from 
or  b}^  heaven  on  an  important  errand 
to  men.  Some  have  supposed  that 
the  sole  design  of  this  gospel  was  to 
show  that  John  the  Baptist  was  not 
the  Messiah.  Though  there  is  no 
foundation  for  this  opinion,  yet  there 
is  no  doubt  that  o?ie  object  was  to 
show  this.  The  mam  design  was  to 
show  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  Chap. 
XX.  31.  To  do  this,  it  was  proper,  in 
the  beginning,  to  prove  that  Joh7i  was 
not  the  Messiah ;  and  this  might  have 
been  at  that  time  an  important  object. 
John  made  many  disciples.  Matt.  iii. 
5.  Many  persons  supposed  that  he 
might  be  the  Messiah.  Luke  iii.  15. 
John  i.  19.  Many  of  these  disciples  of 
John  remained  at  Ephesus,  the  verjj 
place  where  Johri  is  supposed  to  have 
written  this  gospel,  long  after  the  ascen- 
sion of  Jesus.  Acts  xix.  1-3.    It  is  not 


CHAPTER  I. 


197 


7  The  same  came  for  a  witness, 
to  bear  witness  of  the  Light,  that 
all  men  through  him  might  be- 
lieve. 

8  He  «  was  not  that  Light,  but 

a  Acts  19.4. 


improbable  that  there  might  have 
been  many  others  who  adhered  to 
John,  and  perhaps  many  who  sup- 
IDOsecl  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  On 
these  accounts  it  was  important  for 
the  evangehst  to  show  that  John  wm 
not  the  Christy  and  to  show,  also,  that 
he,  who  was  extensively  admitted  to 
be  a  prophet,  was  an  important  wit- 
ness to  prove  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
was  the  Christ.  The  evangelist  in 
the  first  four  verses  stated  that  "the 
Word"  was  divine;  he  now  proceeds 
to  state  the  proof  that  he  was  a  mmi, 
and  was  the  Messiah.  The  Jirst  evi- 
dence adduced  is  the  testimony  of 
John  the  Baptist. 

7,  8.  For  a  witness.  To  give  testi- 
mony. He  came  to  prepare  the  minds 
of  the  people  to  receive  him  (Matt.  iii. 
Luke  iii. ) ;  to  lead  them  by  repentance 
to  God;  and  to  point  out  the  Messiah 
to  Israel  when  he  came.  John  i.  31. 
\  Of  the  Light.  That  is,  of  the  Mes- 
siah. Compare  Isa.  Ix.  1.  ^  That  all 
men^  etc.  It  was  the  object  of  John's 
testimony  that  all  men  might  believe. 
He  designed  to  prepare  them  for  it ; 
to  announce  that  the  Messiah  was 
about  to  come ;  to  direct  the  minds 
of  men  to  him,  and  thus  to  fit  them 
to  believe  on  him  when  he  came. 
Thus  he  baptized  them,  saying  "that 
thej'  should  believe  on  him  who  should 
come  after  him"  (Acts  xix.  4),  and  thus 
he  produced  a  very  general  expecta- 
tion that  the  Messiah  was  about  to 
come.  The  testimony  of  John  was 
peculiarly  valuable  on  the  following 
accounts :  1st.  It  was  made  when  he 
had  no  personal  acquaintance  with  Je- 
sus of  Nazareth,  and  of  course  there 
could  have  been  no  collusion  or  agree- 
ment to  deceive  them.  John  i.  31. 
2d.  It  was  suflfiiciently  long  before  he 
came  to  excite  general  attention,  and 
to  fix  the  mind  on  it.  3d.  It  was  that 
of  a  man  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  a 
prophet  of  God — "for  all  men  held 
John  to  be  a  prophet."  Matt.  xxi.  26. 
4th.  It  was  for  the  express  purpose  of 
declaring  beforehand  that  he  was 
about  to  appear.  5th.  It  was  disinter- 
ested. He  was  himself  extremely  pop- 


was  sent  to  bear  witness  of  that 
Light. 

9  That  was  the  true  Light,^ 
which  lighteth  every  man  that 
Cometh  into  the  world. 

b  Isa.  49.  6. 


ular.  Many  were  disposed  to  receive 
him  as  the  Messiah.  It  was  evidently 
in  his  power  to  form  a  large  party, 
and  to  be  regarded  extensively  as  the 
Christ.  This  was  the  highest  honor 
to  which  a  Jew  could  aspire ;  and  it 
shows  the  value  of  John's  testimony, 
that  he  was  willing  to  lay  all  his  hon- 
ors at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  to  ac- 
knowledge that  he  was  unworthy  to 
perform  for  him  the  ofiftce  of  the  hum- 
blest servant.  Matt.  iii.  11.  H  Through 
him.  Through  John,  or  by  means  of 
his  testimony.  Was  not  that  light. 
Was  not  the  Messiah.  This  is  an  ex- 
plicit declaration  designed  to  satisfy 
the  disciples  of  John.  The  evidence 
that  he  was  not  the  Messiah  he  states 
in  the  following  verses. 

From  the  conduct  of  John  here  we 
may  learn,  1st.  The  duty  of  laying  all 
our  honors  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  2d. 
As  John  came  that  all  might  believe, 
so  it  is  no  less  true  of  the  ministry  of 
Jesus  himself  He  came  for  a  similar 
purpose,  and  we  may  all,  therefore, 
trust  in  him  for  salvation.  3d.  We 
should  not  rely  too  much  on  minis- 
ters of  the  Gospel.  They  can  not 
save  ns  any  more  than  John  could ; 
and  their  oflRce,  as  his  was,  is  simply 
to  direct  men  to  the  Lamb  of  God  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 

9.  That  was  the  true  IJgJit.  Not  John , 
but  the  Messiah.  He  was  not  a  false, 
uncertain,  dangerous  guide,  but  was 
one  that  was  true,  real,  steady,  and 
worthy  of  confidence.  A  false  light 
is  one  that  leads  to  danger  or  error, 
as  a  false  beacon  on  the  shores  of  the 
ocean  may  lead  ships  to  quicksands  or 
rocks;  or  an  ignis  fatuus  to  fens,  and 
precipices,  and  death.  A  true  light  is 
one  that  does  not  deceive  us,  as  the 
true  beacon  may  guide  us  into  port 
or  warn  us  of  danger.  Christ  does 
not  lead  astray.  All  false  teachers  do. 
t  Thatlighteth.  That  enlightens.  He 
removes  darkness,  error,  ignorance, 
from  the  mind.  H  Every  man.  This 
is  an  expression  denoting,  in  general, 
the  whole  humjm  race — Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles. John  preached  to  the  Jews. 
Jesus  came  to  he  a  light  to  lighten  the 


198 


JOHN. 


10  He  was  in  the  world,  and  the 
world  was  made  by  him,  and  ^  the 
world  knew  him  not. 

a  ver.  5.  b  Acts  3.  26  ;  13. 46. 


Gentiles^  as  well  as  to  be  the  glory  of 
the  people  of  Israel.  Luke  ii.  32.  1[  T?iat 
corneth  into  the  world.  The  phrase  in 
the  original  is  ambiguous.  The  word 
translated  "that  cometh"  may  either 
refer  to  the  lig?ity  or  to  the  word  ma7i; 
so  that  it  may  mean  either  "  this  true 
light  that  corneth  into  the  world  en- 
lightens all,"  or  "it  enlightens  every 
rnan  that  corneth  into  the  world."  Many 
critics,  and,  among  the  fathers,  Cyril 
and  Augustine,  have  preferred  the  for- 
mer, and  translated  it  "  The  true  light 
was  he  who,  coming  into  the  world, 
enlightened  every  man."  The  princi- 
pal reasons  for  this  are,  1st.  That  the 
Messiah  is  often  spoken  of  as  he  that 
cometh  into  the  world.  See  chap.  vi. 
14 ;  xviii.  37.  2d.  He  is  often  distin- 
guished as  ^''the  light  that  cometh  into 
the  world.''''  Chap.  iii.  19 :  "  This  is  the 
condenmation,  that  light  is  come  into 
the  world."  Chap.xii.  46:  "I  am  come 
a  light  into  the  world."  Christ  may 
be  said  to  do  what  is  accomplished  by 
his  command  or  appointment.  This 
passage  means,  therefore,  that  by  his 
own  personal  ministry,  and  by  his 
Spirit  and  apostles,  light  or  teaching 
is  afforded  to  all.  It  does  not  mean 
that  every  individual  of  the  human 
family  is  enlightened  with  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Gospel,  for  this  never  yet 
has  been;  but  it  means,  1st.  That  this 
light  is  not  confined  to  the  Jews,  but 
is  extended  to  all — Jews  and  Gentiles. 
2d.  That  it  is  provided  for  all  and  of- 
fered to  all.  3d.  It  is  not  affirmed  that 
at  the  time  that  John  wrote  all  were 
actually  enlightened,  but  the  word 
"lighteth"  has  the  form  of  the  future. 
This  is  that  light  so  long  expected  and 
predicted,  which,  as  the  result  of  its  com- 
ing into  the  world^  will  ultimately  enlight- 
en all  nations. 

10.  Ife  was  in  the  world.  This  refers, 
probably,  not  to  his  pre -existence, 
but  to  the  fact  that  he  became  in- 
carnate ;  that  he  dwelt  among  men. 
If  And  the  world  was  made  by  him. 
This  is  a  repetition  of  what  is  said  in 
verse  3,  Not  only  men,  but  all  mate- 
rial things,  were  made  by  him.  These 
facts  are  mentioned  here  to  make  what 
is  said  immediately  after  more  strik- 
ing, to  wit,  that  men  did  not  receive 
him.    The  proofs  which  he  furnished 


11  He*  came  unto  his  own,  and 
his  own  received  him  not. 

12  But  as  many as  received  him, 

cisa.  56  4,5.    Rom.  8. 15.    lJno.3.  1. 


that  they  ought  to  receive  him  were, 
1st.  Those  given  while  he  was  in  the 
world — the  miracles  that  he  wrought 
and  his  instructions ;  and,  2d.  The  fact 
that  the  world  was  made  by  him.  It 
was  remarkable  that  the  world  did 
not  know  or  approve  its  own  maker. 

The  world  knew  him  not.  The  word 
knew  is  sometimes  used  in  the  sense 
of  approving  or  loving.  Psa.  i.  6.  Matt, 
vii.  23.'  In  this  sense  it  may  be  used 
here.  The  world  did  not  love  or  ap- 
prove him,  but  rejected  him  and  put 
him  to  death.  Or  it  may  mean  that 
they  did  not  understand  or  know  that 
he  was  the  Messiah ;  for  had  the  Jews 
known  and  beUeved  that  he  was  the 
Messiah,  they  would  not  have  put 
him  to  death.  1  Cor.  ii.  8 :  "Had  they 
known  it,  they  would  not  have  cru- 
cified the  Lord  of  glory."  Yet  they 
might  have  known  it,  and  therefore 
they  were  not  the  less  to  blame. 

11.  He  came  imto  his  own.  His  own 
land  or  country.  It  was  called  his  land 
because  it  was  the  place  of  his  birth, 
and  also  because  it  was  the  chosen 
land  where  God  delighted  to  dwell 
and  to  manifest  his  favor.  See  Isa.  v. 
1-7.  Over  that  land  the  laws  of  God 
had  been  extended,  and  that  land  had 
been  regarded  as  peculiarly  his.  Psa. 
cxlvii.  19,  20.  II  His  own.  His  own 
people.  There  is  a  distinction  here 
in  the  original  words  which  is  not 
preserved  in  the  translation.  It  may 
be  thus  expressed:  "He  came  to  his 
own  la7id,  and  his  own  people  received 
him  not."  They  were  his  people,  be- 
cause God  had  chosen  them  to  be  his 
above  all  other  nations  ;  had  given  to 
them  his  laws ;  and  had  signally  pro- 
tected and  favored  them.  Deut.  vii.  6 ; 
xiv.  2.  T[  Received  him  not.  Did  not 
acknowledge  him  to  be  the  Messiah. 
They  rejected  him  and  put  him  to 
death,  agreeably  to  the  prophecy.  Isa. 
liii.  3, 4.  From  this  we  learn,  1st.  That 
it  is  reasonable  to  expect  that  those 
who  have  been  peculiarly  favored 
should  welcome  the  message  of  God. 
God  had  a  right  to  expect,  after  all 
that  had  bccirdone  for  the  Jews,  that 
they  would  receive  the  message  of 
eternal  life.  So  he  has  a  right  to  ex- 
I^ect  that  we  should  embrace  him  and 
be  saved.  Yet,  2d.  It  is  not  the  abun- 


CHAPTER  I. 


199 


to.  them  gave  he  ^  power  to  become 
the  sons  of  Godfemn  to  them  that 
believe  on  his  name : 

1  or,  the  right ;  or,  privilege. 


dance  of  mercies  that  incline  men  to 
seek  God.  The  Jews  had  been  sig- 
nally favored,  but  they  rejected  him. 
So,  many  in  Christian  lands  live  and 
die  rejecting  the  Lord  J esus.  3d.  Men 
are  alike  in  every  age.  All  would  re- 
ject the  Saviour  if  left  to  themselves. 
All  men  are  by  nature  wicked.  There 
is  no  more  certain  and  universal  proof 
of  this  than  the  universal  rejection  of 
the  Lord  Jesus. 

12.  To  as  many  as  received  him.  The 
great  mass;  the  people;  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  rejected  him.  A  few  in 
his  lifetime  received  him,  and  many 
more  after  his  death.  To  receive  him^ 
here,  means  to  believe  on  him. .  This 
is  expressed  at  the  end  of  the  verse. 
1[  Gave  he  power.  This  is  more  appro- 
priately rendered  in  the  margin  by  the 
word  right  ov privilege.  Compare  Acts 
i.  7 ;  V.  4.  Rom.  ix.'  21.  1  Cor.  vii.  37 ; 
viii.  9 ;  ix.  4,  5.  H  Sons  of  God.  Chil- 
dren of  God  by  adoption.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  i.  1.  Christians  are  called 
sons  of  God — 1st.  Because  they  are 
adopted  by  him.  1  John  iii.  1.  2d.  Be- 
cause they  are  like  him;  they  resem- 
ble him  and  have  his  spirit.  3d.  They 
are  united  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Son 
of  God — are  regarded  by  hiyn  as  his 
brethren  (Matthew  xxv.  40),  and  are 
therefore  regarded  as  the  children  of 
the  Most  High.  H  In  his  name.  This 
is  another  way  of  saying  believeth  in 
him.  The  name  of  a  person  is  often 
put  for  the  person  himself  Chap.  ii. 
23  ;  iii.  18.  1  John  v.  13.  From  this 
verse  we  learn,  1st.  That  to  be  a  child 
of  God  is  a  privilege — far  more  so  than 
to  be  the  child  of  any  man,  though  in 
the  highest  degree  rich,  6r  learned, 
or  honored.  Christians  are  therefore 
more  honored  than  any  other  men. 
2d.  God  gave  them  this  privilege.  It 
is  not  by  their  own  works  or  deserts ; 
it  is  because  God  chose  to  impart  this 
blessing  to  them.  Eph.  ii.  8.  John 
XV.  16.  3d.  This  favor  is  given  only  to 
those  who  believe  on  him.  All  oth- 
ers are  the  children  of  the  wicked  one, 
and  no  one  who  has  not  conjide^ice  m 
God  can  be  regarded  as  his  child.  No 
parent  would  acknowledge  one  for  his 
child,  or  approve  of  him,  who  had  no 
confidence  in  him,  who  doubted  or  de- 


13  Which  were  bom,  *  not  of 
blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God. 

a  Gal.  3.  26.  6Jas.  1.18. 


nied  all  he  said,  and  who  despised  his 
character.  Yet  this  the  sinner  con- 
stantly does  toward  God,  and  he  can 
not,  therefore,  be  called  his  son. 

13.  Which  were  born.  This  doubt- 
less refers  to  the  new  birtJi,  or  to  the 
great  change  in  the  sinner's  mind 
called  regeneration  or  conversion.  It 
means  that  they  did  not  become  the 
children  of  God  in  virtue  of  their  nat- 
ural birth,  or  because  they  were  tht 
children  of  Jews,  or  because  they  were 
descended  from  pious  parents.  The 
term  "  to  be  born"  is  often  used  to  de- 
note this  change.  Compare  John  iii. 
3-8.  1  John  ii.  29.  It  illustrates  clear- 
ly and  beautifully  this  great  change. 
The  natural  birth  introduces  us  to  life. 
The  new  birth  is  the  beginning  of 
spiritual  life.  Before,  the  sinner  is 
dead  in  sins  (Eph.  ii.  1) ;  now  he  be- 
gins truly  to  live.  And  as  the  natural 
birth  is  the  beginning  of  life,  so  to  be 
born  of  God  is  to  be  introduced  to 
real  life,  to  light,  to  hai)piness,  and  to 
the  favor  of  God.  The  term  express- 
es at  once  the  greatness  and  the  stature 
of  the  change.  *[[  Not  of  blood.  The 
Greek  word  is  plural ;  not  of  bloods — 
that  is,  not  of  inan.  Compare  Matt, 
xxvii.  4.  The  Jews  prided  themselves 
on  being  the  descendants  of  Abraham. 
Matt.  iii.  9.  They  supposed  that  it 
was  proof  of  the  favor  of  God  to  be 
descended  from  such  an  illustrious 
ancestry.  In  this  passage  this  notion 
is  corrected.  It  is  not  because  men 
are  descended  from  an  illustrious  or 
pious  parentage  that  they  are  entitled 
to  the  favor  of  God ;  or  iDerhaps  the 
meaning  may  be,  not  because  there  is 
a  union  of  illustrious  lines  of  ancestry 
or  bloods  in  them.  The  law  of  Christ's 
kingdom  is  different  from  what  the 
Jews  supposed.  Compare  1  Peter  1. 
23.  It  was  necessary  to  be  born  of  God 
by  regeneration.  Possibly,  however, 
it  may  mean  that  they  did  not  become 
children  of  God  by  the  bloody  rite  of 
circumcision,  as  many  of  the  Jews  sup- 
posed they  did.  This  is  agreeable  to 
the  declaration  of  Paul  in  Rom.  ii.  28, 
29.  Nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh.  Not 
by  natural  generation.  ^  Nor  of  the 
will  of  man.  This  may  refer,  perhaps, 
to  the  wiirof  man  in  adopting  a  child, 


200 


JOHN. 


14  And  the  Word  *  was  made 

aLu.  1.35,    ITim.  3. 16. 


as  the  former  phrases  do  to  the  natural 
birth ;  and  the  design  of  using  these 
three  phrases  may  liave  been  to  say 
that  they  became  the  children  of  God 
neither  in  virtue  of  their  descent  from 
illustrious  parents  like  Abraham,  nor 
by  their  natural  birth,  nor  by  being 
adopted  by  a  pious  man.  None  of  the 
ways  by  which  we  become  entitled  to 
the  privileges  of  children  among  men 
can  give  us  a  title  to  be  called  the 
sons  of  God.  It  is  not  by  human 
power  or  agency  that  men  become 
children  of  the  Most  High.  H  But 
of  God.  That  is,  God  produces  the 
change,  and  confers  the  privilege  of 
being  called  his  children.  The  heart 
is  changed  by  his  power.  No  unaided 
effort  of  man,  no  works  of  ours,  can 
produce  this  change.  At  the  same 
time,  it  is  true  that  no  man  is  renew- 
ed who  does  not  himself  desire  and 
will  to  be  a  believer ;  for  the  effect  of 
the  change  is  on  his  will  (Psa.  ex.  3), 
and  no  one  is  changed  who  does  not 
strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate. 
Phil.  ii.  12.  This  important  verse, 
therefore,  teaches  us,  1st.  That  if  men 
are  saved  they  must  be  born  again. 
2d.  That  their  salvation  is  not  the  re- 
sult of  their  birth,  or  of  any  honora- 
ble or  pious  parentage.  3d.  That  the 
children  of  the  rich  and  the  noble,  as 
well  as  of  the  poor,  must  be  born  of 
God  if  they  will  be  saved.  4th.  That 
the  children  of  pious  parents  must  be 
born  again,  or  thc}^  can  not  be  saved. 
None  will  go  to  heaven  simply  be- 
cause ihoir parents  arc  Christians.  5th. 
That  this  work  is  the  work  of  God, 
and  no  man  can  do  it  for  us.  6th.  That 
we  should  forsake  all  human  depend- 
ence, cast  off  all  confidence  in  the 
flesh,  and  go  at  once  to  the  throne 
of  grace,  and  beseech  of  God  to  adopt 
us  into  his  family  and  save  our  souls 
from  death. 

14.  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh. 
The  word^e.sT?,  here,  is  evidently  used 
to  denote  human  nature  or  man.  See 
Matt.  xvi.  17 ;  xix.  5 ;  xxiv.  22.  Luke 
iii.  6.  Rom.  i.3;  ix.  5.  The  "Word" 
was  made  man.  This  is  commonly  ex- 
pressed by  saying  that  he  became  in- 
carnate. When  we  say  that  a  being 
becomes  incarnate,  we  mean  that  one 
of  a  higlier  order  than  man,  and  of  a 
different  nature,  assumes  the  appear- 
ance of  man  or  becomes  a  man.  Here 


flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us,  and* 

ft  2  Pet.  1.17.    IJno.  1.1,2. 


it  is  meant  that  "the  Word,"  or  the 
second  person  of  the  Trinity,  whom 
John  had  just  proved  to  be  equal  with 
God,  became  a  man,  or  was  united 
with  the  man  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  so 
that  it  might  be  said  that  he  was  made 
flesh.  Tl  Was  made.  This  is  the  same 
word  that  is  used  in  verse  3:  "All 
things  were  made  by  him."  It  is  not 
simply  affirmed  that  he  was  flesh,  but 
that  he  was  made  flesh,  implying  that 
he  had  pre -existence,  agreeably  to 
verse  1.  This  is  in  accordance  with 
the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures  else- 
where. Heb.  x.  5 :  "A  hodtj  hast  thou 
prepared  me."  Heb.  ii.  14:  "As  the 
children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took 
part  of  the  same."  1  John  iv.  2:  "Je- 
sus Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh."  See 
also  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  Phil.  ii.  6.  2  Cor. 
viii.  9.  Luke  i.  35.  The  expression, 
then,  means  that  he  became  a  man, 
and  that  he  became  such  by  the  pow- 
er of  God  providing  for  him  a  body. 
It  can  not  mean  that  the  divine  na- 
ture was  changed  into  the  human,  for 
that  could* not  be;  but  it  means  that 
the  Logos,  or  "Word,"  became  so  in- 
timately united  to  J esus  that  it  might 
be  said  that  the  Logos  or  "Word" 
became  or  ivas  a  man,  as  the  soul  be- 
comes so  united  to  the  body  that  we 
may  say  that  it  is  07ie  person  or  a  man. 
T[  And  dwelt  among  us.  The  word  in 
the  original  denotes  "dwelt  as  in  a 
tabernacle  or  tent;"  and  some  have 
supposed  that  John  means  to  say  that 
the  human  body  was  a  tabernacle  or 
tent  for  the  Logos  to  abide  in,  in  al- 
lusion to  the  tabernacle  among  the 
Jews  in  which  the  Shechinah,  or  visi- 
ble symbol  of  God,  dwelt;  but  it  is 
not  necessary  to  suppose  this.  The 
object  of  John  was  to  prove  that  "the 
Word"  became  incarnate.  To  do  this 
he  appeals  to  various  evidences.  One 
was  that  he  dwelt  among  them  ;  so- 
journed with  them  ;  ate,  drank,  slept, 
and  was  with  them  for  years,  so  that 
they  "saw  liim  with  their  eyes,  they 
looked  upon  him,  and  their  hands 
handled  him."  1  John  i.  1.  To  dwell 
in  a  tent  with  one  is  the  same  as  to  be 
in  his  family ;  and  when  John  says  he 
tabernacled  with  them,  he  means  that 
he  was  with  them  as  a  friend  and  as 
one  of  a  family,  so  that  they  had  full 
opportunity  of  becoming  familiarly 


CHAPTER  I. 


201 


we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as 
of  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father, 
full  of  grace  and  truth. 

a'Psa.  45.  2.    Col.  2.  3,  9. 

acquainted  with  him,  and  could  not 
be  mistaken  in  supposing  that  he  was 
really  a  man.  1[  We  beheld  Jiis  glory. 
This  is  a  new  proof  of  what  he  was  af- 
firming— that  THE  Word  of  God  be- 
came man.  The  first  was,  that  they 
had  seen  liim  as  a  man.  He  now  adds 
tliat  they  had  seen  him  in  his  proper 
glory  as  God  a7id  man  united  %7i  one 
person^  constituting  him  the  unequal- 
ed  Son  of  the  Father.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  there  is  reference  here  to 
the  transfiguration  on  the  holy  mount. 
See  Matt.  xvii.  1-9.  To  this  same  evi- 
dence Peter  also  appeals.  2  Pet.  i.  16- 
18.  John  was  one  of  the  witnesses  of 
that  scene,  and  hence  he  says,  "We 
beheld  his  glory. Mark  ix.  2.  The 
word  glory  here  means  majesty,  dig- 
nity, splendor.  U  T?ie  gloy^y  as  of  the 
only-begotten  of  the  Father.  The  dignity 
which  was  appropriate  to  the  only- 
begotten  Son  of  God ;  such  glory  or 
splendor  as  could  belong  to  no  other, 
and  as  properly  expressed  his  rank 
and  character.  This  glory  was  seen 
eminently  on  the  mount  of  transfig- 
uration. It  was  also  seen  in  his  mir- 
acles, his  doctrine,  his  resurrection, 
his  ascension ;  all  of  which  were  such 
as  to  illustrate  the  perfections,  and 
manifest  the  glory  that  belongs  only 
to  the  Son  of  God.  H  Only-begotten. 
This  term  is  never  applied  by  John  to 
any  but  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  applied  by 
him  five  times  to  the  Saviour  (chap, 
i.  14, 18;  iii.  16,  18.  1  John  iv.  9).  It 
means  literally  an  only  child.  Then, 
as  an  only  child  is  peculiarly  dear  to 
a  parent,  it  means  one  that  is  especial- 
ly beloved.  Compare  Gen.  xxii.  2, 12, 
16.  Jer.  vi.  26.  Zech.  xii.  10.  On  both 
these  accounts  it  is  bestowed  on  the 
Saviour.  1st.  As  he  was  eminently  the 
Son  of  God,  sustaining  a  jjeculiar  re- 
lation to  him  in  his  divine  nature,  ex- 
alted above  all  men  and  angels,  and 
thus  worthy  to  be  called,  by  way  of 
eminence,  his  onl}^  Son.  Saints  are 
called  his  sons  or  children,  because 
they  are  born  of  his  Spirit,  or  are  like 
him  ;  but  the  Lord  Jesus  is  exalted 
far  Above  all,  and  deserves  .eminently 
to  be  called  his  only-begotten  Son. 
2d.  He  was  peculiarly  dear  to  God, 
and  therefore  this  appellation,  imply- 
ing tender  affection,  is  bestowed  on 
I  2 


15  John  ^  bare  witness  of  him, 
and  cried,  saying.  This  was  he  of 
whom  I  spake.  He  that  cometh 

b  Matt.  3. 13,  etc. 

him.  H  Full  of  grace  and  truth.  The 
word  fidl  here  refers  to  the  Woi^d  made 
flesJi,  which  is  declared  to  be  full  of 
grace  and  truth.  The  word  grace 
means  favors^  gifts,  acts  of  benefi- 
cence. He  was  kind,  merciful,  gra- 
cious, doing  good  to  all,  and  seeking 
man's  welfare  by  great  sacrifices  and 
love ;  so  much  so,  that  it  might  be 
said  to  be  characteristic  of  him,  or  he 
abounded  in  favors  to  mankind.  He 
was  also  full  of  truth.  He  declared 
the  truth.  In  him  was  no  falsehood. 
He  was  not  like  the  false  prophets 
and  false  Messiahs,  who  were  wholly 
impostors  ;  nor  was  he  like  the  em- 
blems and  shadows  of  the  old  dispen- 
sation, which  were  only  types  of  the 
true ;  but  he  was  truth  itself.  He 
represented  things  as  they  are^  and  thus 
became  the  truth  as  well  as  the  way 
and  the  life. 

15.  John  bare  witness  of  him.  The 
evangelist  now  returns  to  the  testi- 
mony of  John  the  Baptist.  He  had 
stated  that  the  Word  became  incar- 
nate, and  he  now  appeals  to  the  testi- 
mony of  John  to  show  that,  thus  in- 
carnate, he  was  the  Messiah.  T[  He 
that  cometh  after  me.  He  of  whom  I 
am  the  forerunner,  or  whose  way  I 
am  come  to  prepare.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iii.  3.  f  Is  preferred  before  me. 
Is  superior  to  me.  Most  critics  have 
supposed  that  the  words  translated 
"is  preferred"  relate  to  time^  and  not 
to  dignity ;  meaning  that  though  he 
came  after  him  publicly,  being  six 
months  younger  than  John,  as  well 
as  entering  on  his  work  after  John, 
yet  that  he  had  existed  long  before 
him.  Most,  however,  have  under- 
stood it  more  correctly,  as  our  trans- 
lators seem  to  have  done,  as  meaning 
he  was  worthy  of  more  honor  than  I 
am.  IF  He  was  before  me.  This  can  re- 
fer to  nothing  but  his  pre-existence, 
and  can  be  explained  only  on  the  sup- 
position that  he  existed  before  J ohn,  or, 
as  the  evangelist  had  before  shown, 
from  the  beginning.  He  came  after 
John  in  his  public  ministry  and  in  his 
human  nature,  but  in  his  divine  na- 
ture he  had  existed  long  before  John 
had  a  being— from  eternity.  We  may 
learn  here  that  it  is  one  mark  of  the 
true  spirit  of  a  minister  of  Christ  to 


202 


JOHN. 


after  me  is  preferred  before  me; 
for  he  was  before  me. 

16  And  of  his  fullness  ^have  all 
we  received,  and  grace  for  grace. 

a  Jno.  3. 34.  b  Psa.  85. 10.    Rom.  5. 21 . 


desire  and  feel  that  Christ  is  always  to 
be  preferred  to  ourselves.  We  should 
keep  ourselves  out  of  view.  The 
great  object  is  to  hold  up  the  Saviour; 
and  however  much  ministers  may  be 
honored  or  blessed,  yet  they  should 
lay  all  at  the  feet  of  J esus,  and  direct 
all  men  to  him  as  the  undivided  ob- 
ject of  affection  and  honor.  It  is  the 
business  of  every  Christian,  as  w^ell  as 
of  every  Christian  minister,  to  be  a 
witness  for  Christ,  and  to  endeavor  to 
convince  the  world  that  he* is  worthy 
of  confidence  and  love. 

16.  Of  his  fidbiess.  In  the  14th  verse 
the  evang-elist  has  said  that  Christ  was 
full  of  grace  mid  truth.  Of  that  fullness 
he  now  says  that  all  the  disciples  had 
received;  that  is,  they  derived  from 
his  abundant  truth  and  mercy  grace 
to  understand  the  plan  of  salvation, 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  to  live  lives  of 
holiness ;  they  partook  of  the  numer- 
ous blessings  which  he  came  to  im- 
part by  his  instructions  and  his  death. 
These  arc  undoubtedly  not  the  words 
of  John  the  Baptist,  but  of  the  evan- 
gelist John,  the  writer  of  this  gospel. 
They  are  a  continuation  of  what  he 
was  saying  in  the  14th  verse,  the  15tli 
verse  being  evidently  thrown  in  as  a 
parenthests.  The  declaration  had  not 
exclusive  reference,  probably,  to  the 
apostles,  but  it  is  extended  to  all 
Christians,  for  all  believers  have  re- 
ceived of  the  fulhiess  of  grace  aiicl  truth 
that  is  in  Christ.  Compare  Eph.  i.  23; 
iii.  19.  Col.  i.  19;  ii.  9.  In  all  these 
places  our  Saviour  is  represented  as 
the  fullness  of  God — as  aboimding  in 
mercy,  as  exhibiting  the  divine  attri- 
butes, and  as  possessing  in  himself  all 
that  is  necessary  to  fill  his  people  with 
truth,  and  grace,  and  love.  ^  Grace 
for  grace.  Man}'-  interpretations  of 
this  phrase  have  been  proposed.  The 
chief  are  briefly  the  following:  1st. 
"We  have  received,  under  the  Gos- 
pel, grace  or  favor,  instead  of  those 
granted  under  the  law ;  and  God  has 
added  by  the  Gospel  important  favors 
to  those  which  he  gave  under  the 
law."  This  was  first  proposed  by 
Chrysostom.  2d.  "We,  Christians, 
have  received  grace  answering  to^  or 


17  For  the  law  was  given  by 
Moses,  hut  grace  *  and  truth  came 
by  Jesus  Christ. 

18  No  man  hath  seen  God  "  at 

c  Ex.  33.  20.    1  Tim.  6. 16. 


corresponding  to  that  which  is  in  Je- 
sus Christ.  We  are  like  him  in  meek- 
ness, humility,"  etc.  3d.  "We  have 
received  grace  as  grace— that  is,  freely. 
We  have  not  purchased  it  nor  deserved 
it,  but  God  has  conferred  it  on  us  /ree- 
??/."— Gro tins.  4th.  The  meaning  is, 
probably,  simply  that  we  have  re- 
ceived through  him  abundance  of 
grace  or  favor.  The  Hebrews,  in  ex- 
pressing the  superlative  degree  of  com- 
parison, used  simply  to  repeat  the  word 
— thus,  "pits,  pits,"  meaning  many 
pits.  Hebrew  in  Gen.  xiv.  10.  So  here 
grace  for  grace  may  mean  much  grace ; 
superlative  favors  bestowed  on  man ; 
favors  superior  to  all  that  had  been 
under  the  law — superior  to  all  other 
things  that  God  can  confer  on  men. 
These  favors  consist  in  pardon,  re- 
demption, protection,  sanctification, 
peace  here,  and  heaven  hereafter. 

17.  The  law  was  given.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament economy.  The  institutions 
under  wiiich  the  Jews  lived.  Tf  By 
Moses.  By  Moses,  as  the  servant  of 
God.  He  was  the  great  legislator  of 
the  Jews,  by  whom,  under  God,  their 
polity  was  formed.  The  law  worketh 
wrath  (Rom.  iv.  15);  it  was  attended 
with  many  burdensome  rites  and  cer- 
emonies (Acts  XV.  10) ;  it  was  prepara- 
tory to  another  state  of  things.  The 
Gospel  succeeded  that  and  took  its 
place,  and  thus  showed  the  greatness 
of  the  Gospel  economy,  as  well  as  its 
grace  and  truth.  ^  Grace  and  truth 
came  by  Jesus  Christ.  A  system  of  re- 
ligion full  of  favors,  and  the  true  sys- 
tem, was  revealed  by  him.  The  old 
system  was  one  of  laiv^  and  shadows, 
and  bu7^densome  rites  ;  this  was  full  of 
mercy  to  mankind,  and  was  true  in 
all  things.  We  may  learn  from  these 
verses — 1st.  That  all  our  mercies  come 
from  Jesus  Christ.  2d.  "All  true  be- 
lievers receive  from  Christ's  fullness; 
the  best  and  greatest  saints  can  not 
live  without  "him,  the  meanest  and 
weakest  may  live  by  him.  This  ^ex- 
cludes proud  boasting  that  we  have 
nothing  but  ice  have  received  it,  and  si- 
lenceth  perplexing  fears  that  we  want 
nothing  but  we  may  receive  it.'''' 

18.  No  man  hath  seeti  Ood  at  any  time. 


CHAPTER  I. 


203 


any  time ;  the  *  only-begotten  Son, 
which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Fa- 
ther, he  hath  declared  him. 

19  And  this  ^  is  the  record  of 
John,  when  the  Jews  sent  priests 

a  1  Jno.  4.  9. 


This  declaration  is  probably  made  to 
show  the  superiority  of  the  revelation 
of  Jesus  above  that  of  any  previous 
dispensation.  It  is  said,  tlierefore, 
that  Jesus  had  an  intimate  knowledge 
of^  God^  which  neither  Moses  nor  any 
of  the  ancient  prophets  had  possess- 
ed. God  is  invisible ;  no  human  ej^es 
have  seen  him;  but  Christ  had  a 
knowledge  of  God  which  might  be 
expressed  to  owr  apprehension  by  say- 
ing that  he  saw  him.  He  knew  him 
intimately  and  completely,  and  was 
therefore  fitted  to  make  a  fuller  man- 
^ifestation  of  him.  See  J ohn  v.  37 ;  vi. 
'46.  1  John  iv.  12.  Exodus  xxxiii.  20. 
J  ohn  xiv.  9.  This  passage  is  not  meant 
to  deny  that  men  had  witnessed  mani- 
festations of  God,  as  when  he  appeared 
to  Moses  and  the  prophets  (compare 
Num.  xii.  8.  Isa.  vi.) ;  but  it  is  meant 
that  no  one  has  seen  the  essence  of 
God,  or  has  fully  known  God,  The 
prophets  delivered  what  they  heay-d 
God  siDcak;  Jesus  what  he  knew  of 
God  as  his  equal,  and  as  understand- 
ing fully  his  nature.  1  The  only-he- 
gotten  Son.  See  Notes  on  verse  14. 
This  verse  shows  John's  sense  of  the 
meaning  of  that  phrase,  as  denoting 
an  intimate  and  full  knowledge  of 
God.  Tf  In  the  bosom  of  the  Father. 
This  expression  is  taken  from  the 
custom  among  the  Orientals  of  re- 
clining at  their  meals.  See  Notes  on 
Matt,  xxiii.  6.  It  denotes  intimacy, 
friendship,  affection.  Here  it  means 
that  Jesus  had  a  knowledge  of  God 
such  as  one  friend  has  of  another — 
knowledge  of  his  character,  designs, 
and  nature  which  no  other  one  pos- 
sesses, and  which  renders  him,  there- 
fore, qualified  above  all  others  to 
make  him  known.  If  Hath  declared 
him.  Hath  fully  revealed  him  or  made 
him  known.  Compare  Heb.  i.  1,  4. 
Tliis  verse  proves  that  Jesus  had  a 
knowledge  of  God  above  that  which 
any  of  the  ancient  prophets  had,  and 
that  the  fullest  revelations  of  his  char- 
acter are  to  be  expected  in  the  Gospel. 
By  his  Word  and  Spirit  he  can  enlight- 
en and  guide  ns,  and  lead  us  to  the 
true  knowledge  of  God ;  and  there  is 


and  Levites  from  Jerusalem  to  ask 
him,  Who  art  thou  ? 

20  And  he  confessed,  and  denied 
not ;  but  confessed,  I  am  not  the 
Christ. 

h  Lu.  3. 15,  etc. 


no  triie  and  full  knowledge  of  God 
which  is  not  obtained  through  his 
Son.    Compare  chap.  xiv.  6.  1  John 

ii.  22, 28. 

19.  This  is  the  record.  The  word  rec- 
ord here  means  testimony^  in  whatever 
way  given.  The  word  reco7'd  now  com- 
monly refers  to  written  evidence.  This 
is  not  its  meaning  here.  John's  tes- 
timony was  given  without  writing. 
^  When  the  Jews  sent.  John's  fame 
was  great.  See  Matt.  iii.  5.  It  spread 
from  t|ie  region  of  Galilee  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  the  nation  seemed  to  sup- 
pose, from  the  character  of  his  preach- 
ing, that  he  was  the  Messiah.  Luke 

iii.  15.  The  great  council  of  the  na- 
tion, or  the  Sanhedrim,  had,  among 
other  things,  the  charge  of  religion. 
They  felt  it  to  be  their  duty,  there- 
fore, to  inquire  into  the  character  and 
claims  of  John,  and  to  learn  whether 
he  was  the  Messiah.  It  is  not  improb- 
able that  they  loished  that  he  might 
be  the  long-expected  Christ,  and  were 
prepared  to  regard  him  as  such. 
11  Wfien  the  Jews  sent  priests  and  Le- 
vites. See  Notes  on  Luke  x.  31,  32. 
These  were  probably  members  of  the 
Sanhedrim. 

20.  I  am  not  the  Christ.  This  con- 
fession proves  that  John  was  not  an 
impostor.  He  had  a  wide  reputation. 
The  nation  was  expecting  that  the 
Messiah  was  about  to  come,  and  mul- 
titudes were  ready  to  believe  that 
John  wus  he.  Luke  iii.  15.  If  John 
had  been  an  impostor  he  would  have 
taken  advantage  of  this  excited  state 
of  public  feeling,  proclaimed  himself 
to  be  the  Messiah,  and  formed  a  large 
party  in  his  favor.  The  fact  that  he 
did  not  do  it  is  full  proof  that  he  did 
not  intend  to  impose  on  men,  but  came 
only  as  the  forerunner  of  Christ ;  and 
his  example  shows  that  all  Christians, 
and  especially  all  Christian  ministers, 
however  much  they  may  be  honored 
and  blessed,  should  be  willing  to  lay 
all  their  honors  at  the  feet  of  Jesus; 
to  keep  themselves  back,  and  to  hold  up 
before  the  world  only  the  Son  of  God. 
To  do  this  is  one  eminent  mark  of  the 
true  spirit  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel. 


204 


JOHN. 


21  And  they  asked  him,  What 
then  ?  Art  thou  Elias  ?  And  he 
saith,  I  am  not.  Art  thou  ^  that 
prophet  ?  And  he  answered,  No. 

22  Then  said  they  unto  him. 
Who  art  thou  ?  that  we  may  give 
an  answer  to  them  that  sent  us. 
What  sayest  thou  of  thyself? 

23  He  ^  said,  I  am  the  voice  of 

1  or,  a  prophet. 


21.  Art  thou  Elias?  This  is  the 
Greek  way  of  writing  Elijah.  The 
Jews  expected  that  Elijah  would  ap- 
pear before  the  Messiah  came.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  14.  They  supposed 
that  it  would  be  the  real  Elijah  return- 
ed from  heaven.  In  this  sense  John 
denied  that  he  was  Elijah ;  but  he  did 
not  deny  that  he  was  the  Elias  or 
Elijah  which  the  prophet  intended 
(Matt.  iii.  3),  for  he  immediately  pro- 
ceeds to  state  (verse  23)  that  he  was 
sent,  as  it  was  predicted  that  Elijah 
would  be,  to  i:)repare  the  way  of  the 
Lord;  so  that,  while  he  corrected  their 
false  notions  about  Elijah,  he  so  clear- 
ly stated  to  them  his  true  character 
that  they  might  understand  that  he 
was  really  the  one  predicted  as  Elijah. 
II  That  prophet.  It  is  possible  that 
the  Jews  supposed  that  not  only  Eli- 
jah would  reappear  before  the  coming 
of  the  Messiah,  but  also  Jeremiah. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xvi.  14.  Some  have 
supposed,  however,  that  this  question 
has  reference  to  the  prediction  of  Mo- 
ses in  Deut.  xviii.  15. 

23.  /  am  the  voice^  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  iii.  3. 

24.  Were  of  the  Pharisees.  For  an  ac- 
count of  this  sect,  see  Notes  on  Matt, 
iii.  7.  Why  they  are  particularly  men- 
tioned is  not  certainl}^  known.  Many 
of  the  Sadducees  came  to  his  baptism 
(Matt.  iii.  7),  but  it  seems  that  they 
did  not  join  in  sending  to  him  to  know 
what  was  the  design  of  John.  This 
circumstance  is  one  of  those  incident- 
al and  delicate  allusions  which  would 
occur  to  no  impostor  in  forging  a 
book,  and  which  show  that  the  writ- 
ers of  the  New  Testament  were  hon- 
est men  and  knew  what  they  affirmed. 
For,  1st.  The  Pharisees  composed  a 
gxf^at  part  of  the  Sanhedrim.  Acts 
xxiii.  6.  It  is  probable  that  a  deputa- 
tion from  the  Sanhedrim  would  be  of 
that  party.  2d.  The  Pharisees  were 
very  tenacious  of  rites  and  customs, 


one  crying  in  the  wilderness.  Make 
straight  the  way  of  the  Lord,  as 
said  the  prophet  *  Esaias. 

24  And  they  which  were  sent 
were  of  the  Pharisees. 

25  And  they  asked  him,  and  said 
unto  him.  Why  baptizest  thou, 
then,  if  thou  be  not  that  Christ, 
nor  Elias,  neither  that  prophet  ? 

a  Matt.  3.  3.  Mar.  1.3.  Lu.3.4.  c.  3.  28.  &Isa.40.3- 


of  traditions  and  ceremonies.  They 
observed  many.  They  believed  that 
they  were  lawful.  Mark  vii.  3,  4.  Of 
course,  they  believed  that  those  rites 
might  be  increased,  but  they  did  not 
suppose  that  it  could  be  done  except 
by  the  authority  of  a  prophet  or  of 
the  Messiah.  When,  therefore,  John 
came  baptizing  —  adding  a  rite  to  be 
observed  by  his  followers — baptizing 
not  onl}^  Gentiles^  but  also  Jews — the 
question  was  whether  he  had  author- 
ity to  institute  a  new  rite ;  wbether  it 
was  to  be  received  among  the  ceremo- 
nies of  religion.  In  this  question  the 
Sadducees  felt  no  interest,  for  they  re- 
jected all  such  rites  at  once ;  but  the 
Pharisees  thought  it  was  worth  inqui- 
ry, and  it  was  a  question  on  which 
tJiey  felt  themselves  specially  called 
on  to  act  as  the  guardians  of  the  cer- 
emonies of  religion. 

25.  WJiy  baptizest  ihou^  then^  etc. 
Baptism  on  receiving  a  proselyte  from 
heatheyiism  was  common  before  the 
time  of  John,  but  it  was  not  custom- 
ary to  baptize  a  Jew.  J ohn  had  changed 
the  custom.  He  baptized  a??,  and  they 
were  desirous  of  knowing  by  what  au- 
thority he  made  such  a  change  in  the 
religious  customs  of  the  nation.  They 
presumed,  from  the  fact  that  he  in- 
troduced that  change,  that  he  claimed 
to  be  a  prophet  or  the  Christ.  They 
supposed  that  no  one  would  attempt 
it  ^\W\ovX  pretending at  least,  author- 
ity from  heaven.  As  he  disclaimed 
the  character  of  Christ  and  of  the 
prophet  Elijah,  they  asked  whence  he 
derived  his  authority.  As  he  had  just 
before  applied  to  himself  a  prediction 
that  they  all  considered  as  belonging 
to  the  forerunner  of  Christ,  they  might 
have  understood  why  he  did  it ;  but 
they  were  blind,  and  manifested,  as  all 
sinners  do,  a  remarkable  slowness  in 
understanding  the  plainest  truths  in 
religion. 

26.  /  baptize.    He  did  not  deny  it ; 


CHAFTER  1. 


205 


26  John  answered  them,  saying, 
I  baptize  with  water;  but  there 
stancleth  one  among  you  whom 
ye  know  not : 

27  He  it  is,  who,  coming  after 
me,  is  preferred  before  me,  whose 
shoe's  latchet  I  am  not  worthy  to 
unloose. 

a  Mai.  3.1.  6  Judg.  7.  24. 

c  Ex.  12.  3.    Isa.53.7,11.    Rev.  5.  6. 

nor  did  he  condescend  to  state  his  au- 
thority. That  he  had  given.  He  ad- 
mitted that  he  had  introduced  an  im- 
portant charige  in  the  rites  of  rehgion, 
and  he  goes  on  to  tell  them  that  this 
was  not  all.  Greater  and  more  im- 
portant changes  would  soon  take  place 
without  their  authority.  The  Messiah 
was  about  to  come,  and  the  poimr 
was  about  to  depart  from  their  hands. 
^  There  standeth  one.  There  is  one. 
if  Among  you.  In  the  midst  of  you. 
He  is  undistin'.^uished  among  the  mul- 
titude. Tiie  Messiah  had  already  come, 
and  was  about  to  be  manifested  to  the 
people.  It  was  not  until  the  next  day 
(verse  29)  that  Jesus  was  manifested 
or  proclaimed  as  the  Messiah ;  but  it 
is  not  improbable  that  he  was  then 
among  the  people  that  were  assem- 
bled near  the  Jordan,  and  mingled 
with  them,  though  he  was  undistin- 
guished. He  had  gone  there,  proba- 
bly, with  the  multitudes  that  had  been 
drawn  thither  by  the  ftime  of  John, 
and  had  gone  without  attracting  at- 
tention, though  his  real  object  was  to 
receive  baptism  in  this  public  manner, 
and  to  be  exhibited  and  proclaimed  as 
the  Messiah.  ^  Whom  ye  know  not. 
Jesus  was  not  yet  declared  publicly 
to  be  the  Christ.  Though  it  is  prob- 
able that  he  was  then  among  the  mul- 
titude, yet  he  was  not  known  as  the 
Messiah.  We  may  hence  learn,  1st. 
That  there  is  often  great  excellency 
in  the  world  that  is  obscure,  undis- 
tinguished, and  unknown.  Jesus  was 
7iear  to  all  that  people,  but  they  were 
not  conscious  of  his  x^resence,  for  he 
was  retired  and  obscure.  Though  the 
greatest  personage  ever  in  the  world, 
yet  he  was  not  externally  distinguish- 
ed from  others.  2d.  Jesus  may  be  near 
to  men  of  the  world,  and  yet  they 
know  him  not.  He  is  eveiw  where 
by  his  Spirit,  yet  few  know  it,  and  few 
are  desirous  of  knowing  it. 

27.  Whose  shoe\'^  latchet.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  iii.  11.  The  latchet  of  sandals 


28  These  things  were  done  in 
Bethabara,  ^  beyond  Jordan,  where 
John  was  baptizing. 

29  The  next  day  John  seeth  Je# 
sus  coming  unto  him,  and  saith, 
Behold  the  Lamb  ^  of  God,  which 

1  taketh  ^  away  the  sin  of  the 
world ! 

1  or,  heareth.    Heb.  9.  28. 

d  Acts  13.  39.    1  Pet.  2.  24.    Rev.  1.  5. 


was  the  string  or  thong  by  which  they 
were  fastened  to  the  feet.  To  unloose 
them  was  the  office  of  a  servant,  and 
John  means,  therefore,  that  he  was 
unworthy  to  perform  the  lowest  office 
for  the  Messiah.  This  was  remarka- 
ble humility.  John  was  well  known  ; 
he  was  highly  honored ;  thousands 
came  to  hear  him.  Jesus  was  at  that 
time  unknown ;  but  John  says  that 
he  was  unworthy  to  perform  the  hum- 
blest office  for  Jesus.  So  we  all  should 
be  willing  to  lay  all  that  we  have  at 
the  feet  of  Christ,  and  feel  that  we  are 
unworthy  to  be  his  lowest  servants. 

28.  In  Bethabara.  Almost  all  the 
ancient  manuscripts  and  versions,  in- 
stead of  Bethabara  here,  have  Bethany^ 
and  this  is  doubtless  the  true  reading. 
There  was  a  Bethany  about  two  miles 
east  of  Jerusalem,  but  there  is  said 
also  to  have  been  another  in  the  tribe 
of  Reuben,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
River  Jordan,  and  in  this  place,  prob- 
ably, John  was  baptizing.  It  is  about 
twelve  miles  above  Jericho.  The  word 
^e^/ia&am  means  house  or  place  of  a 
ford.  The  reading  Bethabara^  instead 
of  Bethany^  seems  to  have  arisen  from 
the  conjecture  of  Origen,  who  found 
in  his  day  no  such  place  as  Betliamj., 
but  saw  a  town  called  Bethabara^  where 
John  was  said  to  have  baptized,  and 
therefore  took  the  liberty  of  changing 
the  former  reading. — Rob. ,  Lex.  TI  Be- 
yond Jordan.  On  the  east  side  of  the 
River  Jordan. 

29.  The  next  day.  The  day  after  the 
Jews  made  inquiry  whether  he  was 
the  Christ.  If  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God. 
A  lamb.,  among  the  Jews,  was  killed 
and  eaten  at  the  Passover  to  commem- 
orate their  deliverance  from  Egypt. 
Exod.  xii.  3-11.  A  lamb  was  offered 
in  the  tabernacle,  and  afterward  in  the 
Temple,  every  morning  and  evening, 
as  a  part  of  the  daily  worship.  Exod. 
xxix.  38,  39.  The  Messiah  was  pre- 
dicted as  a  lamb  led  to  the  slaughter, 
to  show  his  patience  in  his  sufferings, 


206 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  26. 


30  This  is  he  of  whom  I  said, 
After  me  cometh  a  man  which  is 
preferred  before  me ;  for  he  was 
•before  me. 

31  And  I  knew  him  not ;  but 
that  he  should  be  made  manifest 
to  Israel,  therefore  am  I  come  bap- 
tizing with  water. 

32  And  John  hare  record,  saying, 
I  saw  the  Spirit  descending  from 
heaven  like  a  dove,  and  it  abode 
upon  him. 

a  c,  3. 34. 

and  readiness  to  die  for  man.  Isa.  liii. 
7.  A  lamb,  among  the  Jews,  was  also 
an  emblem  of  patience,  meekness,  gen- 
tleness. On  all  these  accomits,  raUier 
than  on  any  one  of  them  alone,  Jesus 
was  called  the  Lamh.  He  was  innocent 
(1  Pet.  ii.  23-25) ;  he  was  a  sacrifice  for 
sin — the  substance  represented  by  the 
daily  offering  of  the  lamb,  and  slain  at 
the  usual  time  of  the  evening  sacrifice 
(Luke  xxiii.  44-46) ;  and  he  was  what 
was  represented  hy  the  passover,  turn- 
ing away  the  anger  of  God,  and  saving 
sinners  by  his  blood  .from  vengeance 
and  eternal  death.  1  Cor.  v.  7.  H  Of 
God.  Appointed  by  God,  approved  by 
God,  and  most  dear  to  him ;  the  sac- 
rifice which  he  chose^  and  which  he 
ap2Droves  to  save  men  from  death. 
If  Which  taketh  aivay.  This  denotes 
his  hearing  the  sins  of  the  world,  or 
the  sufferings  whicli  made  an  atone- 
ment for  sin.  Compare  Isa.  liii.  4.  1 
John  iii.  5.  1  Peter  ii.  24.  He  takes 
away  sin  by  hearincj  in  his  own  bod}^ 
the  sufferings  which  God  appointed 
to  show  his  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
thus  magnifying  the  law,  and  render- 
ing it  consistent  for  him  to  pardon. 
See  Notes  on  Rom.  iii.  24,  25.  \  Of 
the  world.  Of  all  mankind,  Jew  and 
Gentile.  His  work  was  not  to  be  con- 
fined to  the  Jew,  but  was  also  to  ben- 
efit the  Gentile;  it  was  not  confined 
to  any  one  part  of  the  world,  but  was 
designed  to  open  the  way  of  pardon 
to  all  men.  He  was  the  propitiation 
for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  1  John 
ii.  2.    See  Notes  on  2  Cor.  v.  15. 

31.  /  knew  him  not.  John  was  not 
pcrmnaUy  acquainted  with  Jesus. 
Though  they  were  remotely  related 
to  each  other,  yet  it  seems  that  they 
had  had  heretofore  no  personal  ac- 
quaintance. John  had  lived  chiefly 
in  the  hill  counti-y  of  Judea.  Jesus 


33  And  I  knew  him  not :  but  he 
that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  wa- 
ter, the  same  said  unto  me.  Upon 
whom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  de- 
scending and  remaining  ^  on  him, 
the  same  is  he  which  baptizeth* 
with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

34  And  I  saw,  and  bare  record 
that  this  is  the  Son  of  God. 

35  Again,  the  next  day  after, 
John  stood,  and  two  of  his  dis- 
ciples ; 

b  Acts  1.5;  2.4. 

had  been  employed  with  Joseph  at 
Nazareth.  Until  Jesus  came  to  be 
baptized  (Matt.  iii.  13,  14),  it  seems 
that  John  had  no  acquaintance  with 
him.  He  understood  that  he  was  to 
announce  that  the  Messiah  was  about 
to  appear.  He  was  sent  to  proclaim 
his  coming,  but  he  did  not  personally 
know  Jesus,  or  that  he  was  to  be  the 
Messiah.  This  proves  that  t^iere  could 
have  been  no  collusion  or  agreement  be- 
tween them  to  impose  on  the  people. 
If  Should  he  made  manifest.  That  the 
Messiah  should  be  exhihited^  or  made 
known.  He  came  to  prepare  the  way 
for  the  Messiah,  and  it  7iow  appeared 
that  the  Messiah  was  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth.   1[  To  Israel.   To  the  Jews. 

32.  Bare  record.  Gave  testimony. 
II  /  saw  the  S2m%  etc.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iii.  16, 17. 

33,  34.  The  same  said^  etc.  This  was 
the  sign  by  which  he  was  to  know  the 
Messiah.  He  was  to  sec  the  Spirit 
descending  like  a  dove  and  abiding 
on  him.  It  does  not  follow,  however, 
that  he  had  no  intimation  before  this 
that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  but  it  means 
that  by  this  he  should  infallihly  know 
it.  From  Matt.  iii.  13, 14,  it  seems  that 
John  supposed,  before  the  baptism  of 
Jesus,  that  he  claimed  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah, and  that  he  believed  it;  but  the 
ijfallihle,  certain  testimony  in  the  case 
was  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on 
liim  at  his  baptism.  T[  TJiat  this  is  the 
/Son  of  God.  This  was  distinctly  de- 
clared by  a  voice  from  heaven  at  his 
baptism.  Matthew  iii.  17.  This  John 
heard,  and  he  testified  that  he  had 
heard  it. 

35.  The  next  day.  The  day  after  his 
remarkable  testimony  that  Jesus  was 
the  Son  of  God.  This  testimony  of 
John  is  reported  because  it  was  .the 
main  design  of  this  evangelist  to  show 


A.D.  26.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


207 


36  And  looking  upon  Jesus  as  lie 
walked,  he  saitli,  Behold  the  Lamb 
of  God ! 

37  And  the  two  disciples  heard 
him  speak,  and  they  followed 
Jesus. 


that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  See  the 
Introduction.  To  do  this,  he  adduces 
the  decided  and  repeated  testimony 
of  John  the  Baptist.  This  was  impar- 
tial evidence  in  the  case,  and  hence  he 
so  particularly  dwells  upon  it.  1[  John 
stood.  Or  was  standing.  This  was 
probably  apart  from  the  multitude. 
•f[  Two  of  Ms  disciples.  One  of  these 
was  Andrew  (verse  40),  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  the  other  was  the 
writer  of  this  gospel. 

36.  Loolcing  upon  Jesns^  etc.  Fixing 
his  eyes  intentlj^  upon  him.  Singling 
him  out  and  regarding  him  with  spe- 
cial attention.  Contemplating  him 
as  the  long-expected  Messiah  and  De- 
liverer of  the  world.  In  this  way 
should  all  ministers  fix  the  eye  on 
the  Son  of  God,  and  direct  all  others 
to  him.  1[  As  he  walked.  While  Jesus 
was  walking. 

37.  They  followed  Jesus.  They  had 
been  the  disciples  of  John.  His  office 
was  to  point  out  the  Messiah.  When 
that  was  done,  they  left  at  once  their 
master  and  teacher,  John,  and  fol- 
lowed the  long-expected  Messiah. 
This  shows  that  John  was  sincere; 
that  he  was  not  desirous  of  forming 
a  party  or  of  building  up  a  sect ;  that 
he  was  willing  that  all  those  whom 
he  had  attracted  to  himself  by  his 
ministry  should  become  followers  of 
Christ.  The  object  of  ministers  should 
7iot  be  to  build  up  their  own  interests 
or  to  extend  their  own  fame.  It  is  to 
point  men  to  the  Saviour.  Ministers, 
however  popular  or  successful,  should 
be  willing  that  their  disciples  should 
look  to  Christ  rather  than  to  them; 
nay,  shoiM  forget  them  and  look  away 
from  them,  to  tread  in  the  footsteps 
of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  the  conduct 
of  these  disciples  shows  us  that  we 
should  forsake  cdl  and  follow  Jesus 
when  he  is  pointed  out  to  us  as  the 
Messiah.  We  should  not  delay  nor 
debate  the  matter,  but  leave  at  once 
all  our  old  teachers,  guides,  and  com- 
panions, and  follow  the  Lamb  of  God. 
And  we  should  do  that,  too,  though 
to  the  world  the  Lord  Jesus  may  ap- 


38  Then  Jesus  turned,  and  saw 
them  following,  and  saith  unto 
them,  What  seek  ye  ?  They  said 
unto  him,  Kabbi  (which  is  to  say, 
being  interpreted.  Master),  where 
dwellest  ^  thou  ? 

1  or,  abidest. 


pear,  as  he  did  to  the  multitude  of 
the  Jews,  as  poor,  unknown,  and  de- 
spised. Reader,  have  you  left  all  and 
followed  him  ?  Have  you  forsaken 
the  guides  of  false  philosophy  and  de- 
ceit, of  sin  and  infidelity,  and  com- 
mitted yourself  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ? 

38.  What  seek  ye?  This  was  not  ask 
ed  to  obtain  information.  Compare 
verse  48.  It  was  not  a  harsh  reproof, 
forbidding  them  to  follow  him.  Com- 
pare Matt.  xi.  28-30.  It  was  a  kind  in- 
quiry respecting  their  desires  j  an  in- 
vitation to  lay  open  their  minds,  to 
state  their  wishes,  and  to  express  all 
their  feelings  respecting  the  Messiah 
and  their  own  salvation.  We  may 
learn,  1st.  That  Jesus  regards  the  first 
inclinations  of  the  soul  to  follow  him. 
He  turned  toward  these  disciples,  and 
he  will  incline  his  ear  to  all  who  be- 

fin  to  approach  him  for  salvation, 
d.  Jesus  is  ready  to  hear  their  re- 
quests and  to  answer  them.  3d.  Min- 
isters of  the  Gospel,  and  all  other 
Christians,*should  be  accessible,  kind, 
and  tender  toward  all  who  are  inquir- 
ing the  way  to  life.  In  conformity 
with,  their  Master,  they  should  be 
willing  to  aid  all  those  who  look  to 
them  for  guidance  and  help  in  the 
great  work  of  their  salvation.  1[  Rah- 
bi.  This  was  a  Jewish  title  conferred 
somewhat  as  literary  degrees  now  are, 
and  meaning  literally  a  great  one^  and 
was  applied  to  a  teacher  or  master  in 
the  Jewish  schools.  It  corresponded 
with  the  title  Doctor.  Our  Saviour 
solemnly  forbade  his  discixjles  to  wear 
that  title.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii. 
8.  The  fact  that  J^hn  interpreted  this 
word  shows  that  he  wrote  his  gospel 
not  for  the  Jews  only,  but  for  those 
who  did  not  understand  the  Hebrew 
language.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been 
written  at  Ephesus.  ^  Whey^e  dwellest 
thou?  This  question  they  probably 
asked  him  in  order  to  signify  their 
wish  to  be  with  him  and  to  be  in- 
structed by  him.  They  desired  more 
fully  to  listen  to  him  than  they  could 
now  by  the  wayside.    They  were  un- 


208 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  26. 


39  He  saith  unto  them,  Come 
and  see.  They  came  and  saw 
where  he  dwelt,  and  abode  with 
him  that  day;  for  it  was  about 
1  the  tenth  hour. 

40  One  of  the  two  which  heard 
John  speak^  and  followed  him,  was 
Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother. 

41  He  first  findeth  his  own  broth- 
er Simon,  and  saith  unto  him,  We 

1  That  was  two  hours  before  night.       2  or,  the  anointed. 

willing  to  interrupt  him  in  his  travel- 
ing. Religion  teaches  men  true  po- 
liteness, or  a  disposition  to  consult 
the  convenience  of  others,  and  not 
improperly  to  molest  them,  or  to. 
break  in  upon  them  when  engaged. 
It  also  teaches  us  to  desire  to  be  with 
Christ;  to  seek  every  opportunity  of 
communion  with  him,  and  chiefly  to 
desire  to  he  loith  him  where  he  is  when 
we  leave  this  world.  Comp.  Phil.  i.  33. 

39.  Come  and  see.  This  was  a  kind 
and  gracious  answer.  He  did  not  put 
them  off  to  some  future  period.  Then, 
as  now,  he  was  willing  that  they  should 
come  at  once  and  enjoy  the  full  oppor- 
tunity which  they  desired  of  his  con- 
versation. Jesus  is  ever  ready  to  ad- 
mit those  who  seek  him  to  his  pres- 
ence and  favor.  ^  Abode  with  him. 
Remained  with  him.  This  was  prob- 
ably the  dwelling  of  some  friend  of 
Jesus.  His  usual  home  was  at  Naza- 
reth. ^  The  tenth  hour.  The  Jews  di- 
vided their  day  into  twelve  equal  parts, 
beginning  at  sunrise.  If  John  used 
their  mode  of  computation,  this  was 
about  four  o'clock  P.M.  The  Romans 
divided  time  as  we  do,  beginning  at 
midnight.  If  John  used  their  mode, 
it  was  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  fore- 
noon. It  is  not  certain  which  he  used. 

41.  He  first  findeth.  He  found  him 
and  told  him  about  Jesus  before  he 
brought  him  to  Jesus.  ^  We  have 
fourid  the  Messias.  They  had  learned 
from  the  testimony  of  John,  and  now 
had  been  more  fully  convincQd  frpm 
conversation  with  Jesus  that  he  was 
the  Messiah.  The  word  Messiah,  or 
Messias,  is  Hebrew,  and  means  the 
same  as  the  Greek  word  Christ,  anoint- 
ed. Sec  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  1.  From 
the  conduct  of  Andrew  we  may  learn 
that  it  is  the  nature  of  religion  to  de- 
sire that  others  may  possess  it.  It 
does  not  lead  us  to  monopolize  it  or 
to  hide  it  under  a  bushel,  but  it  seeks 


have  found  the  Messias,  which  is, 
being  interpreted,  ^  the  Christ. 

42  And  he  brought  him  to  Jesus. 
And  when  Jesus  beheld  him  he 
said.  Thou  art  Simon,  the  son  of 
Jonas :  thou  «  shalt  be  called  Ce- 
phas, which  is,  by  interpretation,^ 
A  stone. 

43  The  day  following,  Jesus 
would  go  forth  into  Galilee,  and 

a  Matt.  16. 18.  3  or,  Peter. 

that  others  also  may  be  brought  to 
the  Saviour.  It  does  not  wait  for  them 
to  come,  but  it  goes /or  them ;  it  seeks 
them  out,  and  tells  them  that  a  Sa- 
viour is  found.  Young  converts  should 
seek  their  friends  and  neighbors,  and 
tell  them  of  a  Saviour ;  and  not  only 
their  relatives,  but  all  others  as  far  as 
possible,  that  all  may  come  to  Jesus 
and  be  saved. 

42.  Cephas.  This  is  a  Syriac  word, 
meaning  the  same  as  the  Greek  word 
Peter,  a  stone.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xvi.  17.  The  stone,  or  rock,  is  a  sym- 
bol of  firmness  and  steadiness  of  char- 
acter— a  trait  in  Peter's  character  after 
the  ascension  of  Jesus  that  was  very 
remarkable.  Before  the  death  of  Je- 
sus he  was  rash,  headlong,  variable ; 
and  it  is  one  proof  of  the  omniscience 
of  Jesus  that  he  saw  that  Peter  would 
possess  a  character  that  would  be  ex- 
pressed appropriately  by  the  word 
stone  or  7'ock.  The  word  Jonas  is  a  He- 
brew word,  whose  original  significa- 
tion is  a  dove.  It  may  be  that  Jesus 
had  respect  to  that  when  he  gave  Si- 
mon the  name  Peter.  You  now  bear 
a  name  emblematic  of  timidity  and 
inconstancy.  You  shall  be  called  by 
a  name  denoting  firmness  and  con- 
stancy." 

,  43.  Would  go  forth.    Was  about  to 

fo.  1[  Into  Galilee.  He  was  now  in 
udea,  where  he  went  to  be  baptized 
by  John.  He  Avas  now  about  to  re- 
turn to  his  native  country.  Findeth 
Flvilip.  This  docs  not  refer  to  his  call- 
ing these  disciples  to  be  apostles.,  for 
that  took  place  at  the  Sea  of  Tiberias 
(Matt.  iv.  18),  but  it  refers  to  their  be- 
ing convinced  that  he  was  the  Christ. 
This  is  the  object  of  this  evangelist, 
to  show  how  and  when  they  were 
convinced  of  this.  Matthew  states 
the  time  and  occasion  in  which  they 
were  called  to  be  apostles;  John,  the 
time  in  which  they  first  became  ac- 


A.D.26.] 


CHAPTER  I. 


209 


findeth  Philip,  and  saitli  unto  liim, 
Follow  me. 

44  Now  Philip  was  of  Bethsaida, 
the  city  of  Andrew  and  Peter. 

45  Philip  findeth  Nathanael,  and 
saith  unto  him,  We  have  found  him 
of  whom  Moses  ^  in  the  law,  and 
the  prophets,  did  write,  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph. 

46  And  Nathanael  said  unto  him, 

a  Lu.  24.  27, 44.  6  c.  7. 41. 


quainted  with  Jesus,  and  were  con- 
vinced that  he  was  the  Messiah.  There 
is,  therefore,  no  contradiction  in  the 
evangelists. 

44.  Of  Bethsaida.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xi.  21.  ^  The  city  of.  The  place  where 
Andrew  and  Peter  dwelt. 

45.  Moses,  in  the  law.  Moses,  in  that 
part  of  the  Old  Testament  which  he 
wrote,  called  by  the  Jews  the  law.  See 
Deut.  xviii.  15,  18.  Gen.  xlix.  10  ;  iii. 
15.  H  And  the  prophets.  Isa.  liii. ;  ix. 
6,  7.  Dan.  ix.  24-27.  Jer.  xxiii..  5,  6, 
etc.  ^  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  etc.  They 
spoke  according  to  common  appre- 
hension. They  spoke  of  him  as  the 
son  of  Joseph  because  he  was  com- 
monly supposed  to  be.  They  spoke 
of  him  as  dwelling  at  Nazareth,  though 
they  might  not  have  been  ignorant 
that  he  was  born  at  Bethlehem. 

46.  Can  any  good  thing,  etc.  The 
character  of  Nazareth  was  proverb- 
ially bad.  To  be  a  Galilean  or  a  Naz- 
arene  was  an  expression  of  decided 
contempt.  John  vii.  52.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  ii.  23.  Nathanael  asked,  there- 
fore, whether  it  was  possible  that  the 
Messiah  should  come  from  a  place  pro- 
verbially wicked.  This  was  a  mode  of 
judging  in  the  case  not  uncommon. 
It  is  not  by  examining  evidence,  but  by 
prejudice.  Many  persons  suffer  their 
minds  to  be  filled  with  prejudice 
against  religion,  and  then  pronounce 
at  once  without  examination.  They 
refuse  to  examine  the  subject,  for  they 
have  set  it  down  that  it  can  not  be 
true.  It  matters  not  where  a  teacher 
comes  from,  or  what  is  the  place  of 
his  birth,  provided  he  be  authorized 
of  God  and  qualified  for  his  work. 
T[  Come  and  see.  This  was  the  best 
way  to  answer  Nathanael.  He  did 
not  sit  down  to  reason  with  him,  or 
speculate  about  the  possibility  that  a 
good  thing  could  come  from  Naza- 
reth ;  but  he  asked  him  to  go  and  ex- 


*  Can  there  any  good  thing  come 
out  of  Nazareth  ?  Philip  saith  unto 
him.  Come  and  see. 

47  Jesus  saw  Nathanael  coming 
to  him,  and  saith  of  him,  Behold,^ 
an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is  no 
guile ! 

48  Nathanael  saith  unto  him, 
Whence  knowest  thou  me  ?  Jesus 
answered  and  said  unto  him,  Be- 

c  Psa.  32.  2.    Rom.  2.  28,  29. 

amine  for  himself,  to  see  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, to  hear  him  converse,  to  lay  aside 
his  prejudice,  and  to  judge  from  a  fair 
and  candid  personal  inquiry.  So  we 
should  beseech  sinners  to  lay  aside 
their  prejudices  against  religion,  and 
to  be  Christiaiis,  and  thus  make  trial 
for  themselves.  If  men  can  be  per- 
suaded to  come  to  Jesus,  all  their  pet- 
ty and  foolish  objections  against  re- 
ligion will  vanish.  The}^  will  be  sat- 
isfied from  their  own  experience  that  it 
is  true,  and  in  this  way  only  will  they 
ever  be  satisfied. 

47.  An  Israelite  indeed.  One  who  is 
really  an  Israelite— not  by  birth  only, 
but  one  worthy  of  the  name.  One 
who  possesses  the  spirit,  the  piety, 
and  the  integrity  which  become  a  man 
who  is  really  a  Jew,  who  fears  God 
and  obeys  his  law.  Compare  Rom.  ix. 
6 ;  ii.  28,  29.  1[  No  guile.  No  deceit, 
no  fraud,  no  hypocrisy.  He  is  really 
What  he  professes  to  be — a  Jew,  a  de- 
scendant of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  fear- 
ing and  serving  God.  He  makes  no 
profession  which  he  does  not  live  up 
to.  He  does  not  say  that  Nathanael 
was  without  guilt  or  sin,  but  that  he 
had  no  disguise,  no  trick,  no  deceit 
— he  was  sincere  and  upright.  This 
was  a  most  honorable  testimony.  How 
happy  would  it  be  if  he,  who  knows 
the  hearts  of  all  as  he  did  that  of  Na- 
thanael, could  bear  the  same  testimo- 
ny of  all  who  profess  the  religion  of 
the  Gospel ! 

48.  Whence  knowest  thou  me?  Na- 
thanael was  not  yet  acquainted  with 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  supposed 
that  he  had  been  a  stranger  to  him. 
Hearing  him  express  a  favorable  opin- 
ion of  him,  he  naturally  inquired  by 
what  means  he  had  any  knowledge  of 
him.  His  conscience  testified  to  the 
truth  of  what  Jesus  said — that  he  had 
no  guile,  and  he  was  anxious  to  know 
whence  he  had  learned  his  character. 


210 


JOHK. 


[A.D.  26. 


fore  that  Philip  called  thee,  when 
thou  wast  under  the  fig-tree,  I  saw 
thee. 

49  Kathanael  answered  and  saith 
unto  him,  Kabbi,  thou  *  art  the  Son 
of  God ;  thou  art  the  King  of  Is- 
rael. 

a  Psa.  139. 1,2.  h  Matt.  14.  33.    c.  20. 28, 29. 

1[  Before  tJtat  Philip  called  thee.  See 
verse  45.  ^  When  thou  wast  under  the 
jig-tree.  It  is  evident  that  it  was  from 
something  that  had  occurred  under 
the  fig-tree  that  Jesus  judged  of  his 
character.  What  that  was  is  not  re- 
corded. It  is  not  improbable  that 
Nathanael  was  accustomed  to  retire 
to  the  shade  of  a  certain  tree,  perhaps 
in  his  garden  or  in  a  grove,  for  the 
purpose  of  meditation  and  prayer. 
The  Jews  were  much  in  the  habit  of 
selecting  such  places  for  private  de- 
votion, and  in  such  scenes  of  stillness 
and  retirement  there  is  something  pe- 
culiarly favorable  for  meditation  and 
prayer.  Our  Saviour  also  worshipped 
in  such  places.  Compare  John  xviii. 
2.  Luke  vi.  12.  In  that  place  of  re- 
tirement it  is  not  improbable  that 
Nathanael  was  engaged  in  private  de- 
votion. ^  I  saw  thee.  It  is  clear,  from 
the  narrative,  that  J esus  did  not  mean 
to  say  that  he  was  bodily  present  with 
Nathanael  and  saw  him ;  but  he  knew 
his  thoughts,  his  desires,  his  secret 
feelings  and  wishes.  In  this  sense 
Nathanael  understood  him.  We  may 
learn,  1st.  That  Jesus  sees  what  is 
done  in  secret,  and  is  therefore  di- 
vine. 2d.  That  he  sees  us  when  we 
little  think  of  it.  3d.  That  he  sees  us 
especially  in  our  private  devotions, 
hears  our  prayers,  and  marks  our 
meditations.  And,  4th.  That  he  judg- 
es of  our  character  chiefly  by  our  pri- 
vate devotions.  Those  are  secret ;  the 
world  sees  them  not ;  and  in  our  clos- 
ets we  show  what  we  are.  How  does 
it  become  us,  therefore,  that  our  se- 
cret prayers  and  meditations  should 
be  without  guile  and  hypocrisy,  and 
such  as  Jesus  will  approve  ! 

49.  Rahhi.  Master.  Applied  appro- 
priately to  Jesus,  and  to  no  one  else. 
Matt,  xxiii.  10.  The  Son  of  God.  By 
this  title  he  doubtless  meant  that  he 
was  the  Messiah.  His  conscience  told 
him  that  he  had  judged  right  of  his 
character,  and  that  therefore  he  must 
know  the  heart  and  the  desires  of  the 
mind.    If  so,  he  could  not  be  a  mere 


50*  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him.  Because  I  said  unto  thee,  I 
saw  thee  under  the  fig-tree,  be- 
Ij^vest  thou?  Thou  shalt  see 
greater  things  than  these. 

51  And  he  saith  unto  him,  Yerily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Hereafter 

c  Matt.  21.5;  27.11. 


man,  but  must  be  the  long-expected 
Messiah.  If  The  King  of  Israel.  This 
was  one  of  the  titles  by  which  the 
Messiah  was  expected,  and  this  was 
the  title  which  was  affixed  to  his  cross. 
John  xix.  18.  This  case  of  Nathanael 
John  adduces  as  another  evidence  that 
Jesus  was  the  Christ.  The  great  ob- 
ject he  had  in  view  in  writing  this 
gospel  was  to  collect  the  evidence 
that  he  was  the  Messiah.  Chap.  xx.  31. 
A  case,  therefore,  where  Jesus  search- 
ed the  heart,  and  where  his  knowledge 
of  the  heart  convinced  a  pious  Jew  that 
he  was  the  Christ,  is  very  properly  ad- 
duced as  important  testimony. 

50.  Greater  things.  Fuller  proof  of 
his  Messiahship,  particularly  what  is 
mentioned  in  the  following  verse. 

51.  Verily^  verily.  In  the  Greek, 
Amen,  amen.  The  word  amen  means 
truly^  certai^dy^  so  be  it — from  the  verb 
to  confirm,  to  establish,  to  be  true. 
It  is  often  used  in  this  gospel.  When 
repeated,  it  expresses  the  speaker's 
sense  of  the  importa7ice  of  what  he  is 
saying,  and  the  certainty  that  it  is  as 
he  affirms.  H  Ye  shall  see.  Not,  per- 
haps, with  the  bodily  eyes,  but  yovi 
shall  have  evidence  that  it  is  so.  The 
thing  shall  take  place,  and  you  shall 
be  a  witness  of  it.  11  Heaven  open. 
This  is  a  figurative  expression,  de- 
noting the  co7if erring  of  favors.  Psalm 
Ixxviii.  23,  24 :  ''He  opened  the  doors 
of  heaven,  and  had  rained  down  man- 
na." It  also  denotes  that  God  was 
about  to  w^ork  a  miracle  in  attestation 
of  a  particular  thing.  See  Matt.  iii. 
16.  In  the  language.^  here,  there  is  an 
evident  allusion  to  the  ladder  that 
Jacob  saw  in  a  dream,  and  to  the  an- 
gels ascending  and  descending  on  it. 
Gen.  xxviii.  12.  It  is  not  probable 
that  Jesus  referred  to  any  particular 
instance  in  which  Nathanael  should 
literally  see  the  heavens  opened.  The 
baptism  of  Jesus  had  taken  place,  and 
no  other  instance  occurred  in  his  life 
in  which  it  is  said  that  the  heavens 
were  opened.  H  Angels  of  God.  Those 
pure  and  holy  beings  that  dwell  in 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


211 


ye  sliall  see  heaven  ^  open,  and  the 
angels  *  of  God  ascending  and  de- 
scending upon  the  Son  of  man. 

a  Ezek.  1. 1. 

6  Gen.  28. 12.  Dan.  7.  9, 10.  Acts  1.10, 11. 


^heaven,  and  that  are  emploj^ed  as  min- 
istering spirits  to  our  world.  Heb.  i. 
14.  Good  men  are  represented  in  the 
Scriptures  as  being  under  their  pro- 
tection. Psa.  xci.  11, 12.  Gen.  xxviii. 
12.  They  are  the  agents  by  which 
God  often  expressed  his  will  to  men. 
Heb.  ii.  2.  Gal.  iii.  19.  They  are  rep- 
resented as  strengthening  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  ministering  unto  him. 
Thus  they  aided  him  in  the  wilder- 
ness (Mark  i.  13),  and  in  the  garden 
(Luke  xxii.  43),  and  they  were  present 
when  he  rose  from  the  dead.  Matt, 
xxviii.  2-4.  John  xx.  12, 13.  By  their 
ascending  and  descending  upon  him 
it  is  probable  that  he  meant  that  Na- 
thanael  would  have  evidence  tliat  they 
came  to  his  aid,  and  that  he  would 
have  the  kind  of  protection  and  assist- 
ance from  God  which  would  show 
more  fully  that  he  tuas  the  3fessiah.  Thus 
his  life,  his  many  deliverances  from 
dangers,  his  wisdom  to  confute  his 
skilled  and  cunning  adversaries,  the 
scenes  of  his  death,  and  the  attend- 
ance of  angels  at  his  resurrection, 
may  all  be  represented  by  the  angels 
descending  upon  him,  and  all  would 
show  to  Nathanael  and  the  other  dis- 
ciples most  clearly  that  he  was  the 
Son  of  God.  1[  The  Son  of  man.  A 
term  by  which  he  often  describes  him- 
self It  shows  his  humilitj^,  his  love 
for  man,  his  willingness  to  be  esteem- 
ed «.s  a  man.   Phil.  ii.  6,  7. 

From  this  interview  with  Nathanael 
we  may  learn,  1st.  That  Jesus  searches 
the  heart.  2d.  That  he  was  truly  the 
Messiah.  3d.  That  he  was  under  the 
protection  of  God.  4th.  That  if  we 
have  faith  in  Jesus,  it  will  be  contin- 
ually strengthened — the  evidence  will 
grow  brighter  and  brighter.  5th.  That 
if  we  believe  his  word^  we  shall  yet  see 
full  proof  that  his  word  is  true.  6th. 
As  Jesus  was  under  the  protection  of 
God,  so  will  all  his  friends  be.  God 
will  defend  and  save  us  also'  if  we  put 
our  trust  in  him.  7th.  Jesus  applied* 
to  himself  terms  expressive  of  humil- 
ity. He  was  not  solicitous  even  to  be 
called  by  titles  which  he  might  claim. 
So  we  should  not  be  ambitious  of  ti- 
tles and  honors.  Ministers  of  the  Gos- 
pel most  resemble  him  when  they  seek 


CHAPTER  II. 

AND  the  third  day  there  was 
a  marriage  in  Cana  ^  of  Gali- 

c  Josh.  19.28.  c.4.46. 


for  the  fewest  titles,  and  do  not  aim  at 
distinctions  from  each  other  or  their 
brethren.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  8. 

CHAPTER  II. 
1.  And  the  third  day.  On  the  third 
day  after  his  conversation  with  Na- 
thanael. IF  Cana.  This  was  a  small 
town  about  fifteen  miles  northwest 
of  Tiberias  and  six  miles  northeast  of 
Nazareth.  It  is  now  called  Kefr  Ken- 
na,  is  under  the  government  of  a  Turk- 
ish officer,  and  contains  perhaps  three 
hundred  inhabitants,  chiefly  Catho- 
lics. The  natives  still  pretend  to  show 
the  place  where  the  water  was  turned 
into  wine,  and  even  one  of  the  large 
stone  water-pots.  .  "A  Greek  church," 
says  Professor  Hackett  (Illustrations 
of  Scripture,  page. 322),  "  stands  at  the 
entrance  of  the  town,  deriving  its  spe- 
cial sanctity,  as  I  understood,  from  its 
being  supposed  to  occupy  the  site  of 
the  house  in  which  the  marriage  was 
celebrated  to  which  Jesus  and  his 
friends  were  invited.  A  priest  to 
whom  we  were  referred  as  the  custo- 
dian soon  arrived,  in  obedience  to  our 
call,  and  unlocked  the  doors  of  the 
church.  It  is  a  low  stone  building, 
wretchedly  neglected  and  out  of  re- 
pair." "  The  houses,"  saj^s  Dr.  Thom- 
son (The  Land  and  the  Book,  vol.  ii., 
p.  126),  "were  built  of  limestone,  cut 
and  laid  up  after  the  fashion  still  com- 
mon in  this  region,  and  some  of  them 
may  have  been  inhabited  within  the 
last  fifty  years.  There  are  many  an- 
cient cisterns  about  it,  and  fragments 
of  water-jars  in  abundance,  and  both 
reminded  us  of  the  'beginning  of  mir- 
acles.' Some  of  my  companions  gath- 
ered bits  of  these  water-jars  as  me- 
mentoes— witnesses  they  could  hardly 
be,  for  those  of  the  narrative  were  of 
stone^  while  these  were  baked  earth." 
The  place  is  now  quite  deserted.  Dr. 
Thomson  {ibid.)  says:  "There  is  not 
now  a  habitable  house  in  the  humble 
village  where  our  blessed  Lord  sanc- 
tioned, by  his  presence  and  miracu- 
lous assistance,  the  all-important  and 
world-wide  institution  of  marriage." 
The  cut  on  the  following  pao-e  is  by 
Laborde,  and  is  taken  from  Uhurton 
and  Jones.  It  was  called  Ca7ia  of  Gal- 


213 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


lee ;  and  the  mother  of  Jesus  was 
there : 

2  And  both  Jesus  was  called,  and 
his  disciples,  to  the  marriage.** 

3  And  *  when  they  wanted  wine, 


the  mother  of  Jesus  saith  unto 
him,  They  have  no  wine. 

4  Jesus  saith  unto  her.  Woman, 
what  have  I  to  do  with  thee  ? 
Mine  hour  is  not  yet  come. 

Ecc.lO.  19.    Isa.24, 11. 


OANA  OF  GALILEE. 


ilee  to  distinguish  it  from  another  Cana 
in  the  tribe  of  Ephraim.  Josh.  xvi.  9. 
This  was  the  native  place  of  Nathan- 
ael.  Johnxxi.  2.  ^  The  mother  of  Je- 
sus. Mary.  It  is  not  improbable  that 
she  was  a  relative  of  the  family  where 
the  marriage  took  place. 

2.  His  disciples.  Those  that  he  had 
made  when  in  Judea.  These  were  Pe- 
ter, Andrew,  Philip,  and  Nathanael. 
They  were  not  yet  called  to  be  apos- 
tles^ but  they  believed  that  he  was  the 
Messiah.  The  miracle  wrought  here 
was  doubtless  to  convince  them  more 
fully  that  he  was  the  Christ. 

3.  Wheji  they  wanted  toine.  A  mar- 
riage feast  among  ihe  Jews  was  com- 
monly observed  for  seven  or  eight 
days.  It  is  not  probable  that  there 
would  be  a  want  of  wine  at  the  mar- 
riage itself,  and  it  is  possible,  there- 
fore, that  Jesus  came  there  some  time 
during  the  marriage  feast.  TI  They 
have  no  wine.  It  is  not  known  why 
Mary  told  this  to  Jesus.  It  would 
seem  that  she  had  a  belief  that  he  was 
able  to  sui)i)ly  it,  though  he  had  as 
yet  worked  no  miracle. 


4.  Woman.  This  term,  as  used  here, 
seems  to  imply  reproof,  as  if  she  was 
interfering  in  that  which  did  not  prop- 
erly concern  her  ;  but  it  is  evident 
that  no  such  reproof  or  disrespect  was 
intended  by  the  use  of  the  term  wo'man 
instead  of  mother.  It  is  the  same  term 
by  which  he  tenderly  addressed  Mary 
Magdalene  after  liis  resurrection  (ch. 
XX.  15),  and  his  mother  when  he  was 
on  the  cross.  Chap.  xix.  26.  Compare, 
also,  Matt.  xv.  28.  John  iv.  21.  1  Cor. 
vii.  16.  ^  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee? 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  29.  This  ex- 
pression is  sometimes  used  to  denote 
indignation  or  contempt.  See  Judges 
xi.  12.  2  Sam.  xvi.  10.  1  Kings  xvii. 
18.  But  it  is  not  probable  that  it  de- 
noted either  in  this  place ;  if  it  did, 
it  was  a  mild  reproof  of  Mary  for  at- 
tempting to  control  or  direct  him  in 
his  power  of  working  miracles.  Most 
of  the  ancients  supposed  this  to  be 
the  intention  of  Jesus.  The  words 
sound  to  us  harsh,  but  they  might 
liave  been  spoken  in  a  tender  manner, 
and  not  have  been  intended  as  a  re- 
proof.   It  is  clear  that  he  did  not  in- 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


213 


5  His  mother  saith  unto  the  serv- 
ants, Whatsoever  he  saith  unto 
you,  do  it. 

6  And  there  were  set  there  six 
water-pots  of  stone,  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  purifying  of  the  Jews, 
containing  two  or  three  firkins 
apiece. 

a  Lu.  5.  5, 6. 


tend  to  refuse  to  provide  wine,  but 
only  to  delay  it  a  little ;  and  the  de- 
sign was,  therefore,  to  compose  the 
anxiety  of  Mary,  and  to  prevent  her 
heing  solicitous  about  it.  It  may, 
then,  be  thus  expressed:  "My  moth- 
er, be  not  anxious.  To  you  and  to 
me  this  should  not  be  a  matter  of  so- 
hcitude.  The  proper  time  of  my  in- 
terfering has  not  yet  come.  When 
that  is  come,  I  will  furnish  a  supply, 
and  in  the  mean  time  neither  jou  nor 
I  should  be  solicitous."  Thus  under- 
stood, it  is  so  far  from  being  a  harsh 
reproof  that  it  was  a  mild  exhortation 
for  her  to  dismiss  her  fears  and  to  put 
proper  trust  in  him.  H  Mine  hoiir^ 
etc.  My  time.  The  proper  time  for  my 
interposing.  Perhaps  the  wine  was  not 
yet  entirely  exhausted.  The  wine  had 
begun  to  fail,  but  he  would  not  work 
a  miracle  until  it  was  entirely  gone, 
that  the  miracle  might  be  free  from 
all  possibility  of  suspicion.  It  does 
not  mean  that  the  proper  time  for  his 
working  a  miracle,  or  entering  on  his 
public  work,  had  not  come,  but  that 
the  proper  time  for  his  interposing 
there  had  not  arrived. 

5.  His  mother  saith ^  etc.  It  is  evi- 
dent from  this  verse  that  his  mother 
did  not  understand  what  he  had  said 
as  a  harsh  reproof  and  repulse,  but  as 
an  indication  of  his  willingness  at  the 
proper  time  to  furnish  wine.  In  all 
this  transaction  he  evinced  the  ap- 
propriate feelings  of  a  son  toward  a 
mother. 

6.  Six  water-pots  of  stone.  Made  of 
stone ;  or,  as  we  should  say,  stone- 
ware. H  After  the  manner.  After  the 
usual  custom.  1  Of  the  piirifyi7ig. 
Of  the  ivashings  or  ablutions  of  the 
Jews.  They  were  for  the  purpose  of 
washing  the  hands  before  and  after 
eating  (Matt.  xv.  2),  and  for  the  for- 
mal washing'of  vessels,  and  even  ar- 
ticles of  furniture,  Luke  xi.  39.  Mark 
vii.  3,  4.  Two  or  tliree  jirkiiis.  It  is 
not  quite  certain  what  is  meant  here 


7  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  Fill  the 
water-pots  with  water.  And  they 
filled  them  up  to  the  brim. 

8  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Draw 
^  out  now  and  bear  unto  the  gov- 
ernor ^  of  the  feast.  And  they  bare 
it. 

9  When  the  ruler  of  the  feast 

6ECC.9.  7.  c  Rom.  13.  7. 


by  the  word  firkhis.  It  is  probable 
that  the  measure  intended  is  the  He- 
brew hath^  containing  about  seven  gal- 
lons and  a  half. 

7.  With  water.  This  was  done  by 
the  servants  employed  at  the  feast. 
It  was  done  by  them^  so  that  there 
might  be  no  opportunity  of  saying 
that  the  disciples  of  Jesus  had  filled 
them  with  wine  to  produce  the  ap- 
pearance  of  a  miracle.  In  this  case 
there  could  be  no  deception.  The 
quantity  was  very  considerable.  The 
servants  would  know  whether  the 
wine  or  water  had  been  put  in  these 
vessels.  It  could  not  be  believed  that 
they  had  either  the  power  or  the  dis- 
position to  impose  on  others  in  this 
manner,  and  the  way  was  therefore 
clear  for  the  proof  that  Jesus  had  real- 
ly changed  what  was  known  to  be 
water  into  wine.  To  the  hrim.  To 
the  top.  So  full  that  no  wine  could 
be  poured  i7i  to  give  the  appearance 
of  a  mixture.  Farther,  vessels  were 
used  for  this  miracle  in  which  wine 
had  not  been  kept.  These  pots  were 
never  used  to  put  wine  in,  but  simi^ly 
to  keep  water  in  foj^ie  various  pur- 
poses of  ablutioi^Hlbk  large  number 
was  used  on  this^iccasion,  because 
there  were  many  guests. 

8.  Draw  out  now.  This  command 
was  given  to  the  servants.  It  showed 
that'the  miracle  had  been  immediately 
wrought.  As  soon  as  they  were  filled 
the  servants  were  directed  to  take  to 
the  governor  of  the  feast.  J esus  made 
no  parade  about  it,  and  it  does  not 
even  appear  that  he  apiDroached  the 
water-pots.  He  willed  it,  and  it  was 
done.  This  was  a  clear  exertion  of 
divine  power,  and  made  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  its  re- 
ality. ^  The  governor.  One  who  j)re- 
sided  on  the  occasion.  The  one  who 
stood  at  the  head  or  upper  end  of  the 
table.  He  had  the  charge  of  the  en- 
tertainment, provided  the  food,  gave 
directions  to  the  servants,  etc. 


214 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


had  tasted  the  water  that  was 
made  wine,  and  knew  not  whence 
it  was  (but  the  servants  which 
drew  the  water  knew),  the  gov- 
ernor of  the.  feast  called  the  bride- 
groom, 

a  Psa.  119.100.  c.7.17. 


9.  A7id  knew  not  whence  it  was.  This 
is  said,  probably,  to  indicate  that  his 
judgment  was  not  biased  by  any  fa- 
vor, or  any  2va7it  of  favor,  toward  Je- 
sus. Had  he  known  what  was  done, 
he  would  have  been  less  likely  to  have 
judged  impartially.  As  it  is,  we  have 
his  testimony  that  this  was  7ral  wine, 
and  of  so  fine  a  body  and  flavor  as  to 
surpass  that  which  had  been  provi- 
ded for  the  occasion.  Every  thing  in 
this  miracle  shows  that  there  was  no 
collusion  or  understanding  between 
Jesus  and  any  of  the  i^ersons  at  the 
feast. 

10.  Every  man.  It  is  customary,  or 
it  is  generally  done.  H  When  men  have 
well  drunk.  This  word  does  not  of  ne- 
cessity mean  that  they  were  intoxicated^ 
though  it  is  usually  employed  in  that 
sense.  It  may  mean  when  they  have 
drunk  sufficient,  or  to  satiety;  or 
have  drunk  so  much  as  to  produce 
hilarity,  and  to  destroy  the  keenness 
of  their  taste,  so  that  they  could  not 
readily  distinguish  the  good  from  that 
which  was  worse.  But  this  can  not 
be  adduced  in  favor  of  drunkenness, 
even  if  it  means  to  be  intoxicated; 
for,  1st.  It  is  not  said  of  those  who 
were  present  at  tJiatfead^  but  of  what 
generally  occurred.  For  any  thing  that 
appears,  at  tha<l^|tt6t  all  were  perfect- 
ly temperate  ancpfcber.  2d.  It  is  not 
the  saying  of  Jesus  that  is  here  re- 
corded, but  of  the  governor  of  the 
feast,  who  is  declaring  what  usually 
occurred  as  a  fact.  3d.  There  is  not 
any  expression  of  opinion  in  regard  to 
its  propriety^  or  in  approval  of  it,  even 
by  that  governor.  4th.  It  does  not  ap- 
pear that  our  Saviour  even  heaixl  the 
observation.  5th.  Still  less  is  there 
any  evidence  that  he  approved  such  a 
state  of  things,  or  that  he  designed  that 
it  should  take  place  here.  Farther,  the 
word  translated  "  well  drunk"  can  not 
be  shown  to  mean  intoxication;  but 
it  may  mean  when  they  had  drunk  as 
much  as  they  judged  proper  or  as  they 
desired,  then  the  otlier  was  presented. 
It  is  clear  that  neither  our  Saviour, 
nor  the  sacred  writer,  nor  tlie  speak- 


10  And  saith  unto  him,  Every 
man  at  the  beginning  doth  set 
forth  good  wine ;  and  when  men 
have  well  drunk,  then  that  which 
is  worse ;  l)ut  thou  hast  kept  the 
good  *  wine  until  now. 

6  Psa.  104. 15.    Prov.9.  2,5. 

er  here  expresses  any  approbation  of 
intemperance,  nor  is  there  the  least 
evidence  that  any  thing  of  the  kind 
occurred  here.  It  is  not  proof  that 
we  approve  of  intemperance  when  we 
mention,  as  this  man  did,  what  occurs 
usuall}'^  among  men  at  feasts.  TI  Is 
worse.  Is  of  an  inferior  quality.  \  The 
good  wine.  This  shows  that  this  had 
all  the  qualities  of  real  wine.  We 
should  not  be  deceived  by  the  phrase 
' ' good  ivine. ' '  We  often  use  the  phrase 
to  denote  that  it  is  good  in  proportion 
to  its  strength  and  its  power  to  intox- 
icate; but  no  such  s.ense  is  to  be  at- 
tached to  the  word  here.  Pliny,  Plu- 
tarch, and  Horace  describe  wine  as 
good^  or  mention  that  as  the  best  wine^ 
Which  was  harmless  or  i7inocent — pocu- 
lo  villi  innocentis.  The  most  useful 
wine  —  utilissimum  vinum  —  was  that 
which  had  little  strength ;  ilnd  the 
most  wholesome  wine — saluberrimum 
vinum — was  that  which  had  not  been 
adulterated  by  "  the  addition  of  any 
thing  to  the  must  or  juice."  Pliny  ex- 
pressly says  that  a  "good  wine"  Avas 
one  that  was  destitute  of  spirit. — Lib. 
iv.,  c.  13.  It  should  not  be  assumed, 
therefore,  that  the  "good  wine"  was 
stronger  than  the  other :  it  is  rather 
to  be  presumed  that  it  was  milder. 
The  wine  referred  to  here  was  doubt- 
less such  as  was  commonly  drunk  in 
Palestine.  That  was  the  pure  juice 
of  the  grape.  It  was  not  brandied 
wine,  nor  drugged  wine,  nor  wine 
compounded  of  various  substances, 
such  as  we  drink  in  this  land.  The 
common  wine  drunk  in  Palestine  was 
that  which  was  the  simple  juice  of 
the  grape.  We  use  the  word  wine  now 
to  denote  the  kind  of  liquid  which 
passes  under  that  name  in  this  coun- 
try— always  containing  a  considerable 
portion  of  alcohol — not  only  the  al- 
cohol produced  by  fermentation,  but 
alcohol  added  to  keep  it  or  make  it 
stronger.  But  we  have  no  right  to 
take  that  sense  of  the  word,  and  go 
with  it  to  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures.  We  should  endeavor  to 
place  ourselves  in  the  exact  circum- 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


215 


11  This  beginning  of  miracles 
did  Jesus  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  and 

a  c.  1.14. 


stances  of  those  times,  ascertain  pre- 
cisely what  idea  the  word  would  con- 
vey to  those  who  used  it  then,  and 
apply  that  sense  to  the  word  in  the 
interpretation  of  the  Bible ;  and  there 
is  not  the  slightest  evidence  that  the 
word  so  used  would  have  conveyed 
any  idea  but  that  of  the  pure  juice  of 
the  grape,  nor  the  slightest  circum- 
stance mentioned  in  this  account  that 
would  not  be  fully  met  by  such  a  sup- 
position. No  man  should  adduce  this 
instance  in  favor  of  drinking  wine 
unless  he  can  prove  that  the  wine 
made  in  the  "water-pots"  of  Cana  was 
just  like  the  wine  which  he  proposes 
to  drink.  The  Saviour's  example  may 
be  always  pleaded  just  as  it  was  ;  but 
it  is  a  matter  of  obvious  and  simple 
justice  that  we  should  find  out  exact- 
ly what  the  example  was  before  we 
plead  it.  There  is,  moreover,  no  evi- 
dence that  any  other  part  of  the  wa- 
ter was  converted  into  wine  than  that 
which  was  drawn  out  of  the  water- 
casks  for  the  use  of  the  guests.  On 
this  supposition,  certainly,  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case  are  met,  and 
the  miracle  would  be  more  striking. 
All  that  was  needed  was  to  furnish  a 
supply  when  the  wine  that  had  been 
prepared  was  nearly  exhausted.  The 
object  was  not  to  furnish  a  large  quan- 
tity for  future  use.  The  miracle,  too, 
would  in  this  way  be  more  apparent 
and  impressive.  On  this  supposition, 
the  casks  would  appear  to  be  filled 
with  water  only  ;  as  it  was  drawn  out, 
it  was  pure  wine.  Who  could  doubt, 
then,  that  there  was  the  exertion  of 
miraculous  power  ?  All,  therefore, 
that  has  been  said  about  the  Redeem- 
er s  furnishing  a  large  quantity  of 
wine  for  the  newly-married  pair,  and 
about  his  benevolence  in  doing  it,  is 
wholly  gratuitous.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence of  it  whatever;  and  it  is  not 
necessary  to  sui^posc  it  in  order  to  an 
explanation  of  the  circumstances  of 
the  case. 

11.  This  beginning  of  miracles.  This 
his  first 'public  miracle.  This  is  de- 
clared by  the  sacred  writer  to  be  a 
miracle — that  is,  an  exertion  of  divine 
power,  producing  a  change  of  the  sub- 
stance of  water  into  wine,  which  no 
human  power  could  do.  ^  Manifested 
forth.    Showed ;  exhibited.    1[  His 


manifested  "  forth  his  glory ;  and 
his  disciples  believed  *  on  him. 

b  1  Jno.5. 13. 


glory.  His  power,  and  proper  char- 
acter as  the  Messiah ;  showed  that  he 
had  divine  power,  and  that  God  had 
certainly  commissioned  him.  This  is 
shown  to  be  a  real  miracle  by  the  fol- 
lowing considerations  :  1st.  Real  wa- 
ter was  placed  in  the  vessels.  This 
the  servants  believed,  and  th.ere  was 
no  possibility  of  deception.  2d.  The 
water  was  placed  where  it  was  not 
customary  to  keep  wine.  It  could  not 
be  pretended  that  it  was  merely  a  mix- 
ture of  water  and  wine.  3d.  It  was 
judged  to  be  wine  without  knowing 
whence  it  came.  There  was  no  agree- 
ment between  Jesus  and  the  governor 
of  the  feast  to  impose  on  the  guests. 
4th.  It  was  a  change  which  nothing 
but  divine  x>C)wer  could  effect.  He 
that  can  change  loater  into  a  substance 
like  the  juice  of  the  grape  must  be 
clothed  with  divine  power.  T|  Believed 
on  him.  This  does  not  mean  that 
they  did  not  before  believe  on  him, 
but  that  their  faith  was  confirmed  or 
strengthened.  They  saw  a  miracle, 
and  it  satisfied  them  that  he  was  the 
Messiah.  Before  this  they  believed  on 
the  testimony  of  John,  and  from  con- 
versation with  Jesus  (chap.  i.  35-51) ; 
now  they  saw  that  he  was  invested 
with  almighty  power,  and  their  faith 
was  established. 

From  this  narrative  we  may  learn, 
1st.  That  marriage  is  honorable,  and 
that  Jesus,  if  sought,  will  not  refuse 
his  presence  and  blessing  on  such  an 
occasion.  2d.  On  such  an  occasion  the 
presence  and  apj)robation  of  Christ 
should  be  sought.  No  compact  "form- 
ed on  earth  is  more  important ;  none 
enters  so  deeply  into  our  comfort  in 
this  world ;  perhaps  none  will  so  much 
affect  our  destiny  in  the  world  to  come. 
It  should  be  entered  into,  then,  in  the 
fear  of  God.  3d.  On  all  such  occasions 
our  conduct  should  be  such  that  the 
presence  of  Jesus  would  be  no  inter- 
ruption or  disturbance.  He  is  holy. 
He  is  always  present  in  every  place ; 
and  on  all  festival  occasions  our  de- 
portment should  be  such  as  that  we 
should  welcome  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  That  is  not  a  prop- 
er state  of  feeling  or  emj^loymeyit  which 
would  be  interrupted  by  the  presence  of 
the  Saviour.  4th.  Jesus  delighted  to 
do  good.    In  the  very  beginning  of 


216 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


12  After  this  he  went  down  to 
Capernaum,  he,  and  his  mother, 
and  his  brethren,  and  his  disci- 
ples ;  and  they  continued  there 
not  many  days. 

aEx.  12. 14.  6ver.23.  c.  5. 1 ;  6. 4  ;  11.  55. 


his  ministry  he  worked  a  miracle  to 
show  his  benevolence.  This  was  the 
appropriate  commencement  of  a  life 
in  which  he  was  to  go  about  doing 
good.  He  seized  every  opportunity 
of  doing  it ;  and  at  a  marriage  feast, 
as  well  as  among  the  sick  and  poor, 
he  showed  the  character  wliicli  he  al- 
ways sustained — that  of  a  benefactor 
of  mankind.  5th.  An  argument  ca7i 
not  be  drawn  from  this  instance  in  fa- 
vor of  intemperate  drinking.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  any  who  were 
present  on  that  occasion  drank  too 
freely.  6th.  Nor  can  an  argument  be 
drawn  from  this  case  in  favor  even  of 
drinking  wine  such  as  we  have.  The 
common  wine  of  Judea  was  the  pure 
juice  of  the  grape,  witliout  any  mix- 
ture of  alcohol,  and  was  harmless.  It 
was  the  common  drink  of  the  people, 
and  did  not  tend  to  produce  intoxica- 
tion. Our  wines  are  a  mixture  of  the 
juice  of  the  grape  and  of  brandy,  and 
often  of  infusions  of  various  sub- 
stances to  give  it  color  and  taste,  and 
the  appearance  of  wine.  Those  wines 
are  little  less  injurious  than  brandy, 
and  the  habit  of  drinking  them  should 
be  classed  with  the  drinking  of  all  oth- 
er liquid  fires. 

The  following  table  will  show  the 
danger  of  drinking  the  wines  that  are 
in  common  use : 


Brandy  has  fifty-three  parts  and 
39  hundredths  in  a  hundred  of 


Port  Wine,  highest  kind. . 

,  25.83 

lowest  " 

..21.40 

Madeira,  highest        "  . . 

lowest         "  . . 

.,10.34 

i( 

(C 

17.26 

White  "   

11.30 

CI 

12.80 

20.25 

Ik 

It  follows  that  a  man  who  drinks 
two  glasses  of  most  of  the  wines  used 
has  taken  as  much  alcohol  as  if  he  had 
taken  one  glass  of  brandy  or  whisky, 
and  why  should  he  not  as  well  drink 
the  alcohol  in  the  brandy  as  iu  the 


13  And  the  Jews'  passover was 
at  hand,  and  Jesus  *  went  up  to 
Jerusalem, 

14  And  found  in  the  temple 
those  that  sold  oxen,  and  sheep, 

c  Matt.  21. 12.  Mar.  11. 15.  Lu.  19. 45. 


wine  ?  What  difference  can  it  make 
in  morals  ?  what  difference  in  its  ef- 
fects on  his  system  ?  The  experience 
of  the  world  has  shoAvn  that  water, 
pure  water,  is  the  most  wholesome, 
safe,  and  invigorating  drink  for  man. 

12.  To  Capernaum.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iv.  13.  T[  Not  many  days.  The 
reason  why  he  remained  there  no 
longer  was  that  the  Passover  was 
near,  and  they  went  up  to  Jerusalem 
to  attend  it. 

13.  The  Jews^  Passover.  The  feast 
among  the  Jews  called  the  Passover. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  2-17.  ^  And 
Jesus  went  up  to  Jerusalem.  Every  male 
among  the  Jews  was  required  to  ap- 
pear at  this  feast.  J esus,  in  obedience 
to  the  law,  went  up  to  observe  it. 
This  is  the  j^r6^  Passover  on  which  he 
attended  after  he  entered  on  the  work 
of  the  ministry.  It  is  commonly  sup- 
posed that  he  observed  three  others — 
one  recorded  Luke  vi.  1,  another  John 
vi.  4,  and  the  last  one  on  the  night  be- 
fore he  was  crucified.  John  xi.  55.  As 
his  baptism  when  he  entered  on  his 
ministry  had  taken  place  some  time 
before  this — probably  not  far  from  six 
months — it  follows  that  the  period  of 
his  ministry  was  not  far  from  three 
years  and  a  half,  agreeably  to  the 
prophecy  in  Dan.  ix.  27. 

14.  Found  in  the  Temple^  etc.  The 
transaction  here  recorded  is  in  almost 
all  respects  similar  to  that  which  has 
been  explained  in  the  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxi.  12.  This  took  place  at  the  com- 
me7icement  of  his  public  ministry ;  that 
at  the  close.  On  each  occasion  he  show- 
ed that  his  great  regard  was  for  the 
pare  worship  of  his  Father ;  and  one 
great  design  of  his  coming  was  to  re- 
form the  abuses  which  had  crept  into 
that  worship,  and  to  bring  man  to  a 
proper  regard  for  the  glory  of  God. 
If  it  be  asked  how  it  was  that  those 
engaged  in  this  traffic  so  readily  yield- 
ed to  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  that  they 
left  their  gains  and  their  property,  and 
fled  from  the  Temple  at  the  command 
of  one  so  obscure  as  he  was,  it  may  be 
replied,  1st.  That  their  consciences  re- 
proved them  for  their  impiety,  and 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


217 


and  doves,  and  the  changers  of 
money  sitting ; 

15  And  when  he  had  made  a 
scourge  of  small  cords,  he  drove 
them  all  out  of  the  temple,  and  the 
sheep,  and  the  oxen ;  and  poured 
out  the  changers'  money,  and  over- 
threw the  tables ; 


they  could  not  set  up  the  appearance 
of  self-defence.  2d.  It  was  customary 
in  the  nation  to  cherish  a  profound  re- 
gard for  the  authority  of  a  prophet ; 
and  the  appearance  and  manner  of 
Jesus — so  fearless,  so  decided,  so  au- 
thoritative— led  them  to  suppose  he 
was  a  prophet,  and  they  were  afraid 
to  resist  him.  3d.  He  had  even  then 
a  wide  reputation  among  the  people, 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  many 
supposed  him  to  be  the  Messiali.  4th. 
Jesus  on  all  occasions  had  a  most  won- 
derful control  over  men.  None  could 
resist  him.  There  was  something  in 
his  manner^  as  well  as  in  his  doctrine, 
that  awed  men,  and  made  them  trem- 
ble at  his  presence.  Compare  John 
xviii.  5,  6.  On  this  occasion  he  had 
the  ma^inev  of  a  prophet,  the  authori- 
ty of  God,  and  the  testimony  of  their 
own  consciences,  and  they  could  not, 
therefore,  resist  the  authority  by 
which  he  spoke. 

Though  Jesus  thus  purified  the 
Temple  at  the  commencement  of  his 
ministry,  yet  in  three  years  the  same 
scene  was  to  be  repeated.  See  Matt, 
xxi.  12.  And  from  this  we  may  learn, 
1st.  How  soon  men  forget  the  most 
solemn  reproofs,  and  return  to  evil 
practices.  2d.  That  no  sacredness  of 
time  or  place  will  guard  them  from 
sin.  In  the  very  Temple,  under  the 
very  eye  of  God,  these  men  soon  re- 
turned to  practices  for  which  their 
consciences  reproved  them,  and  which 
they  knew  God  disapproved.  3d.  We 
see  here  how  strong  is  the  love  of 
ffain — the  ruling  passion  of  mankind. 
Not  even  the  sacredness  of  the  Tem- 
ple, the  presence  of  God,  the  awful 
ceremonials  of  religion,  deterred  them 
from  this  unholy  traffic.  So  wicked 
men  and  hypocrites  will  always  turn 
religion^  if  possible,  into  gain ;  and  not 
even  the  sanctuary,  the  Sabbath,  or 
the  most  awful  and  sacred  scenes,  will 
deter  them  from  schemes  of  gain. 
Compare  Amos  viii.  5.  So  strong  is 
this  groveling  passion,  and  so  deep 
II.— K 


16  And  said  unto  them  that  sold 
doves,  Take  these  things  hence ; 
make  not  my  Father's  house  an 
house  of  merchandise. 

17  And  his  disciples  remembered 
that  it  was  written,  ^  The  zeal  of 
thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up. 

18  Then  answered  the  Jews  and 

a  Psa.  69.  9. 

is  that  depravity  which  fears  not  God, 
and  regards  not  his  Sabbaths,  his  sanc- 
tuary, or  his  law. 

15.  A  scourge.  A  whip.  T[  Of  small 
cords.  This  whip  was  made  as  an  em- 
blem of  authority,  and  also  for  the 
purpose  of  driving  from  the  Temple 
the  cattle  which  had  been  brought 
there  for  sale. .  There  is  no  evidence 
that  he  used  any  violence  to  the  men 
engaged  in  that  unhallowed  traffic. 
The  original  word  implies  that  these 
cords  were  made  of  twisted  rushes  or 
reeds — probably  the  ancient  material 
for  making  ropes. 

17.  It  was  written^  etc.  This  is  re- 
corded in  Psalm  Ixix.  9.  Its  meaning 
is,  that  he  was  affected  with  great  zeal 
or  concern  for  the  pure  worship  of 
God.  \  The  zeal  of  thine  house.  Zeal 
is  intense  ardor  in  reference  to  any 
object.  The  zeal  of  thine  house  means 
extraordinary  concern  for  the  temple 
of  God ;  intense  solicitude  that  the 
worship  there  should  be  pure,  and 
such  as  God  would  approve.  1[  Hath 
eaten  me  up.  Hath  absorbed  me,  or 
engaged  my  entire  attention  and  af- 
fection ;  hath  surpassed  all  other  feel- 
ings, so  that  it  may  be  said  to  be  the 
one  great  absorbing  affection  and  de- 
sire of  the  mind.  Here  is  an  example 
set  for  ministers  and  for  all  Christians. 
In  J esus  tills  was  the  great  command- 
ing sentiment  of  his  life.  In  us  it 
should  be  also.  In  this  manifestation 
of  zeal  he  began  and  ended  his  minis- 
try. In  this  we  should  begin  and  end 
our  lives.  We  learn,  also,  that  min- 
isters of  religion  should  aim  to  purify 
the  Church  of  God.  Wicked  men, 
conscience-smitten,  will  tremble  when 
they  see  proper  zeal  in  the  ministers 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  there  is  no  com- 
bination of  wicked  men,  and  no  form 
of  depravity,  that  can  stand  before 
the  faithful,  zealous,  pure  preaching 
of  the  Gospel.  The  nreaching  of  ev- 
ery minister  should  bemich  that  wick- 
ed men  will  feel  that  they  must  either 
become  Christians  or  leave  the  house 


218 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


said  unto  liim,  What  sign show- 
est  thou  unto  us,  seeing  that  thou 
doest  these  things  ? 
19  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 

a  Matt.  12. 38,  etc.   c.  6. 30. 


of  God,  or  spend  their  lives  there  in 
the  consciousness  of  guilt  and  the 
fear  of  hell. 

18.  What  sig7i^  etc.  What  miracle  dost 
thou  work?  He  assumed  the  charac- 
ter of  a  prophet.  He  was  reforming, 
by  his  authority,  the  Temple.  It  was 
natural  to  ask  by  what  authority  this 
was  done ;  and  as  they  had  been  ac- 
customed to  miracles  in  the  life  of  Mo- 
ses, and  Elijah,  and  the  other  proph- 
ets, so  they  demanded  evidence  that 
he  had  authority  thus  to  cleanse  the 
house  of  God.  ^  Seeing  that  thou  do- 
est. Rather  "  by  what  title  or  authority 
thou  doest  these  things."  Our  trans- 
lation is  ambiguous.  They  wished  to 
know  by  what  miracle  he  had  shown, 
or  could  show,  his  right  to  do  those 
things. 

19.  Destroy  this  temple.  The  evan- 
gelist informs  us  (verse  21)  that  by 
temple^  here,  he  meant  his  body.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  he  pointed  with 
his  linger  to  his  body  as  he  spoke. 
The  word  destroy^  used  here  in  the  im- 
perative^ has  rather  the  force  of  the 
future.  Its  meaning  may  thus  be  ex- 
pressed: "You  are  now  profaners  of 
the  Temple  of  God.  You  have  de- 
filed the  sanctuary ;  you  have  made 
it  a  place  of  traffic.  You  have  also 
despised  my  authority,  and  been  un- 
moved by  the  miracles  which  I  have 
already  wrought.  But  your  wicked- 
ness will  not  end  here.  You  will  op- 
pose me  more  and  more ;  you  will 
reject  and  despise  me,  until  in  your 
wickedness  you  will  take  my  life  and 
destroy  my  body."  Here  was  there- 
fore a  distinct  prediction  both  of  his 
death  and  the  cause  of  it.  The  word 
temple^  or  dwelling^  was  not  unfrequent- 
ly  used  by  the  J ews  to  denote  the  body 
as  being  the  residence  of  the  spirit. 
2  Cor.  V.  1.  Christians  arc  not  unfre- 
quently  called  the  temple  of  God,  as 
being  those  in  whom  the  Holy  Spirit 
dwells  on  earth.  1  Cor.  iii.  16, 17;  vi. 
19.  2  Cor.  vi.  16.  Our  Saviour  called 
his  body  a  temple  in  accordance  with 
the  common  use  of  language,  and 
more  particularly  because  m  him  the 
fullness  of  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily. 
Col.  ii.  9.    The  Temple  at  Jerusalem 


them,  Destroy  ^  this  temple,  and  in 
three  days  I  will  raise  it  up. 

20  Then  said  the  Jews,  Forty 
and  six  years  was  this  temple  in 

h  Matt.  26. 61  ;  27.40. 


was  the  appropriate  dwelling-place  of 
God.  His  visible  presence  was  there 
peculiarly  manifested.  2  Chron. 
xxxvi.  15.  Psa.  Ixxvi.  2.  As  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  divine — as  the  fullness  of 
the  Godhead  dwelt  in  him — so  his 
body  might  be  called  a  temple.  1[  In 
three  days  I  will  j^aise  it  up.  The  Jews 
had  asked  amimde  of  him  in  proof  of 
his  authoritj^ — that  is,  a  proof  that  ho 
was  the  Messiah.  He  tells  them  that  a 
full  and  decided  proof  of  that  would  be 
his  resiirrection  from  the  dead.  Though 
they  would  not  be  satisfied  by  any 
other  miracle,  yet  by  this  they  ought 
to  be  convinced  that  he  came  from 
heaven,  and  was  the  long-expected 
Messiah.  To  the  same  evidence  that 
he  was  the  Christ  he  refers  them  on 
other  occasions.  See  Matt.  xii.  38,  39. 
Thus  early  did  he  foretell  his  death 
and  resurrection,  for  at  the  beginning 
of  his  work  he  had  a  clear  foresight 
of  all  that  was  to  take  place.  Thir, 
knowledge  shows  clearly  that  he  came 
from  heaven,  and  it  evinces,  also,  the 
extent  of  his  love — that  he  was  willing 
to  come  to  save  us,  knowing  clearly 
what  it  would  cost  him.  Had  he  come 
tvithout  such  an  expectation  of  suflfer- 
ing,  his  love  might  have  been  far  less ; 
but  when  he  fully  knew  all  that  was 
before  him,  when  he  saw  that  it  Avould 
involve  him  in  contempt  and  death, 
it  shows  compassion  "  worthy  of  a 
God"  that  he  was  willing  to.  endure 
the  load  of  all  our  sorrows,  and  die  to 
save  us  from  death  everlasting.  When 
Jesus  says  will  raise  it  up,"  it  is 
proof,  also,  of  divine  power.  A  mere 
man  could  not  say  this.  No  deceased 
7na7i  can  have  such  power  over  his 
body ;  and  there  must  have  been, 
therefore,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  a 
nature  superior  to  human  to  which 
the  term  "I"  could  be  applied,  and 
which  had  power  to  raise  the  dead — 
that  is,  which  was  divine. 

20.  Then  said  the  Jews^  etc.  The 
Jews,  either  from  the  ambiguity  of 
his  language,  or  more  probably  from 
a  design  to  cavil,  understood  him  as 
speaking  of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem. 
What  he  said  here  is  all  the  evidence 
that  they  could  adduce  on  his  trial 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  II. 


219 


building,  and  wilt  thou  rear  it  up 
in  three  days  ? 

21  But  he  spake  of  the  temple  ^ 
of  his  body. 

a  Eph.2.  21,22.    Col.  2.  9.  Heb.8.2. 

(Matt.  xxvi.  61.  Mark  xiv.  58),  and 
they  reproached  him  with  it  when  on 
the  cross.  Matt,  xxvii.  40.  The  Jews 
frequently  perverted  our  Saviour's 
meaning.  The  language  which  he 
used  was  often  that  of  parables  or 
metaphor ;  and  as  they  sought  to  mis- 
understand him  and  pervert  his  lan- 
guage, so  lie  often  left  them  to  their 
own  delusions,  as  he  himself  says, 
"that  seeing  they  might  not  see,  and 
hearing  they  might  not  understand." 
Matt.  xiii.  13.  This  was  a  case  whicli 
they  mighty  if  they  had  been  disposed, 
have  easily  understood.  They  were 
in  the  Temple ;  the  conversation  was 
about  the  Temple ;  and  though  he 
probably  pointed  to  his  body,  or  des- 
ignated it  in  some  plain  way,  yet  they 
chose  to  understand  him  as  referring 
to  the  Temple  itself;  and  as  it  ap- 
peared so  improbable  that  he  could 
raise  up  that  in  three  days,  they  sought 
to  pervert  his  words  and  pour  ridicule 
on  his  pretensions.  If  Forty  mid  six 
years,  etc.  The  Temple  in  which  they 
then  were  was  that  which  was  com- 
monly called  the  second  Temple,  built 
after  the  return  of  the  Jews  from 
Babylon.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  12. 
This  Temple  Herod  the  Great  com- 
menced repairing,  or  began  to  re- 
build, in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his 
reign — that  is,  sixteen  years  before  the 
birth  of  Christ.  Jos. ,  A7it. ,  b.  xv. ,  §  1. 
The  main  body  of  the  Temple  he  com- 
pleted in  nine  years  and  a  half  (Jos., 
Ant. ,  XV. ,  5, 6),  yet  the  Temple,  with  its 
outbuildings,  was  not  entirely  com- 
plete in  the  time  of  our  Savioui*. 
Herod  continued  to  ornament  it  and 
to  perfect  it  even  till  the  time  of 
Agrippa.  Jos.,  Ant.,  b.  xx.,  ch.  viii., 
§  11.  As  Herod  began  to  rebuild  the 
Temple  sixte^  years  before  the  birth 
of  Jesus,  and  as  what  is  here  men- 
tioned happened  in  the  thirtieth  year 
of  the  age  of  Jesus,  so  the  time  which 
had  been  occupied  in  it  was  forty-six 
years.  This  circumstance  is  one  of 
the  many  in  the  New  Testament  which 
show  the  accuracy  of  the  evangelists, 
and  which  prove  that  they  were  well 
acquainted  with  what  they  recorded. 
It  demonsti^tes  that  their  narration 


22  When,  therefore,  he^was  risen 
from  the  dead,  his  disciples  re- 
membered ^  that  he  had  said  this 
unto  them ;  and  they  believed  the 

b  Lu.  24. 8. 


is  true.  Impostors  do  not  trouble 
themselves  to  be  very  accurate  about 
names  and  dates,  and  there  is  nothing 
in  which  they  are  more  liable  to  make 
mistakes.  H  Wilt  thou,  etc.  This  is 
an  expression  of  contempt.  Herod, 
with  all  his  wealth  and  power,  had 
been  engaged  in  this  work  almost 
half  a  century.  Can  you,  an  obscure 
and  unknown  Galilean,  accomplish  it 
in  three  days  ?  The  thing,  in  their 
judgment,  was  ridiculous,  and  show- 
ed, as  they  supposed,  that  he  had  no 
authority  to  do  what  he  had  done  in 
the  Temple. 

22.  When  he  was  risen  from  the  dead, 
etc.  This  saying  of  our  Saviour  at 
that  time  seemed  obscure  and  diffi- 
cult. The  disciples  did  not  under- 
stand it,  but  they  treasured  it  up  in 
their  memory,  and  the  event  showed 
wkat  was  its  true  meaning.  Many 
prophecies  are  obscure  when  spoken 
which  are  perfectly  plain  when  the 
event  takes  place.  We  learn  from 
this,  also,  the  importance  of  treas- 
uring up  the  truths  of  the  Bible  7ioiv, 
though  we  may  not  perfectly  under- 
stand them.  Hereafter  they  may  be 
plain  to  us.  It  is  therefore  important 
that  children  should  learn  the  truths 
of  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Treasured 
up  in  their  memory,  they  may  not  be 
understood  now,  but  hereafter  they 
may  be  clear  to  them.  Every  one  en- 
gaged in  teaching  a  Sunday-school, 
therefore,  may  be  imparting  instruc- 
tion which  may  be  imderstood,  and 
may  impart  comfort,  long  after  the 
teacher  has  gone  to  eternity.  H  They 
believed.  That  is,  after  he  rose  from 
the  dead.  T[  The  Scripture.  The  Old 
Testament,  which  predicted  his  resur- 
rection. Reference  here  must  be  made 
to  Psa.  xvi.  10.  Compare  Acts  ii.  27- 
32 ;  xiii.  35-37.  Psa.  ii.  7.  Compare 
Acts  xiii.  33.  They  understood  those 
scriptures  in  a  sense  different  from 
what  they  did  before.  T[  The  word 
which  Jesus  had  said.  The  prediction 
which  he  had  made  respecting  his 
resurrection  in  this  place  and  on  oth- 
er occasions.  See  Matt.  xx.  19.  Luke 
xviii.  32,  33. 

23.  Feast  day.    Feast.    During  the 


220 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


scripture,«aiid  the  word  which  Je- 
sus had  said. 

23  Now  when  he  was  in  Jerusa- 
lem, at  the  passover,  in  the  feast 
day^  many  believed  in  his  name 
when  they  saw  the  miracles  which 
he  did. 

24  But  Jesus  did  not  commit 
himself  unto  them,  because  he"* 
knew  all  men^ 

a  1  Sam.  16.  7.  1  Chron.  28.  9  ;  29. 17.  Jer.  17. 9, 10. 
Matt.  9.  4.  c.  16.30.  Acts  1.24.   Rev.  2.  23. 


celebration  of  the  Passover,  which 
continued  eight  days.  ^  Ifirades 
which  he  dicL  Tliese  miracles  are  not 
particuhirly  recorded.  Jesus  took  oc- 
casion to  work  miracles,  and  to  preach 
at  that  time,  for  a  great  multitude 
were  present  from  all  parts  of  Judea. 
It  was  a  favorable  opportunity  for 
making  known  his  doctrines  and 
showing  the  evidence  that  he  was 
the  Christ,  and  he  embraced  it.  We 
should  always  seek  and  embrace  op- 
portunities of  doing  good,  and  we 
should  not  be  deterred^  but  rather  qx- 
cited^  by  the  multitude  around  us  to 
make  known  our  real  sentiments  on 
the  subject  of  religion. 

24.  Did  not  commit  liimself.  The  word 
translated  commit  here  is  the  same 
which  in  verse  23  is  translated  believed. 
It  means  to  put  trust  or  co7}jidence  in, 
Jesus  did  not  put  triist  or  reliance  in 
them.  He  did  not  leave  himself  in 
their  hands.  He  acted  cautiously  and 
prudently.  The  proper  time  for  him 
to  die  had  not  come,  and  he  secured 
his  own  safety.  The  reason  why  he 
did  not  commit  himself  to  them  is 
that  he  knew  all  men.  He  knew  the 
inconstancy  and  fickleness  of  the  multi- 
tude. He  knew  how  easily  they  might 
be  turned  against  him  by  the  Jewish 
leaders,  and  how  unsafe  he  would  be 
if  they  should  be  moved  to  sedition 
and  tumult. 

25.  Should  testify  of  man.  Should 
give  him  the  character  of  any  man. 
1  He  knew  what  was  in  man.  This  he 
did  because  he  had  made  all  (chap.  i. 
3),  and  because  he  was  God  (chap.  i. 
1).  There  can  be  no  higher  evidence 
than  this  that  he  was  omniscient,  and 
was  therefore  divine.  To  search  the 
heart  is  the  prerogative  of  God  alone 
(Jer.  xvii.  10) ;  and  as  Jesus  knew  what 
was  in  these  disciples^  and  as  it  is  ex- 
pressly said  that  he  knew  what  was  in 


25  And  needed  not  that  any 
should  testify  of  man ;  for  he  knew 
what  was  in  man. 

CHAPTER  III. 

THERE  was  a  man  of  the  Phar- 
isees, named  Nicodemus,  *  a 
ruler  of  the  Jews : 

2  The  same  came  to  Jesus  by 
night,  and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi, 

J  c.  7. 50, 51.  c.19.39. 


ma7i — that  is,  in  all  men — so  it  follows 
that  he  must  be  equal  with  God.  As 
he  knows  all^  he  is  acquainted  with 
the  false  pretensions  and  professions 
of  hypocrites.  None  can  deceive  him. 
He  also  knows  the  wants  and  desires 
of  all  his  real  friends.  He  hears  their 
groans,  he  sees  their  sighs,  he  counts 
their  tears,  and  in  the  day  of  need  will 
come  to  their  relief. 

CHAPTER  III. 

1.  A  man  of  the  Pharisees.  A  Phari- 
see. See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  7.  *[[  Mco- 
demus^ a  rider  of  the  Jews.  One  of  the 
Sa7ihedrim^  or  great  council  of  the  na- 
tion. He  is  twice  mentioned  after  this 
as  being  friendly  to  our  Saviour;  in 
the  first  instance  as  advocating  his 
cause,  and  defending  him  against  the 
unjust  suspicion  of  the  Jews  (chap, 
vii.  50),  and  in  the  second  instance  as 
one  who  came  to  aid  in  embalming 
his  body.  Chap.  xix.  39.  It  will  be 
recollected  that  the  design  of  JoJin 
in  writing  this  gospel  was  to  show 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  To  do 
this  he  here  adduces  the  testimony 
of  one  of  the  rulers  of  the  Jews,  who 
early  became  convinced  of  it,  and  who 
retained  the  belief  of  it  until  the  death 
of  Jesus. 

2.  The  same  came  to  Jesus.  The  de- 
sign of  his  coming  seems  to  have  been 
to  inquire  more  fully  of  Jesus  what 
was  the  doctrine  which  he  came  to 
teach.  He  seems  to  have  been  con- 
vinced that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and 
desired  to  be  farther  instructed  in  pri- 
vate respecting  his  doctrine.  It  was 
not  usual  for  a  man  of  rank,  power, 
and  riches  to  come  to  inquire  of  Je- 
sus in  this  manner;  yet  we  may  learn 
that  the  most  favorable  opportunity 
for  teaching  such  men  the  nature  of 
personal  religion  is  when  they  are 
alone.  Scarcely  any  man^of  any  rank, 


A.D.30.] 


CHAPTliiiltitlJ 


221 


we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God ;  for  *  no  man  can 
do  these  miracles  that  thou  doest 
except  *  God  be  with  him. 

a  c.  9. 16, 33.  Acts  2.  22.  b  Acts  10. 38. 


will  refuse  to  converse  on  this  subject 
when  addressed  respectfully  and  ten- 
derly in  private.  In  the  midst  of  their 
companions,  or  engaged  in  business, 
they  may  refuse  to  listen  or  may 
cavil.  When  alo7ie^  they  will  hear  tlie 
voice  of  entreaty  and  persuasion,  and 
be  willing  to  converse  on  the  great 
subjects  of  judgment  and  eternity. 
Thus  Paul  says  (Gal.  ii.  2),  ^'■privately 
to  them  which  are  of  reputation  evinc- 
ing his  consummate  prudence,  and  his 
profound  knowledge  of  liuman  nature. 
•|[  By  7iight.  It  is  not  mentioned  why 
he  came  by  night.  It  might  have 
been  that,  being  a  member  of  the  San- 
hedrim, he  was  engaged  all  the  day; 
or  it  may  have  been  because  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  occupied  all  the  day  in 
teaching  publicly  and  in  working  mir- 
acles, and  that  there  was  no  opportu- 
nity for  conversing  with  him  as  freely 
as  he  desired;  or  it  may  have  been 
that  he  was  afraid  of  the  ridicule  and 
contempt  of  those  in  power,  and  fear- 
ful that  it  might  involve  him  in  dan- 
ger if  publicly  known ;  or  it  may  have 
been  that  he  was  afraid  that  if  it  were 
publicly  known  that  he  was  disposed 
to  favor  the  Lord  Jesus,  it  might  pro- 
voke more  opposition  against  him 
and  endanger  his  life.  As  no  had  mo- 
tive is  imputed  to  him,  it  is  most  in 
accordance  with  Christian  charity  to 
suppose  that  his  niotives  were  such 
as  God  would  approve,  especially  as 
the  Saviour  did  not  reprove  him.  We 
should  not  be  disposed  to  blame  men 
where  Jesus  did  not,  and  we  should 
desire  to  find  goodness  in  every  man 
rather  than  be  ever  on  the  search  for 
evil  motives.  See  1  Cor.  xiii.  4-7.  We 
may  learn  here,  1st.  That  our  Saviour, 
though  engaged  during  the  day,  did 
not  refuse  to  converse  with  an  inquir- 
ing sinner  at  night.  Ministers  of  the 
Gospel  at  all  times  should  welcome 
those  who  are  asking  the  way  to  life. 
?Jd.  That  it  is  proper  for  men,  even 
those  of  elevated  rank,  to  inquire  on 
the  subject  of  religion.  Nothing  is 
so  important  as  religion,  and  no  tem- 
per of  mind  is  more  lovely  than  a  dis- 
position to  ask  the  way  to  heaven. 
At  all  times  men  should  seek  the  way 


3  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 

Except  a  man  be  born  ^  again,  he 
can  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God. 

cel.  13.  Gal.  6. 15.  Epli.2. 1.  Tit.  3.  5.  Jas.  1.  18. 
1  Pet.  1.  23.   1  Jno.  2.  29  ;  3.  9.  1  ox,  from  above. 

of  salvation,  and  especially  in  times 
of  great  religious  excitement  they 
should  make  inquiry.  At  Jerusalem, 
at  the  time  referred  to  here,  there  was 
great  solicitude.  Many  believed  on 
Jesus.  He  wrought  miracles,  and 
preached,  and  many  were  converted. 
There  was  what  would  now  be  called 
a  revival  of  religion,  having  all  the  feat- 
ures of  a  work  of  grace.  At  such  a 
season  it  was  proper,  as  it  is  now,  that 
not  only  the  poor,  but  the  rich  and 

freat,  should  inquire  the  path  to  life. 
Hahhi.  This  was  a  title  of  respect 
conferred  on  distinguished  Jewish 
teachers,  somewhat  in  the  way  that 
the  title  doctor  of  divinity  is  now  con- 
ferred. See  Notes  on  chap.  i.  38.  Our 
Saviour  forbade  his  disciples  to  wear 
that  title  (see  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  8), 
though  it  was  proper  for  him  to  do  it, 
as  being  the  great  Teacher  of  man- 
kind. It  literally  signifies  great^  and 
was  given  by  Nicodemus,  doubtless, 
because  Jesus  gave  distinguished 
proofs  that  he  came  as  a  teacher  from 
God.  ^  We  know.  /  know,  and  those 
with  whom  I  am  connected.  Perhaps 
he  was  acquainted  with  some  of  the 
Pharisees  who  entertained  the  same 
opinion  about  Jesus  that  he  did,  and 
lie  came  to  be  more  fully  confirmed  in 
the  belief.  TI  Come  from  God.  Sent 
by  God.  This  implies  his  readiness  to 
hear  him,  and  his  desire  to  be  instruct- 
ed. He  acknowledges  the  divine  mis- 
sion of  Jesus,  and  delicately  asks  him 
to  instruct  him  in  the  truth  of  relig- 
ion. When  we  read  the  words  of  Je- 
sus in  the  Bible,  it  should  be  with  a 
belief  that  he  came  from  God,  and  was 
therefore  qualified  and  authorized  to 
teach  us  the  way  of  life.  TI  These  mir- 
acles. The  miracles  which  he  w^rougiit 
in  the  Temple  and  at  Jerusalem. 
Chap.  ii.  23.  Except  God  he  ivith  him. 
Except  God  aid  him,  and  except  his 
instructions  are  approved  by  God. 
Miracles  show  that  a  prophet  or  re- 
ligious teacher  comes  from  God,  be- 
cause God  would  not  w^ork  a  miracle 
in  attestation  of  a  falsehood  or  to  give 
countenance  to  a  false  teacher.  If 
God  gives  a  man  power  to  work  a 
miracle,  it  is  proof  that  he  approves 


/ 


222  JOHN.  [A.D.30. 

4  Mcodemiis  saith  unto  him,  How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he 


the  teaching  of  that  man,  and  the 
miracle  is  the  proof  or  the  credential 
that  he  came  from  God. 

3.  Verily^  verily.  An  expression  of 
strong  affirmation,  denoting  the  cer- 
tainty  and  the  importance  of  what  he 
was  about  to  say.  J esus  proceeds  to 
state  one  of  the  fundamental  and  in- 
dispensable doctrines  of  his  religion. 
It  ma}^  seem  remarkable  that  he  should 
introduce  this  subject  in  this  manner; 
but  it  should  be  remembered  that  Nic- 
odemus  acknowledged  that  he  was  a 
teacher  come  from  God;  that  he  im- 
2)Ued  by  that  his  readiness  and  desire 
to  receive  instruction ;  and  that  it  is 
not  wonderful,  therefore,  that  Jesus 
should  commence  with  one  of  the  fun- 
damental truths  of  his  religion.  It  is 
no  part  of  Christianity  to  conceal  any 
thing.  Jesus  declared  to  every  man, 
high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  the  most 
humbling  truths  of  the  Gospel.  Noth- 
ing was  kept  back  for  fear  of  offending 
men  of  wealth  or  power ;  and  for 
them,  as  well  as  the  most  poor  and 
lowly,  it  was  declared  to  be  indispen- 
Gable  to  experience,  as  the  first  thing 
in  religion,  a  change  of  heart  and  of 
life.  If  Except  a  man.  This  is  a  uni- 
versal form  of  expression  designed  to 
include  all  mankind.  Of  each  and  ev- 
ery man  it  is  certain  that  unless  he  is 
born  again  he  can  not  see  the  kingdom 
of  God.  It  includes,  therefore,  men 
of  everj^  character,  and  rank,  and  na- 
tion, moral  and  immoral,  rich  and 
jDOor,  in  office  and  out  of  office,  old 
and  young,  bond  and  free,  the  slave 
and  his  master,  Jew  and  Gentile.  It 
is  clear  that  our  Saviour  intended  to 
convey  to  Nicodemus  the  idea,  also, 
that  he  must  be  born  again.  It  was 
not  sufficient  to  be  a  Jew,  or  to  ac- 
knowledge him  to  be  a  teacher  sent 
by  God — that  is,  the  Messiah ;  it  was 
necessary,  in  addition  to  this,  to  ex- 
perience in  his  own  soul  that  great 
change  called  the  new  birth  or  regen- 
eration. H  Be  horn  agaiji.  The  word 
translated  here  ar/am' means  also /rom 
above^  and  is  so  rendered  in  the  mar- 
gin. It  is  evident,  however,  that  Nic- 
odemus understood  it  not  as  referring 
to  a  birth  from  above^  for  if  he  had  he 
would  not  have  asked  the  question  in 
verse  4.  It  is  probable  that  in  the 
language  which  he  used  there  was  not 
the  same  ambiguity  that  there  is  in 
the  Greek.,  The  ancient  versions  all 


understood  it  as  meaning  again.,  or  the 
second  time.  Our  natural  birth  intro- 
duces us  to  light,  is  the  commence- 
men1>of  life,  throws  us  amid  the  works 
of  God,  and  is  the  beginning  of  our  ex- 
istence ;  but  it  also  introduces  us  to 
a  world  of  sin.  We  early  go  astray. 
All  men  transgress.  The 'imagination 
of  the  thoughts  of  the  heaart  is  evil 
from  the  youth  up.  We  are  conceived 
in  sin  and  brought  forth  in  iniquity, 
and  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no, 
not  one.  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God,  and  by  nature  we  are 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  Gen.  viii. 
21.  Psa.  xiv.  2,3;  li.  5.  Kom.i.  29-32; 
iii.  10-20 ;  viii.  7.  All  sin  exposes  men 
to  misery  here  and  hereafter.  To  es- 
cape from  sin,  to  be  happy  in  the 
world  to  come,  it  is  necessary  that 
man  should  be  changed  in  his  princi- 
ples, his  feelings,  and  his  manner  of 
life.  This  change,  or  the  beginning 
of  this  new  life,  is  called  the  7ieio  birth y 
or  regeneration.  It  is  so  called  because 
in  many  respects  it  has  a  striking  anal- 
ogy to  the  natural  birth.  It  is  the  be- 
ginning of  spiritual  life.  It  introduces 
us  to  the  light  of  the  Gospel.  It  is  the 
moment  when  we  really  begin  to  live 
to  any  purpose.  It  is  the  moment 
when  God  reveals  himself  to  us  as  our 
reconciled  Father,  and  we  are  adopt- 
ed into  his  family  as  his  sons.  And  as 
every  man  is  a  sinner,  it  is  necessar}^ 
that  each  one  should  experience  this 
change,  or  he  can  not  be  happy  or 
saved.  This  doctrine  was  not  un- 
known to  the  Jews,  and  was  partic- 
ularly predicted  as  a  doctrine  that 
would  be  taught  in  the  times  of  the 
Messiah.  See  Dent.  x.  16.  Jer.  iv.  4; 
xxxi.  33.  Ezek.  xi.  19 ;  xxxvi.  25.  Psa. 
li.  12.  The  change  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  elsewhere  called  the  new  crea- 
tion (2  Cor.  V.  17.  Gal.  vi.  15),  and  life 
from  the  dead,  or  a  resurrection.  Eph. 
ii.  1.  John  V.  21,  24.  T[  He  ca7i  not  see. 
To  s<?(?,  here,  is  put  evidently  for  en- 
joying— or  he  can  not  be  fitted  for  it 
and  partake  of  it.  1  The  kingdom  of 
God.  Either  in  this  world  or  in  that 
which  is  to  come — that  is,  heaven. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  2.  The  mean- 
ing is,  that  the  kingdom  which  Jesus 
was  about  to  set  up  was  so  pure  and 
holy  that  it  was  indispensable  that 
every  man  should  experience  this 
change,  or  he  could  not  partake  of  its 
blessmgs.    This  is  solemnly  declared 


A.D.  30.] 

is  old?  Can  he  enter  the  second 
time  into  his  mother's  womb  and 
be  born  ? 

a  Mar.  16. 16.    Acts  2. 38. 


by  the  Son  of  God  by  an  affirmation 
equivalent  to  an  oath,  and  there  can 
be  no  possibility,  therefore,  of  enter- 
ing heaven  without  experiencing  the 
change  which  the  Saviour  contem- 
plated by  the  neiu  birth.  And  it  be- 
comes every  man,  as  in  the  presence 
of  a  holy  God  before  whom  he  must 
soon  appear,  to  ask  himself  whether 
he  has  experienced  this  change,  and 
if  he  has  not,  to  give  no  rest  to  his 
eyes  until  he  has  sought  the  mercy 
of  God,  and  implored  the  aid  of  his 
Spirit  that  his  heart  may  be  renewed. 

4.  How  can  a  man,  etc.  It  may  seem 
remarkable  that  Nicodemus  under- 
stood the  Saviour  literally,  when  the 
expression  to  he  horn  again  was  in 
common  use  among  the  Jews  to  de- 
note a  change  from  Gentilism  to  Juda- 
ism by  becoming  a  proselyte  by  hap- 
tism.  The  word  with  them  meant  a 
change  from  the  state  of  a  heathen  to 
that  of  a  Jew.  But  they  never  used 
it  as  applicable  to  a  Jew,  because  they 
supposed  that  by  his  birth  every  Jew 
was  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of 
the  people  of  God.  When,  therefore, 
our  Saviour  used  it  of  a  Jew,  when  he 
affirmed  its  necessity  of  every  man, 
Nicodemus  supposed  that  there  was 
an  absurdity  in  the  doctrine,  or  some- 
thing that  surpassed  his  comprehen- 
sion, and  he  therefore  asked  whether 
it  was  possible  that  Jesus  could  teach 
so  absurd  a  doctrine — as  he  could  con- 
ceive no  other  sense  as  applicable  to  a 
Jew — as  that  he  should,  when  old,  en- 
ter a  second  time  into  his  mother's 
womb  and  be  born.  And  we  may 
learn  from  this,  1st.  That  prejudice 
leads  men  to  misunderstand  the  plain- 
est doctrines  of  religion.  2d.  That 
things  which  are  at  first  incompre- 
hensible or  apparently  absurd,  may, 
when  explained,  become  clear.  The 
doctrine  of  regeneration,  so  difficult 
to  Nicodemus,  is  plain  to  a  child  that 
is  born  of  the  Spirit.  3d.  Those  in 
high  rank  in  life,  and  who  are  learn- 
ed, are  often  most  ignorant  about  the 
plainest  matters  of  religion.  It  is  oft 
en  wonderful  that  they  exhibit  so  lit- 
tle acquaintance  with  the  most  simple 
subjects  pertaining  to  the  soul,  and 
so  much  absurdity  in  their  views. 
4th.  A  doctrine  is  not  to  be  rejected  he- 


223 

5  Jesus  answered,  Verily,  verily, 
I  say  unto  thee.  Except  a  man  be 
born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,'' 

6  Rom.  8. 2.    1  Cor.  2. 12. 


cause  the  rich  and  the  great  do  not 
believe  or  understand  it.  The  doc- 
trine of  regeneration  was  not /aZse  be- 
cause Nicodemus  did  not  comprehend 
it. 

5.  Be  horn  of  water.  By  water,  here, 
is  evidently  signified  haptism.  Thus 
the  word  is  used  Ephes.  v.  26.  Titus 
iii.  5.  Baptism  was  practiced  by  the 
Jews  in  receiving  a  Gentile  as  a  pros- 
elyte. It  was  practiced  by  John 
among  the  Jews ;  and  Jesus  here  says 
that  it  is  an  ordinance  of  his  religion, 
and  the  sign  and  seal  of  the  renewing 
influences  of  his  Spirit.  So  he  said 
(Mark  xvi.  16),  "he  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  shall  be  saved."  It  is  clear 
from  these  places,  and  from  the  exam- 
ple of  the  apostles  (Acts  ii.  38,  41 ; 
viii.  12,  13,  86,  38;  ix.  18;  x.  47,  48; 
xvi.  15,  33 ;  xviii.  8 ;  xxii.  16.  Gal.  iii. 
27),  that  they  considered  this  ordi- 
nance as  binding  on  all  who  professed 
to  love  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  though 
it  can  not  be  said  that  none  who  are 
not  baptized  can  be  saved,  yet  Jesus 
meant,  undoubtedly,  to  be  under- 
stood as  affirming  that  this  was  to  be 
the  regular  and  uniform  way  of  enter- 
ing into  his  Church ;  that  it  was  the 
appropriate  mode  of  making  a  pro- 
fession of  religion ;  and  that  a  man 
who  neglected  this,  when  the  duty 
was  made  known  to  him,  neglected  a 
plain  command  of  God.  It  is  clear, 
also,  that  any  other  command  of  God 
might  as  well  be  neglected  or  violated 
as  this,  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  ev- 
ery one  not  only  to  love  the  Saviour, 
but  icy  make  an  acknowledgment  of 
that  love  by  being  baptized,  and  by 
devoting  himself  thus  to  his  service. 
But,  lest  Nicodemus  should  suppose 
that  this  was  all  that  was  meant,  he 
added  that  it  was  necessary  that  he 
should  he  horn  of  the  Spirit  also.  This 
was  predicted  of  the  Saviour,  that  he 
should  baptize  ivith  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire.  Matt.  iii.  11.  By  this  is 
clearly  intended  that  the  heart  must 
be  changed  by  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  that  the  love  of  sin 
must  be  abandoned;  that  man  must 
repent  of  crime  and  turn  to  God ;  that 
he  must  renounce  all  his  evil  propen- 
sities, and  give  himself  to  a  life  of 
prayer  and  holiness,  of  meekness,  pu- 


CHAPTEEl  III. 


224 


[A.D.  30. 


he  can  not  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God. 

6  That  ^  which  is  bom  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh ;  and  that  which  is 
born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit. 

a  1  Cor.  15. 47-49.    2  Cor.  5. 17. 


rity,  and  benevolence.  This  great 
change  is  in  the  Scriptures  ascribed 
uniformly  to  the  Holy  Spirit.  Titus 
iii.5.  lThess.i.6.  Kom.  v.  5.  IPet. 
i.  23.  T[  Can  not  enter  into.  This  is 
the  way,  the  appropriate  way,  of  en- 
tering into  the  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah here  and  hereafter.  He  can  not 
enter  into  the  true  Church  here,  or 
into  heaven  in  the  world  to  come, 
except  in  connection  with  a  change 
of  heart,  and  by  the  proper  expression 
of  that  change  in  the  ordinances  ap- 
pointed by  the  Saviour. 

6.  That  ivhich  is  horn  of  the  flesh.  To 
show  the  necessity  of  this  change,  the 
Saviour  directs  the  attention  of  Nico- 
demus  to  the  natural  condition  of 
man.  By  that  ivJiich  is  horn  of  the  flesh 
he  evidently  intends  man  as  he  is  by 
nature,  in  the  circumstances  of  his 
natural  birth.  Perhaps,  also,  he  al- 
ludes to  the  question  asked  hy  Nico- 
demus,  whether  a  man  could  be  born 
wheft  he  was  old?  Jesus  tells  him 
tjiat  if  this  could  be,  it  would  not  an- 
swer an}^  valuable  purpose ;  he  would 
still  have  the  same  propensities  and 
passions.  Another  change  was  there- 
fore indispensable.  ^  Is  flesh.  Par- 
takes of  the  nature  of  the  parent. 
Compare  Gen.  v.  3.  As  the  parents 
are  corrupt  and  sinful,  so  will  be  their 
descendants.  See  Job  xiv.  4.  And  as 
the  parents  are  wholly  corrupt  by  na- 
ture, so  their  children  will  be  the 
same.  The  word  flesh  here  is  used  as 
meaning  corrupt^  defiled^  sinful.  The 
flesh  in  the  Scriptures  is  often  used 
to  denote  the  sinful  propensities  and 
passions  of  our  nature,  as  those  pro- 
I)ensities  are  supposed  to  have  their 
seat  in  the  animal  nature.  "The 
works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which 
are  these :  adultery,  fornication,  un- 
cleanness,  lasciviousness,"  etc.  Gal. 
v.  19,  20.  See  also  Eph.  ii.  3.  1  Pet. 
iii.  21 ;  ii.  18.  1  John  ii.  16.  Rom. 
viii.  5.  H  Is  horn  of  the  Spirit.  Of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  or  by  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  t  Is  spirit.  Is  spirit- 
ual, like  the  spirit,  that  is,  holy,  pure. 
Here  we  learn,  1st.  That  all  men  are 
by  nature  sinful.    2d.  That  none  are 


7  Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto 
thee,  Ye  must  be  bom  ^  again. 

8  The  wind  bloweth  where  it 
listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound 
thereof,  but  canst  not  tell  whence  it 

1  or,  from  above. 


renewed  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  If 
man  did  the  work  himself,  it  would 
be  still  carnal  and  impure.  3d.  That 
the  effect  of  the  new  birth  is  to  make 
men  holy.  And,  4th.  That  no  man  can 
have  evidence  that  he  is  born  again 
who  is  not  holy,  and  just  in  propor- 
tion as  he  becomes  pure  in  his  life 
will  be  the  evidence  that  he  is  born 
of  the  Spirit. 

7.  Marvel  not.  Wonder  not.  It  is 
possible  that  Nicodemus  in  some  way 
still  expressed  a  doubt  of  the  doc- 
trine, and  Jesus  took  occasion  in  a 
very  striking  manner  to  illustrate  it. 

8.  The  wind  hloiceth,  etc.  Nicodemus 
had  objected  to  the  doctrine  because 
he  did  not  understand  how  it  coidd  he. 
Jesus  shows  him  that  he  ought  not  to 
reject  it  on  that  account,  for  he  con- 
stantly believed  things  quite  as  difla- 
cult.  It  might  appear  incomprehen- 
sible, but  it  was  to  be  judged  of  by  its 
effects.  As  in  this  case  of  the  wind, 
the  effects  were  seen,  the  sound  was 
heard,  important  changes  were  pro- 
duced by  it,  trees  and  clouds  were 
moved,  yet  the  wind  is  not  seen.,  nor 
do  we  know  Avhence  it  comes,  nor  by 
what  laws  it  is  governed ;  so  it  is  with 
the  operations  of  the  Spirit.  "We  see 
the  changes  produced.  Men  just  now 
sinful  become  holy;  the  thoughtless 
become  serious ;  the  licentious  be- 
come pure ;  the  vicious,  moral ;  the 
moral,  religious ;  the  prayerless,  pray- 
erful; the  rebellious  and  obstinate, 
meek,  and  mild,  and  gentle.  When 
we  see  such  changes,  we  ought  no 
more  to  doubt  that  they  are  produced 
by  some  cause — by  some  mighty  agent, 
than  when  we  see  the  trees  moved,  or 
the  waters  of  the  ocean  piled  on  heaps, 
or  feel  the  cooling  effects  of  a  sum- 
mer's breeze.  In  those  cases  we  at- 
tribute it  to  the  wind^  though  we  see 
it  not,  and  though  we  do  not  under- 
stand its  operations.  We  may  learn 
hence,  1st.  That  the  proper  evidence 
of  conversion  is  the  effect  on  the  life. 
2d.  That  we  are  not  too  curiously  to 
search  for  the  cause  or  manncfr  of  the 
change.  3d.  That  God  has  power  over 
the  most  hardened  sinner  to  change 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTJEP  OI. 


225 


Cometh  and  whither  it  goeth ;  so  * 
is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the 
Spirit. 

9  Nicoclemus  answered  and  said 
unto  him,  How  can  these  things  be  ? 

a  1  Cor.  2. 11. 


him,  as  he  has  power  over  the  loftiest 
oak  to  bring  it  down  by  a  sweeping- 
blast.  4th.  That  there  may  be  great 
variety  in  the  modes  of  the  operation 
of  the  Spirit.  As  the  wind  sometimes 
sweeps  with  a  tempest,  and  prostrates 
all  before  it,  and  sometimes  breathes 
upon  ns  in  a  mild  evening  zephyr,  so 
it  is  with  the  operations  of  the  Spirit. 
The  sinner  sometimes  trembles  and  is 
prostrate  before  the  truth,  and  some- 
times is  sweetly  and  gently  drawn  to 
the  cross  of  Jesus.  Where  it  listeth. 
Where  it  wills  or  pleases.  T[  So  is  every 
one^  etc.  Every  one  that  is  born  of 
the  Spirit  is,  in  some  respects,  like 
the  effects  of  the  wind.  You  see  it 
not,  you  can  not  discern  its  laws,  but 
you  see  its  effects,  and  you  know  there- 
fore that  it  does  exist  and  operate. 
Nicodemus's  objection  was,  that  he 
could  not  see  this  change,  or  perceive 
7?o?/j  it  could  be.  Jesus  tells  him  that 
he  should  not  reject  a  doctrine  merely 
because  he  could  not  understand  it. 
Neither  could  the  wind  be  seen,  but 
its  effects  were  well  known,  and  no 
one  doubted  the  existence  or  the  pow- 
er of  the  agent.    Compare  Eccl.  xi.  5. 

9.  Mow  can  these  things  he?  Nicode- 
mus  was  still  unwilling  to  admit  the 
doctrine  unless  he  understood  it ;  and 
we  have  here  an  instance  of  a  man 
of  rank  stumbling  at  one  of  the  plain- 
est doctrines  of  religion,  and  unwil- 
ling to  admit  a  truth  because  he  could 
not  understand  how  it  could  be,  when 
he  daily  admitted  the  truth  of  facts  in 
other  things  which  he  could  as  little 
comprehend.  And  we  may  learn,  1st. 
That  men  will  often  admit  facts  on 
other  subjects,  and  be  greatly  per- 
plexed by  similar  facts  in  religion. 
2d.  That  no  small  part  of  men's  diffi- 
culties are  because  they  can  not  un- 
derstand how  or  why  a  thing  is.  3d. 
That  men  of  rank  and  learning  are  as 
likely  to  be  perplexed  by  these  things 
as  those  in  the  obscurest  and  hum- 
blest walks  of  life.  4th.  That  this  is 
one  reason  why  such  men,  particular- 
ly, so  often  reject  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel.  And,  5th.  That  this  is  a  very 
unwise  treatment  of  truth,  and  a  way 


10  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Art  thou  a  master  of  Israel, 
and  knowest  not  these  things  ? 

11  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
*  We  speak  that  we  do  know,  and 

h  1  Jno.  1.1-3. 


which  they  do  not  apply  to  other 
things.  If  the  wind  cools  and  re- 
freshes me  in  summer — if  it  prostrates 
the  oak  or  lashes  the  sea  into  foam — 
if  it  destroys  my  house  or  my  grain, 
it  matters  little  how  it  does  this ;  and 
so  of  the  Spirit.  If  it  renews  my 
heart,  humbles  my  pride,  subdues  my 
sin,  and  comforts  my  soul,  it  is  a 
matter  of  little  importance  how  it 
does  all  this.  Sufficient  for  me  is  it 
to  know  that  it  is  done,  and  to  taste 
the  blessings  which  flow  from  the  re- 
newing and  sanctifying  grace  of  God. 

10.  A  master  of  Israel.  A  teacher  of 
Israel ;  the  same  word  that  in  the 
second  verse  is  translated  teacher.  As 
such  a  teacher  he  ought  to  have  under- 
stood this  doctrine.  It  was  not  nev)., 
but  was  clearly  taught  in  the  Old 
Testament.  See  particularly  Psa.  li. 
10,16,17.  Ezek.xi.  19;  xxxvi.  26.  It 
may  seem  surprising  that  a  man  whose 
business  it  was  to  teach  the  people 
should  be  a  stranger  to  so  plain  and 
important  a  doctrine;  but  when 
worldly-minded  men  are  placed  in 
offices  of  religion — when  they  seek 
those  offices  for  the  sake  of  ease  or 
reputation,  it  is  no  wonder  that  they 
are  strangers  to  the  plain  truths  of 
the  Bible ;  and  there  have  been  many, 
and  there  are  still,  who  are  in  the 
ministry  itself,  to  whom  the  plainest 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel  are  obscure. 
No  man  can  understand  the  Bible 
fully  unless  he  is  a  humble  Christian, 
and  the  easiest  way  to  comprehend 
the  truths  of  religion  is  to  give  the 
heart  to  God  and  live  to  his  glory.  A 
child  thus  may  have  more  real  knowl- 
edge of  the  way  of  salvation  than 
many  who  are  pretended  masters  and 
teachers  of  Israel.  John  vii.  17.  Matt, 
xi.  25.  Psa.  viii.  2,  compared  with  Matt, 
xxi.  16.  ^  Of  Israel.  Of  the  Jews;  of 
the  Jewish  nation. 

11.  We  speak.  Jesus  here  speaks  in 
the  plural  number,  including  himself 
and  those  engaged  with  him  in  preach- 
ing the  Gospel.  Nicodemus  had  said 
(verse  2)  "we  know  that  thou  art," 
etc.,  including  himself  and  those  with 
whom  he  acted.    Jesus  in  reply  said, 


226 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


testify  that  we  have  seen ;  and  ye 
receive  not  our  witness. 

12  If  I  have  told  you  earthly 
things  and  ye  believe  not,  how 


We,  who  are  engaged  in  spreading  the 
new  doctrines  about  which  you  have 
come  to  inquire,  speak  what  we  know. 
We  do  not  deliver  doctrines  which  we 
do  not  practically  understand.  This  is 
a  positive  affirmation  of  Jesus,  which 
he  had  a  right  to  make  about  his  new 
doctrine.  He  knew  its  truth,  and 
those  wlio  came  into  his  kingdom 
knew  it  also.  We  learn  here,  1st. 
That  the  Pharisees  taught  doctrines 
which  they  did  not  practically  un- 
derstand. They  taught  much  truth 
(Matt,  xxiii.  2),  but  they  were  deplor- 
ably ignorant  of  the  plainest  matters 
in  their  practical  application.  2d.  Ev- 
ery minister  of  the  Gospel  ought  to 
be  able  to  appeal  to  his  own  experi- 
ence, and  to  say  that  he  knows  the 
truth  which  he  is  communicating  to 
others.  3d.  Every  Sunday-school 
teacher  should  be  able  to  say,  "I  know 
what  I  am  communicating;  I  have 
experienced  what  is  meant  by  the 
new  birth,  and  the  love  of  God,  and 
the  religion  which  I  am  teaching." 
IF  Testify.  Bear  witness  to.  ^that 
we  have  seen.  Jesus  had  seen  by  his 
omniscient  eye  all  the  operations  of 
the  Spirit  on  the  hearts  of  men.  His 
ministers  have  seen  its  effects  as  we 
see  the  effects  of  the  wind,  and,  hav- 
ing seen  men  changed  from  sin  to  ho- 
liness, they  are  qualified  to  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  truth  and  reality  of  the 
change.  Every  successful  minister  of 
the  Gospel  thus  becomes  a  witness  of 
the  saving  power  of  the  Gospel.  ^  Ye 
receive  not.  Ye  Pharisees.  Though 
we  give  evidence  of  the  truth  of  the 
new  religion ;  though  miracles  are 
wrought,  and  proof  is  given  that  this 
doctrine  came  from  heaven,  yet  you 
reject  it.  H  Our  witness.  Our  testi- 
mony. The  evidence  which  is  furnish- 
ed by  miracles  and  by  the  saving  pow- 
er of  the  Gospel.  Men  reject  reve- 
lation though  it  is  attested  by  the 
strongest  evidence,  and  though  it  is 
constantly  j^roducing  the  most  desir- 
able changes  in  the  hearts  and  lives 
of  men. 

13.  If  I  have  told  you  earthly  things. 
Things  which  occur  on  earth.  Not 
sensual  or  worldly  things,  for  Jesus 


shall  ye  believe  if  I  tell  you  of 
heavenly  things  ? 

13  And*  no  man  hath  ascended 
up  to  heaven  but  he  that  came 

a  Eph.4.  9,10. 


had  said  nothing  of  these;  but  he 
had  told  him  of  operations  of  the  Spirit 
which  had  occurred  on  earth,  whose 
effects  were  visible,  and  which  might 
be,  therefore,  believed.  These  were 
the  plai7iest  and  most  obvious  of  the 
doctrines  of  religion.  ^  How  shall 
ye  believe.  How  will  you  believe.  Is 
there  any  probability  that  you  will 
understand  them  ?  T[  Heavenly  things. 
Things  pertaining  to  the  government 
of  God  and  his  doings  in  the  heavens; 
things  which  are  removed  from  hu- 
man view,  and  which  can  not  be  sub- 
jected to  human  sight ;  the  more  ]3ro- 
found  and  inscrutable  things  pertain- 
ing to  the  redemption  of  men.  Learn 
hence,  1st.  The  height  and  depth  of 
the  doctrines  of  religion.  There  is 
much  that  we  can  not  yet  understand. 
2d.  The  feebleness  of  our  understand- 
ings and  the  corruptions  of  our  hearts 
are  the  real  causes  why  doctrines  of 
religion  are  so  little  understood  by  us. 
3d.  There  is  before  us  a  vast  eternity, 
and  there  are  profound  wonders  of 
God's  government,  to  be  the  study  of 
the  righteous,  and  to  be  seen  and  ad- 
mired by  them  forever  and  ever. 

13.  And  no  man  hath  ascended  iiiio 
heaven.  No  man,  therefore,  is  qualified 
to  speak  of  heavenly  things.  Verse  12. 
To  speak  of  those  things  requires  in- 
timate acquaintance  with  them — de- 
mands that  we  have  seen  them;  and 
as  no  one  has  ascended  into  heaven 
and  returned,  so  no  one  is  qualified  to 
speak  of  them  but  He  who  came  down 
from  heaven.  This  does  not  mean 
that  no  one  had  gone  to  heaven  or  had 
been  saved,  for  Enoch  and  Elijah  had 
been  borne  there  (Gen.  v.  24.  Comp. 
Heb.  xi.  5.  2  Kings  ii.  11),  and  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  others, 
were  there;  but  it  means  that  no  one 
had  ascended  and  returned,  so  as  to  be 
qualified  to  speak  of  the  things  there. 
11  But  he  that  came  down,  etc.  The 
Lord  Jesus.  He  is  represented  as 
coming  down,  because,  being  equal 
with  God,  he  took  upon  himself  our 
nature.  John  i.  14.  Phil.  ii.  6,  7.  He 
is  represented  as  sent  by  the  Father. 
John  iii.  17,  34.  Gal.  iv.  4.  1  John  iv. 
9,10.   *^  The  Son  of  man.   Called  thus 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


227 


down  from  heaven,  emn  the  Son  of 
man  which  is  in  heaven. 
14  And «  as  Moses  lifted  up  the 

a  Num.  21.9. 


from  his  being  a  man;  from  his  inter- 
est in  man ;  and  as  expressive  of  his 
regard  for  man.  It  is  a  favorite  title 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  gives  to  him- 
self T[  Which  is  in  heaven.  This  is  a 
very  remarkable  expression.  Jesus, 
the  Son  of  man,  was  then  bodily  on 
earth  conversing  with  Nicodemus; 
yet  he  declares  that  he  is  at  the  same 
time  in  heaven.  This  can  be  under- 
stood only  as  referring  to  the  fact 
that  he  had  two  natures — that  his  di- 
vine nature  was  in  heaven,  and  his  hu- 
man  nature  on  earth.  Our  Saviour  is 
frequently  spoken  of  in  this  manner. 
Compare  John  vi.  62 ;  xvii.  5.  2  Cor. 
viii.  9.  As  Jesus  was  in  heaven— as 
his  proper  abode  was  there — he  was 
fitted  to  speak  of  heavenly  things, 
and  to  declare  the  will  of  God  to  man. 
And  we  may  learn,  1st.  That  the  truth 
about  the  deep  things  of  God  is  not 
to  be  learned  of  men.  No  one  has  as- 
cended to  heaven  and  returned  to  tell 
us  what  is  there;  and  no  infidel,  no 
mere  maAi|fco  prophet,  is  qualified  of 
himself  to  speak  of  them.  2d.  That 
all  the  light  which  we  are  to  expect 
on  those  subjects  is  to  be  sought  in 
the  Scriptures.  It  is  only  Jesus  and 
his  inspired  apostles  and  evangelists 
that  can  speak  of  those  things.  3d.  It 
is  not  wonderful  that  some  things  in 
the  Scriptures  are  mysterious.  They 
are  about  things  which  we  have  not 
seen,  and  we  must  receive  them  on 
the  testimony  of  one  who  has  seen 
them.  4th.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  divine. 
He  was  in  heaven  while  on  earth.  He 
had,  therefore,  a  nature  far  above  the 
human,  and  i^  equal  with  the  Father. 
Chap.  i.  1. 

14.  And  as  Moses.  Jesus  proceeds 
in  this  and  the  following  verses  to 
state  the  reason  why  he  came  into 
the  world;  and,  in  order  to  this,  he 
illustrates  his  design,  and  the  efficacy 
of  his  coming,  by  a  reference  to  the 
case  of  the  brazen  serpent,  recorded 
in  Num.  xxi.  8,  9.  The  people  were 
bitten  by  flying  fiery  serpents.  There 
was  no  cure  for  the  bite.  Moses  was 
directed  to  make  an  image  of  the  ser- 
pent, and  place  it  in  sight  of  the  peo- 
ple, that  they  might  look  on  it  and  be 
healed.    There  is  no  evidence  that 


serpent  in  the  wilderness,  even  so 
must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted  up ; 
15  That  whosoever  ^  believeth  in 

h  ver.  36.    Heb.  7.  25. 


this  was  intended  to  be  a  type  of  the 
Messiah,  but  it  is  used  by  Jesus  as 
strikingly  illustrati^ig  his  work.  Men 
are  sinners.  There  is  no  cure  by  hu- 
man means  for  the  maladies  of  the 
soul ;  and  as  the  people  who  were  bit- 
ten might  look  on  the  image  of  the 
serpent  and  be  healed,  so  may  sinners 
look  to  the  Saviour  and  be  cured  of 
the  moral  maladies  of  our  nature. 
'^Lifted  up.  Erected  on  a  pole.  Placed 
on  high,  so  that  it  might  be  seen  by 
the  people.  T[  The  serpent.  The  image 
of  a  serpent  made  of  brass.  *1[  In  the 
wilderness.  Near  the  land  of  Edom. 
In  the  desert  and  desolate  country  to 
the  south  of  Mount  Hor.  Num.  xxi.  4. 
^  Even  so.  In  a  similar  manyier  and 
with  a  similar  design.  He  here  refers, 
doubtless,  to  his  own  death.  Com- 
pare John  xii.  32 ;  viii.  28.  The  points 
of  resemblance  between  his  being  lift- 
ed up  and  that  of  the  brazen  serpent 
seem  to  be  these :  1st.  In  each  case 
those  who  are  to  be  benefited  can  be 
aided  in  no  other  way.  The  bite  of 
the  serpent  was  deadly,  and  could  be 
healed  only  by  looking  on  the  brazen 
serpent;  and  sin  is  deadly  in  its  na- 
ture, and  can  be  removed  only  by 
looking  on  the  cross.  2d.  The  mode 
of  their  being  lifted  up.  The  brazen 
serpent  was  in  the  sight  of  the  peo- 
ple. So  Jesus  was  exalted  from  the 
earth — raised  on  a  tree  or  cross.  3d. 
The  design  was  similar.  The  one  was 
to  save  the  life,  the  other  the  soul; 
the  one  to  save  from  temporal,  the 
other  from  eternal  death.  4th.  The 
manner  of  the  cure  was  similar.  The 
people  of  Israel  were  to  look  on  the 
serpent  and  be  healed,  and  so  sinners 
are  to  look  on  the  Lord  Jesus  that 
they  may  be  saved.  *[[  Must.  It  is 
proper;  necessary;  indispensable,  if 
men  are  saved.  Compare  Luke  xxiv. 
26 ;  xxii.  42.  *lf  The  Son  of  man.  The 
Messiah. 

15.  That  whosoever.  This  shows  the 
fullness  and  freeness  of  the  Gospel. 
All  may  come  and  be  saved,  t  Be- 
lieveth in  him.  Whosoever  puts  conji- 
dence  in  him  as  able  and  willing  to 
save.  All  who  feel  that  thej^  are  sin- 
ners, that  they  have  no  righteousness 
of  their  own,  and  are  willing  to  look 


228 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
eternal  life. 

16  For  «  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only  -  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life. 

a  1  Jno.4.  9. 

to  him  as  their  only  Saviour.  ^  SJiould 
not  perish.  They  are  in  danger,  by  na- 
ture, of  perishing — that  is,  of  sinking 
down  to  tlie  pains  of  hell ;  of  "  being 
punished  with  eveyiastmg  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and 
fromtheglory  of  his  power."  2  Thess. 
i.  9.  All  who  believe  on  Jesus  sliall 
be  saved  from  this  condemnation  and 
be  raised  up  to  eternal  life.  And  from 
this  we  learn,  1st.  That  there  is  salva- 
tion in  no  other.  2d.  That  salvation 
is  here  full  and  free  for  all  who  will 
come.  3d.  That  it  is  easy.  What  was 
more  easy  for  a  poor,  wounded,  dying 
Israelite,  bitten  by  a  poisonous  ser- 
pent, than  to  look  up  to  a  brazen  ser- 
pent ?  So  with  the  poor,  lost,  dying 
sinner.  And  what  more  foolish  than 
for  such  a  wounded,  dying  man  to  re- 
fuse to  look  on  a  remedy  so  easy  and 
eflfectual  ?.  So  nothing  is  more  foolish 
than  for  a  lost  and  dying  sinner  to  re- 
fuse to  look  on  God's  only  Son,  exalt- 
ed on  a  cross  to  die  for  the  sins  of 
men,  and  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  to  God  by  him. 

16.  For  God  so  loved.  This  does  not 
mean  that  God  approved  the  conduct 
of  men,  but  that  he  had  benevolent 
feelings  toward  them,  or  was  earnestly 
desii^ous  of  their  happiness.  God  hates 
wickedness,  but  he  still  desires  the 
happiness  of  those  who  are  sinful. 
He  hates  the  sin,  but  loves  the  sinner. 
A  parent  may  love  his  child  and  de- 
sire his  welfare,  and  yet  be  strongly 
opposed  to  the  conduct  of  that  child. 
When  we  approve  the  conduct  of  an- 
other, this  is  tlie  love  of  complacencij ; 
when  we  desire  simply  their  happiness, 
til  is  is  the  love  of  benevolence.  H  The 
world.  All  mankind.  It  does  not 
mean  any  particular par^  of  the  world, 
but  rnan  as  man — the  race  that  had  re- 
belled and  that  deserved  to  die.  See 
John  vi.  33 ;  xvii.  21.  His  love  for  the 
world,  or  for  all  mankind,  in  giving 
his  Son,  was  shown  by  these  circum- 
stances :  1st.  All  the  world  was  in 
ruin,  and  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God. 
2d.  All  men  were  in  a  hopeless  condi- 


17  For  ^  God  sent  not  his  Son 
into  the  world  to  condemn  the 
world,  but  that  the  world  through 
him  might  be  saved. 

18  He  ^  that  believeth  on  him  is 
not  condemned;  but  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  is  condemned  already, 

6LU.9.56.  cc.6.40,47. 

tion.  3d.  God  gave\n^  Son.  Man  had 
no  claim  on  him ;  it  was  a  gift — an  un- 
deserved gift.  4th.  He  gave  him  up 
to  extreme  sufferings,  even  the  bitter 
pains  of  death  on  the  cross.  5th.  It 
was  for  all  the  world.  He  tasted 
"death  for  every  man.''  Heb.  ii.  9. 
He  "died  for  all."  2  Cor.  v.  15.  "He 
is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world."  1  John  ii.  2.  T[  That 
he  gave.  It  was  a  free  and  unmerited 
gift.  Man  had  no  claim;  and  when 
there  was  no  eye  to  pity  or  arm  to 
save,  it  pleased  God  to  give  his  Son 
into  the  hands  of  men  to  die  in  their 
stead.  Gal.  i.  4.  Rom.  viii.  32.  Luke 
xxii.  19.  It  was  the  mere  movement 
of  love ;  the  expression  of  eternal 
compassion,  and  of  a  desire  that  sin- 
ners should  not  perish  forever.  •[[  His 
only-begotten  Son.  See  Notes  on  John 
i.  14.  This  is  the  highest^^cpression 
of  love  of  which  we  can  conceive.  A 
parent  who  should  give  up  his  only 
son  to  die  for  others  who  are  guilty — 
if  this  could  or  might  be  done — would 
show  higher  love  than  could  be  man- 
ifested in  any  other  way.  So  it  shows 
the  depth  of  the  love  of  God,  that  he 
was  willing  to  give  his  only  Son  into 
the  hands  of  sinful  men  that  he  might 
be  slain,  and  thus  redeem  them  from 
eternal  sorrow. 

17.  To  condemn  the  world.  Not  to 
judge,  or  pronounce  sentence  on  man- 
kind. God  might  justly  have  sent  him 
for  this.  Man  dcscrvcid  condemna- 
tion, and  it  would  have  been  right 
to  have  pronounced  it;  but  God  was 
willing  that  there  should  be  an  offer 
of  pardon,  and  the  sentence  of  con- 
demnation was  delayed.  But,  although 
Jesus  did  not  come  then  to  condemn 
mankind,  yet  the  time  is  coming  when 
he  will  return  to  judge  the  living  and 
the  dead.  Acts  xvii.  31.  2  Cor.  v.  10. 
Matt.  XXV.  31-46. 

18.  He  that  believeth.  He  that  has 
confidence  in  him ;  that  relies  on  him ; 
that  trusts  to  his  merits  and  promises 
for  salvation.  To  believe  on  him  is 
to  feel  and  act  according  to  truth — 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  HI. 


229 


because  he  hath  not  believed  in 
the  name  of  the  only -begotten  Son 
of  God. 

19  And  this  is  the  condemnation, 
that  light «  is  come  into  the  world, 

a  c.  1.4,9-11. 


that  is,  to  go  as  lost  sinners,  and  act 
toward  him  as  a  Saviour  from  sins ; 
relying  on  him,  and  looking  to  him 
only  for  salvation.  See  Notes  on  Mark 
xvi.  16.  ^  Is  not  condemned.  God  par- 
dons sin,  and  delivers  us  from  deserv- 
ed punishment,  because  we  believe  on 
him.  Jesus  died  in  our  stead ;  he 
suffered  for  us,  and  by  his  sufferings 
our  sins  are  expiated,  and  it  is  consist- 
ent for  God  to  forgive.  When  a  sin- 
ner, therefore,  believes  on  Jesus,  he 
trusts  in  him  as  having  died  in  his 
l^lace,  and  God  having  accepted  the 
offering  which  Christ  made  in  our 
stead,  as  being  an  equivalent  for  our 
sufferings  in  hell,  there  is  noW  no 
farther  condemnation.  Rom.  viii.  1. 
T[  He  that  believeth  7iot.  All  who  do 
not  believe,  whether  the  Gospel  has 
come  to  them  or  not.  All  men  hj 
nature.  ^  Is  condem^ied  already.  By 
conscience,  by  law,  and  in  the  judg- 
m^pt  of  God.  God  disapproves  of 
their  character,  and  this  feeling  of 
disapprobation,  and  the  expression  of 
it,  is  the  condemnation.  There  is  no 
condemnation  so  terrible  as  this — 
that  God  disapproves  our  conduct,  and 
that  he  will  express  his  disapprobation. 
He  will  judge  according  to  truth,  and 
woe  to  that  man  whose  conduct  God 
can  not  approve.  Because.  This 
word  does  not  imply  that  the  ground 
or  reason  of  their  condemnation  is 
that  they  have  not  believed,  or  that 
they  are  condemned  because  they  do 
not  believe  on  him,  for  there  are  mil- 
lions of  sinners  who  have  never  heard 
of  him ;  but  the  meaning  is  this : 
There  is  but  one  way  by  which  men 
can  be  freed  from  condemnation.  All 
men  without  the  Gospel  are  condemn- 
ed. They  who  do  not  believe  are  still 
under  this  condemnation,  not  having 
embraced  the  only  way  by  which  they 
can  be  delivered  from  it.  The  verse 
may  be  thus  paraphrased:  'All  men 
are  by  nature  condemned.  There  is 
but  one  way  of  being  delivered  from 
this  state — by  believing  on  the  Son 
of  God.  They  who  do  7iot  believe  or 
remmn  in  that  state  are  still  condemn- 
ed, FOR  they  have  not  embraced  the 


and  men  loved  darkness  rather 
than  light,  because  their  deeds 
were  evil. 

20  For  every  one  that  doeth  evil 
hateth  the  light,  neither  *  cometh 

6  Job  24. 13,17.   Prov.4. 18. 


only  way  in  which  they  can  be  freed 
from  it.'^  Nevertheless,  those  to 
whom  the  Gospel  comes  greatly 
heighten  their  guilt  and  condemnai^ 
tion  by  rejecting  the  offers  of  mercy, 
and  trampling  under  foot  the  blood 
of  the  Son  of  God.  Lukexii.  47.  Matt. 
xi.23.  Heb.  X.29.  Prov.  i.  24-30.  And 
there  are  thousands  going  to  eternity 
under  this  double  condemnation — 1st. 
For  positive,  open  sin ;  and,  2d.  For 
rejecting  God's  mercy,  and  despising 
the  Gospel  of  his  Son.  'this  it  is 
wiiich  will  make  the  doom  of  sinners 
in  Christian  lands  so  terrible. 

19.  This  is  the  condenmation.  This  is 
the  cause  of  condemnation;  or  this 
is  the  reason  why  men  are  punished. 
1[  That  light  is  come.  Light  often  de- 
notes instruction,  teaching,  doctrine, 
as  that  by  which  we  see  clearly  the 
path  of  duty.  All  the  instruction 
that  God  gives  us  by  conscience,  rea- 
son, or  revelation  may  thus  be  called 
light ;  but  this  word  is  used  peculiar- 
ly to  denote  the  Messiah  or  the  Christ, 
who  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  light. 
See  Isa.  Ix.  1 ;  ix.  2.  Compare  Matt, 
iv.  16 ;  also  Notes  on  John  i.  4.  It 
was  doubtless  this  light  to  which 
Jesus  had  particular  reference  here. 
H  Men  loved  darkiiess.  Darkness  is  the 
emblem  of  ignorance,  iniquity,  error, 
superstition — whatever  is  opposite  to 
truth  and  piety.  Men  are  said  to  love 
darkness  more  than  they  do  light 
when  they  are  better  pleased  with  er- 
ror than  truth,  with  sin  than  holi- 
ness, with  Belial  than  Christ.  T[  Be- 
cause their  deeds  are  evil.  Men  who 
commit  crime  commonly  choose  to 
do  it  in  the  night,  so  as  to  escape  de- 
tection. So  men  who  are  wicked  pre- 
fer false  doctrine  and  error  to  the 
truth.  Thus  the  Pharisees  cloaked 
their  crimes  under  the  errors  of  their 
system;  and,  amid  their  false  doc- 
trines and  superstitions,  they  at- 
tempted to  convince  others  that  they 
had  great  zeal  for  God.  1[  Deeds. 
Works;  actions. 

20.  That  doeth  evil.  Every  wicked 
man.  *[[  Hateth  the  light.  This  is  true 
of  all  wicked  men.    They  choose  to 


230 


JOHK 


[A.D.  30. 


to  the  light,  lest  his  deeds  should 
^  be  reproved. 

21  But  he  that  doeth  « truth  com- 
eth  to  the  light,  that  his  deeds  may 
be  made  manifest  that  they  are 
wrought  *  in  God. 

1  or,  discovered.  a  1  Jno.  1 .  6. 

practice  their  deeds  of  wickedness  in 
darkness.  They  are  afraid  of  the  light, 
because  tliey  could  be  easily  detected. 
Hence  most  crimes  are  committed  in 
the  night.  So  with  the  sinner  against 
God.  He  hates  the  Gospel,  for  it  con- 
demns his  conduct,  and  his  conscience 
would  trouble  him  if  it  were  enlight- 
ened. ^  His  deeds  should  be  reproved. 
To  reprove  here  means  not  only  to  de- 
tect or  make  manifest,  but  also  includes 
the  idea  of  condemnation  when  his 
deeds  are  detected.  The  Gospel  would 
make  his  wickedness  manifest,  and  his 
conscience  would  condemn  him.  We 
learn  from  this  verse,  1st.  That  one 
design  of  the  Gospel  is  to  reprove  men. 
It  convicts  them  of  sin  in  order  that 
it  may  afford  consolation.  2d.  That 
men  by  nature  hate  the  Gospel.  No 
man  who  is  a  sinner  loves  it ;  and  no 
man  by  nature  is  disposed  to  come  to 
it,  any  more  than  an  adulterer  or 
Ihief  is  disposed  to  come  to  the  day- 
light, and  do  his  deeds  of  wickedness 
there.  3d.  The  reason  why  the  Gos- 
pel is  hated  is  that  men  are  sinners. 
"  Christ  is  hated  because  sin  is  loved." 
4th.  The  sinner  must  be  convicted  or 
convinced  of  sin.  If  it  be  not  in  this 
world,  it  will  be  in  the  next.  There 
is  no  escape  for  him;  and  the  only 
way  to  avoid  condemnation  in  the 
world  to  come  is  to  come  humbly 
and  acknowledge  sin  here,  and  seek 
for  pardon. 

21.  He  that  doeth  truth.  He  who  does 
right,  or  he  that  obeys  the  truth .  Truth 
liere  is  opposed  to  error  and  to  evil. 
The  sinner  acts  from  fafsehood  and  er- 
ror. The  good  man  acts  according  to 
truth.  The  sinner  believes  a  lie — that 
God  will  not  punish,  or  that  there  is 
no  God,  or  that  there  is  no  eternity 
and  no  hell.  The  Christian  believes 
all  these,  and  acts  as  ^/they  were  true. 
This  is  the  difference  between  a  Chris- 
tian and  a  sinner.  H  Cometh  to  the 
light.  Loves  the  truth,  and  seeks  it 
more  and  more.  By  prayer  and  search- 
ing the  Scriptures  he  endeavors  to  as- 
certain the  truth,  and  yield  his  mind 
to  it.    H  May  be  made  manifest.  May 


22  After  these  things  came  Jesus 
and  his  disciples  into  the  land  of 
J udea ;  and  there  he  tarried  with 
them,  and  ^  baptized. 

23  And  John  also  was  baptizing 
in  Enon,  near  to  Salim,  because 

ft  3  Jno.  11.  CC.4.  2.  rflSain.9.4. 


be  made  clear  or  plain;  or  that  it 
may  be  made  plain  that  his  deeds  are 
wrought  in  God.  He  searches  for  truth 
and  light  that  he  may  have  evidence 
that  his  actions  are  right.  ^  Wrought 
in  God.  That  they  are  performed  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God,  or  perhaps 
by  the  assistance  of  God,  and  are  such 
as  God  will  approve.  The  actions  of 
good  men  are  performed  by  the  influ- 
ence and  aid  of  God.  Phil.  ii.  12.  Of 
course,  if  they  are  performed  by  his 
aid,  they  are  such  as  he  will  approve. 
Here  is  presented  the  character  of  a 
good  man  and  a  sincere  Christian. 
We* learn  respecting  that  character, 
1st.  He  does  truth.  He  loves  it,  seeks 
it,  follows  it.  2d.  He  comes  to  the 
light.  He  does  not  attempt  to  de- 
ceive himself  or  others.  3d.  He  is 
willing  to  know  himself,  and  aims  to 
do  it.  He  desires  to  know  the  true 
state  of  his  heart  before  God.  4th.  An 
especial  object  of  his  efforts  is  that 'his 
deeds  may  be  wrought  in  God.  He  de- 
si7rs  to  be  a  good  man ;  to  receive  con- 
tinual aid  from  God,  and  to  perform 
such  actions  as  he  will  approve. 

This  is  the  close  of  our  Lord's  dis- 
course with  Nicodemus — a  discourse 
condensing  the  Gospel,  giving  the 
most  striking  exhibition  and  illustra- 
tion of  truth,  and  representing  espe- 
cially the  fundamental  doctrine  of  re- 
generation and  the  evidence  of  the 
change.  It  is  clear  that  the  Saviour 
regai-ded  this  as  lying  at  the  founda- 
tion of  religion.  Without  it  we  can 
not  possibly  be  saved.  And  now  it 
becomes  every  reader,  as  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God,  and  in  view  of  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ,  solemnly  to  ask 
himself  whether  he  has  experienced 
this  change  ?  Whether  he  knows  by 
experience  what  it  is  to  be  born  of 
that  Spirit?  If  he  does  he  will  be 
saved.  If  not,  he  is  in  the  gall  of  bit- 
terness and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity, 
and  should  give  no  sleep  to  his  eyes 
till  he  has  made  his  peace  with  God. 

22.  Land  ofJudea.  The  region  round 
about  Jerusalem.  ^  And  baptized.  Je- 
sus did  not  himself  administer  the  or- 


r 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  III. 


231 


tliere  was  much  water  there ;  and 
^  they  came  and  were  baptized : 

24  For  John  *  was  not  yet  cast 
into  prison. 

a  Matt.  3.  5, 6. 


dinance  of  baptism,  but  his  disciples 
did  it  by  his  direction  and  authority. 
John  iv.  3. 

23.  In  Enon.  The  word  Enon^  or 
^non^  means  a  fountain^  and  was 
doubtless  given  to  this  place  because 
of  the  fountains  there.  On  the  situa- 
tion of  the  place  nothing  certain  has 
been  determined.  Eusebius  places  it 
eight  Roman  miles  south  of  Scythop- 
olis  or  Bethshan,  and  fifty-three  north- 
east of  Jerusalem.  T[  Near  to  Salim. 
It  would  seem  from  this  that  Salim 
was  better  known  then  than  Enon, 
but  nothing  can  be  determined  now 
respecting  its  site.  These  places  are 
believed  to  have  been  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Jordan.  IT  Because  there 
was  much  water  there.  John's  preach- 
ing attracted  great  multitudes.  It  ap- 
pears that  they  remained  with  him, 
probably  many  days.  In  many  parts 
of  that  country,  particularly  in  the 
hilly  region  near  where  John  preach- 
ed, it  was  difficult  to  find  water  to  ac- 
commodate the  necessities  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  perhaps,  also,  of  the  camels 
with  which  those  from  a  distance 
would  come.  To  meet  their  necessi- 
ties, as  well  as  for  the  purpose  of  bap- 
tizing, he  selected  a  spot  that  was 
well  watered,  probably,  with  springs 
and  rivulets.  Whether  the  ordinance 
of  baptism  was  performed  by  immer- 
sion or  in  any  other  mode,  the  selec- 
tion of  a  place  well  watered  was  prop- 
er and  necessary.  The  mention  of  the 
fact  that  there  was  much  water  there, 
and  that  John  selected  that  as  a  con- 
venient place  to  perform  his  office  as 
a  baptizer,  proves  nothing  in  regard 
to  the  mode  in  which  the  ordinance 
was  administered,  since  he  would  nat- 
urally select  such  a  place,  whatever 
was  the  mode.  Where  numbers  of 
people  come  together  to  remain  any 
time,  it  is  necessary  to  select  such  a 
place,  whatever  their  employment.  An 
encampment  of  soldiers  is  made  on 
the  same  principles,  and  in  every 
camp-meeting  that  I  have  ever  seen, 
a  place  is  selected  where  there  is  a 
good  supply  of  water,  though  not  one 
person  should  be  immersed  during  the 
whole  services.  As  all  the  facts  in  the 


25  Then  there  arose  a  ques- 
tion between  some  of  John's  dis- 
ciples and  the  Jews  about  puri- 
fying. 

b  Matt.  14. 3. 


case  are  fully  met  by  the  supposition 
that  John  might  have  baptized  in 
some  other  way  besides  immersion, 
and  as  it  is  easy  to  conceive  another 
reason  that  is  sufficient  to  account  for 
the  fact  that  such  a  place  was  select- 
ed, this  passage  certainly  should  not 
be  adduced  to  prove  that  he  perform- 
ed baptism  only  in  that  manner. 

24.  Eor  John  was  not  yet  cast  into 
prison.  See  Luke  iii.  20.  The  men- 
tion of  this  shows  that  John  was  not 
imprisoned  till  some  time  after  our 
Lord  entered  on  his  ministry.  The 
design  of  John  was  to  call  men  to  re- 
pentance, and  to  prepare  them  for 
the  Messiah,  and  this  he  continued  to 
do  after  our  Saviour  commenced  his 
work.  It  shows  that  a  minister  of  re- 
ligion should  be  industrious  to  the 
day  of  his  death.  J ohn  still  toiled  in 
his  work  not  the  less  because  the  Mes- 
siah had  come.  So  ministers  should 
not  labor  less  when  Christ  appears  h}^ 
his  Spirit,  and  takes  the  work  into  his 
own  hands,  and  turns  many  to  him- 
self. 

25.  A  question.  Rather  a  contro- 
versy— a  dispute.  ^  John''s  discijjles. 
Those  who  had  been  baptized  by  him, 
and  who  attached  great  efficacy  and 
importance  to  the  teaching  of  their 
master.  Compare  Notes  on  Acts  xix. 
1-5.  T[  And  the  Jeivs.  Many  manu- 
scripts, some  of  the  fathers,  and  the 
ancient  Syriac  version,  read  this  in  the 
singular  number — "with  a  Jew,''''  one 
who,  it  is  commonly  supposed,  had 
been  baptized  by  the  disciples  of  J e- 
sus.  ^  About  purifying.  What  the 
precise  subject  of  this  dispute  was  we 
do  not  know.  From  what  follows,  it 
would  seem  probable  that  it  was  about 
the  comparative  value  and  efficacy  of 
the  baptism  performed  by  John  and 
by  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  The  word 
purifying  may  be  applied  to  baptism, 
as  it  was  an  emblem  of  repentance 
and  purity,  and  was  thus  used  by  the 
Jews,  by  John,  and  by  Jesus.  About 
this  subject  it  seems  that  a  dispute 
arose,  and  was  carried  to  such  a  length 
that  complaint  was  made  to  John. 
From  this  we  may  learn,  1st.  That  even 
in  the  time  of  Jesus,  when  the  Gospel 


232 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


26  And  they  came  unto  John, 
and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  he  that 
was  with  thee  beyond  Jordan,  to 
whom  thou  *  barest  witness,  be- 
hold, the  same  baptizeth,  and  all  * 
men  come  to  him. 

27  John  answered  and  said,  A*' 

a  c.  1 .  7, 15,  etc.  h  Psa.  65.  2.    Isa.  45.  23. 

c  1  Cor.  2. 12-14 ;  4.  7.   Heb.  5. 4.   Jas.  1.17. 

1  or,  take  unto  himself. 


began  to  be  preached,  there  was  wit- 
nessed— what  has  been  ever  since — 
unhappy  disputings  on  the  subject  of 
religion.  Even  young  converts  may, 
by  overheated  zeal  and  ignorance, 
fall  into  angry  discussion.  2d.  That 
such  discussions  are  commonly  about 
some  unimportant  matter  of  religion ; 
something  which  they  may  not  yet 
be  qualified  to  understand,  and  which 
does  not  materially  affect  them  if  they 
could.  3d.  That  such  disputes  are  oft- 
en connected  with  a  spirit  of  prose- 
lytism — with  boasting  of  the  superior 
excellence  of  the  sect  with  which  loe 
are  -connected,  or  in  connection  with 
whom  we  have  been  converted,  and 
often  with  a  desire  to  persuade  others 
to  join  with  us.  4th.  That  such  a  spir- 
it is  eminently  improper  on  such  oc- 
casions. Love  should  characterize  the 
feelings  of  young  converts ;  a  disposi- 
tion to  inquire  and  not  to  dispute;  a 
willingness  that  all  should  follow  the 
dictates  of  their  own  consciences,  and 
not  a  desire  to  proselyte  them  to  our 
way  of  thinking  or  to  our  Church.  It 
may  be  added  that  there  is  scarcely 
any  thing  which  so  certainly  and  ef- 
fectually arrests  a  revival  of  religion 
as  such  a  disposition  to  dispute^  and  to 
make  proselytes  to  particular  modes 
of  faith,  and  of  administering  the  or- 
dinances of  the  Gospel. 

26.  Came  unto  John.  Came  to  him 
with  their  complaint;  envious  and 
jealous  at  the  success  of  Jesus,  and 
evidently  irritated  from  the  discus- 
sion, as  if  their  master  was  about  to 
lose  his  popularity.  H  JRabbi.  Master. 
See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  7.  Acknowl- 
edging him  as  their  master  and  teach- 
er. ^  That  was  with  thee.  Who  was 
baptized  by  thee.  H  Thou  barest  wit- 
ness. See  chap.  i.  29-35.  1[  All  men 
come  to  him.  This  was  the  source  of 
their  difficulty.  It  was  that  Jesus 
was  gaining  popularity ;  that  the  peo- 
ple flocked  to  him ;  that  they  feared 
that  John  would  be  forsaken,  and  his 


man  can  ^  receive  nothing,  except 
it  be  given  him  from  heaven. 

28  Ye  yourselves  bear  me  wit- 
ness that  I  said,  ^  I  am  not  the 
Christ,  but  that  ^  I  am  sent  before 
him. 

29  He  that  hath  the  bride is  the 

fZc.l.20,27.  cLu.1.17.  /  Cant.  4.  8-12. 

Jer.  2.  2.  Ezek.  16.8.  Hos.  2. 19,  20.  Matt.  22.  2.  2  Cor. 
11.2.   Eph.6.  25,  27.  Rev.  21.  9. 


followers  be  diminished  in  numbers 
and  influence.  Thus  many  love  their 
sect  more  than  they  do  Christ,  and 
would  be  more  rejoiced  that  a  man 
became  a  Presbyterian,  a  Methodist, 
a  Baptist,  than  that  he  became  a  sin- 
cere and  humble  Christian.  This  is 
not  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel.  True 
piety  teaches  us  to  rejoice  that  sin- 
ners turn  to  Christ  and  become  holy, 
whether  they  follow  us  or  not.  See 
Mark  ix.  38,  39.  Let  Jesus  be  exalted, 
and  let  men  turn  to  him^  is  the  lan- 
guage of  religion,  whatever  denomi- 
nation they  may  feel  it  their  duty  to 
follow. 

27.  John  answered^  etc.  John  did 
not  enter  into  their  feelings  or. sym- 
pathize with  their  love  of  party.  He 
came  to  honor  Jesus,  not  to  build  up 
a  sect.  He  rejoiced  at  the  success  of 
the  Messiah,  and  began  to  teach  them 
to  rejoice  in  it  also.  ^  A  man  can  re- 
ceive nothing^  etc.  All  success  is  from 
heaven.  All  my  success  was  from 
God.  All  the  success  of  Jesus  is  from 
God.  As  success  comes  from  the  same 
source,  we  ought  not  to  be  envious. 
It  is  designed  to  answer  the  same 
end,  and,  by  whomsoever  accomplish- 
ed, the  hand  of  God  is  in  it,  and  we 
should  rejoice.  If  Jesus  and  his  dis- 
ciples are  successful,  if  all  men  flee  to 
him,  it  is  proof  that  God  favors  him, 
and  you  should  rejoice. 

28.  Bear  me  witness.  You  remember 
that  at  first  I  told  you  I  was  not  the 
Messiah.  As  he  had  been  witness  to 
Jesus — as  he  came  for  no  other  end 
but  to  point  him  out  to  the  Jews, 
they  ought  not  to  suppose  that  he  was 
his  superior.  It  was  but  reasonable 
to  expect  that  Christ  himself  would 
be  more  successful  than  his  forerun- 
ner. "I  came,  not  to  form  a  sepa^'ate 
party ^  a  peculiar  sect,  but  to  prepare 
the  way  that  he  might  be  more  suc- 
cessful, and  that  the  people  might  be 
ready  for  his  coming,  and  that  he 
might  have  the  success  which  he  has 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  HI. 


233 


bridegroom  ;  but  the  friend  «  of 
the  bridegroom,  which  standeth 
and  heareth  him,  rejoiceth  greatly 
because  of  the  bridegroom's  voice. 
This  my  joy,  therefore,  is  fulfilled. 

30  He  must  increase,  but  I  must 
decrease. 

31  He  that  cometh  from  above  * 

a  Cant.  5. 1.  h  c.  6.  33 ;  8. 23.  Eph.  1.  20, 21. 


actually  met  with.  You  should  re- 
joice, therefore,  at  that  success,  and 
not  envy  it,  for  his  success  is  the  best 
proof  of  the  greatness  of  my  word, 
and  of  its  success  also." 

29.  He  that  hath  the  bride,  etc.  This 
is  an  illustration  drawn  from  mar- 
riage. The  bride  belongs  to  her  hus- 
band. So  the  Church,  the  bride  of 
the  Messiah,  belongs  to  him.  It  is  to 
be  exi^ectecl,  therefore,  and  desired,  that 
the  people  should  flock  to  him.  ^[  But 
the  friend  of  the  bridegroom.  He  whose 
office  it  is  to  attend  him  on  the  mar- 
riage occasion.  This  was  commonly 
the  nearest  friend,  and  was  a  high 
honor,  t  Rejoiceth  greatly.  Esteems 
himself  highly  honored  by  the  proof 
of  friendship.  If  The  biHdegroom' s  voice. 
His  commands,  requests,  or  conversa- 
tion. ^  This  my  joy,  etc.  "I  sustain 
to  the  Messiah  the  relation  which  a 
groomsman  does  to  the  groom.  The 
chief  honor  and  the  chief  joy  is  not 
mine,  but  his.  It  is  to  be  expected, 
therefore,  that  the  people  will  come 
to  him,  and  that  his  success  will  be 
great."  The  relation  of  Christ  to  the 
Church  is  often  compared  with  the 
marriage  relation,  denoting  the  ten- 
derness of  the  union,  and  his  great 
love  for  his  people.  Compare  Isa.  Ixii. 
5.  Rev.  xxi.  2,  9 ;  xxii.  17.  Eph.  v.  26, 
27,32.  2Cor.xi.  2. 

30.  ITe  must  increase.  His  authority 
and  influence  among  the  people  must 
grow.  His  doctrine  shall  continue  to 
spread  till  it  extends  through  all  the 
earth.  ^  I  must  decrease.  The  pur- 
pose of  my  ministry  is  to  point  men 
to  him.  When  that  is  done  my  work 
is  done.  I  came  not  to  form  a  party 
of  my  own,  nor  to  set  up  a  religion  of 
my  own ;  and  my  teaching  must  cease 
when  he  is  fully  established,  as  the 
light  of  the  morning  star  fades  away 
and  is  lost  in  the  beams  of  the  rising 
sun."  This  evinced  John's  humili- 
ty and  willingness  to  be  esteemed  as 
nothing  if  he  could  honor  Christ.  It 


is  above  all :  he  « that  is  of  the 
earth  is  earthly,  and  speaketh  of 
the  earth :  he  that  cometh  from 
heaven  is  above  all. 

32  And  what  he  hath  seen  and 
heard,  that  he  testifieth ;  and  no  ^ 
man  receiveth  his  testimony. 

33  He  that  hath  received  his  tes- 

cl  Cor.  15. 47.  d  c.l.U. 


shows  US,  also,  that  it  is  sufficient 
honor  for  man  if  he  may  be  permitted 
to  point  sinners  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  No  work  is  so  honorable  and 
joyful  as  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel; 
none  are  so  highly  honored  as  those 
who  are  permitted  to  stand  near  the 
Son  of  God,  to  hear  his  voice,  and  to 
lead  perishing  men  to  his  cross.  Com- 
pare Dan.  xii.  3. 

31.  He  that  cometh  from  above.  The 
Messiah,  represented  as  coming  down 
from  heaven.  See  verse  13 ;  chap.  vi. 
33;  viii.  23.  It  has  been  doubted 
whether  the  remainder  of  this  chap- 
ter contains  the  words  of  John  the 
Baptist  or  of  the  evangelist.  The  for- 
mer is  the  more  probable  opinion, 
but  it  is  difficult  to  decide  it,  and  it  is 
of  very  little  consequence.  ^  Is  above 
all.  In  nature,  rank,  and  authority. 
Is  superior  to  all  prophets  (Heb.  i.  1, 2) ; 
to  all  angels  (Heb.  i.  4-14),  and  is  over 
all  the  universe  as  its  sovereign  Lord. 
Rom.  ix.  5.  Eph.  i.  21,  22.  Col.  i.  15- 
19.  1  Cor.  XV.  25.  H  He  that  is  of  the 
earth.  He  who  has  no  higher  nature 
than  the  human  nature.  The  proph- 
ets, apostles,  and  John  were  men  like 
others,  born  in  the  same  way,  and 
sinking,  like  others,  to  the  dust.  See 
Acts  xiv.  15.  Jesus  had  a  nature  su- 
perior to  man,  and  ought,  therefore, 
to  be  exalted  above  all.  ^  Is  earthly. 
Is  human.  Is  inferior  to  him  who 
comes  from  heaven.  Partakes  of  his 
oriai7i,  which  is  inferior  and  corrupt. 
IF  Speaketh  of  the  earth.  His  teaching 
is  inferior  to  that  of  him  who  comes 
from  heaven.  It  is  comparatively  ob- 
scure and  imperfect,  not  full  and  clear, 
like  the  teaching  of  him  who  is  from 
above.  This  was  the  case  with  all 
the  prophets,  and  even  with  John  the 
Baptist,  as  compared  with  the  teach- 
ing of  Christ. 

32.  A7id  what  he  hath  seen,  etc.  See 
verse  11.  1[  No  man  receiveth  Ids  testi- 
mony. The  words  no  man  are  here 
to  be  understood  in  the  sense  of  few. 


234 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


timony  liatli «  set  to  liis  seal  that 
God  is  true. 

34  For  *  he  whom  God  hath  sent 
speaketh  the  words  of  God;  for 
God  giveth  not  the  Spirit  by  meas- 
ure unto  Jiim. 

35  The  Father  loveth  the  Son/ 

a  1  John  5.  10.  b  c.  7. 16. 

cPsa.45.7.  I8a.ll.2;  59.21.  c.1.16.  Col.  1.19. 

Though  his  doctrine  is  pure,  plain, 
sublime,  yet  few^  comparatively,  re- 
ceived it  in  faith.  Though  multitudes 
came  to  him,  drawn  by  various  mo- 
tives (John  vi.  26),  yet/ew;  became  his 
real  disciples.  Matt.  xxvi.  56 ;  vii.  22. 
^  His  testimony.  His  doctrine.  The 
truth  to  which  he  bears  witness  as  hav- 
ing seen  and  known  it.  Verse  11.  Oft- 
en many  persons  appear  for  a  time  to 
become  the  followers  of  Christ,  who 
in  the  end  are  seen  to  have  known 
nothing  of  religion.  Matt.  xiii.  6. 
Luke  viii.  13. 

33.  He  that  hath  received  his  testimo?iy. 
Hath  received  and  fully  believed  his 
doctrine.  Hath  yielded  his  heart  to 
its  influence.  H  Hath  set  to  his  seal. 
To  seal  an  instrument  is  to  make  it 
sure;  to  acknowledge  it  as  ours;  to 
pledge  our  veracity  that  it  is  true  and 
binding,  as  when  a  man  seals  a  bond, 
a  deed,  or  a  will.  Believing  a  doc- 
trine, therefore,  in  the  heart,  is  ex- 
pressed by  sealing  it^  or  by  believing 
it  we  express  our  firm  conviction  that 
it  is  true,  and  that  God  who  has  spo- 
ken it  is  true.  We  vouch  for  the  ve- 
racity of  God,  and  assume  as  our  own 
the  proposition  that  it  is  the  truth  of 
God.  If  Ood  is  trice.  Is  faithful;  is 
the  author  of  the  system  of  doctrines, 
and  will  fulfil  all  that  he  has  prom- 
ised. We  learn  here,  1st.  That  to  be  a 
true  believer  is  something  more  than 
to  hold  a  mere  speculative  belief  of 
the  truth.  2d.  That  to  be  a  believer 
is  to  pledge  ourselves  for  the  truth,  to 
seal  it  as  our  own,  to  adopt  it,  to 
choose  it,  and  solemnly  assent  to  it, 
as  a  man  does  in  regard  to  an  instru- 
ment of  writing  that  is  to  convey  his 
property,  or  that  is  to  dispose  of  it 
when  he  dies.  3d.  Every  Christian  is 
a  witness  for  God,  and  it  is  his  busi- 
ness to  show  by  his  life  that  he  be- 
lieves that  God  is  true  to  his  threat- 
enings  and  to  his  promises.  See  Notes 
on  Isa.  xliii.  10.  4th.  It  is  a  solemn 
act  to  become  a  Christian.  It  is  a  sur- 
render of  all  to  God,  or  giving  away 


and  hath  given  all  things  into  his 
hand. 

36  He  ^  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  everlasting  life ;  and  he  that 
believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see 
life,  but  the  math/  of  God  abideth 
on  him.  ^ 

Matt.  28.18.  cHab.2.4.   ver.  15,16. 

/  Rom.  1. 18. 


bod}',  soul,  and  spirit  to  him,  with  a 
belief  that  he  is  true,  and  alone  is  able 
to  save.  5th.  The  man  that  does  not 
do  this — that  is  not  willing  to  pledge 
his  belief  that  God  is  true,  sets  to  his 
seal  that  God  is  a  liar  and  unworthy 
of  confidence.  1 J ohn  v.  10. 

34.  Whom  God  hath  sent.  The  Mes- 
siah. ^  Speaketh  the  words  of  God.  The 
truth,  or  commands  of  God.  1[  For 
God  giveth  not  the  Spirit.  The  Spirit 
of  God.  Though  Jesus  was  God  as 
well  as  man,  yet,  as  Mediator,  God 
anointed  him,  or  endowed  him  with 
the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  so  as  to 
be  completely  qualified  for  his  great 
work.  By  measure.  Not  in  a  small 
degree,  but  fully,  completely.  The 
prophets  were  inspired  on  particular 
occasions  to  deliver  special  messages. 
The  Messiah  was  continually  filled  with 
the  Spirit  of  God.  "  The  Spirit  dwelt 
in  him,  not  as  a  vessel,  but  as  in  a 
fountain,  as  in  a  bottomless  ocean." 
— Henry. 

35.  Loveth  the  Son.  Loves  him  emi- 
nently, above  all  the  prophets  and  all 
the  other  messengers  of  God.  ^  Hath 
given  all  things  into  his  hand.  Sec  Notes 
on  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 

36.  Hath  everlasting  life.  Has  or  is 
in  possession  of  that  which  is  a  recov- 
ery from  spiritual  death,  and  which 
will  result  in  eternal  life  in  heaven. 
Piety  here  is  the  same  that  it  will  be 
there,  except  that  it  will  be  expand- 
ed, matured,  purified,  made  more  glo- 
rious. It  is  here  life  begun— the  first 
breathings  and  pantings  of  the  soul 
for  immortality;  yet  it  is  life,  though 
at  first  feeble  and  faint,  which  is  eter- 
nal in  its  nature,  and  which  shall  be 
matured  in  the  full  and  perfect  bliss 
of  heaven.  The  Christian  here  has  a 
foretaste  of  the  world  of  glory,  and 
enjo3's  the  same  kind  of  felicity,  though 
not  the  same  degree,  that  he  will  there. 
If  Shall  not  see  life.  Shall  neither  en- 
joy true  life  or  happiness  here  nor  in 
the  world  to  come.  Shall  never  en- 
ter heaven.   ^  The  wrath  of  God.  The 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


235 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WHEN,  therefore,  the  Lord 
knew  how  the  Pharisees 
had  heard  that  Jesns  made  and 
baptized  "  more  disciples  than 
John 

2  (Though  Jesus  himself  baptized 
not,  but  his  disciples), 

a  c.  3.  22,  26.  6Lu.2.49. 


anger  of  God  for  sin.  His  opposition 
to  sin,  and  its  terrible  effects  in  this 
world  and  the  next.  ^  Abideth  on 
him.  This  implies  that  he-is  7iow  un- 
der the  wrath  of  God,  or  under  con- 
demnation. It  implies,  also,  that  it 
will  C07iti7iue  to  remain  on  him.  It  will 
abide  or  dwell  there  as  its  appropriate 
habitation.  As  there  is  no  way  of  es- 
caping the  wrath  of  God  but  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  so  those  who  will 
not  believe  must  go  to  eternity  as 
they  are^  and  bear  alone  and  unpitied 
all  that  God  may  choose  to  inflict  as 
the  expression  of  his  sense  of  sin. 
Such  is  the  miserable  condition  of 
the  sinner !  Yet  thousands  choose  to 
remain  in  this  state,  and  to  encounter 
alone  all  that  is  terrible  in  the  wrath 
of  Almighty  God,  rather  than  come  to 
Jesus,  who  has  borne  their  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree,  and  who  is  will- 
ing to  bless  them  with  the  peace,  and 
purity,  and  joy  of  immortal  life. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
1.  The  Lord  kneio.  When  Jesus 
knev.^.  Hoiv  he  knew  this  we  are  not 
informed ;  whether  by  that  power  of 
omniscience  by  which  he  knew  all 
things,  or  whether  some  person  had 
informed  him  of  it.  H  How  the  Pharisees 
Jiad  heard.  The  Pharisees^  here,  seem 
to  denote  either  the  members  of  the 
Sanhedrim  or  those  who  were  in  au- 
thority. Thc}^  claimed  the  authority 
to  regulate  the  rites  and  ceremonies 
of  religion,  and  hence  they  supposed 
they  had  a  right  to  inquire  into  the 
conduct  of  both  John  and  our  Lord. 
They  had  on  a  former  occasion  sent 
to  inquire  of  John  to  know  by  what 
authority  he  had  introduced  such  a 
rite  into  the  religion  of  the  Jewish 
people.  See  Notes  on  ch.  i.  25.  *^More 
disciples  than  John.  Though  many  of 
the  Pharisees  came  to  his  baptism 
(Matt,  iii.),  yet  those  who  were  in  au- 
thority were  displeased  with  the  suc- 
cess of  John.    John  i.  25.    The  rea- 


3  He  left  Judea,  and  departed 
again  into  Galilee. 

4  And  he  must  needs  ^  go  through 
Samaria. 

5  Then  cometh  he  to  a  city  of 
Samaria  which  is  called  Sychar, 
near  to  the  parcel  of  ground  that 
Jacob  gave to  his  son  Joseph. 

c  Gen. 33. 19  ;  48. 22.   Josh.  24. 32. 


sons  of  this  were,  probably,  the  se- 
verity and  justness  of  his  reproofs 
(Matt.  iii.  7),  and  the  fact  that  by  draw- 
ing many  after  him  he  weakened  their 
authority  and  influence.  As  they  were 
displeased  with  John^  so  they  were 
with  Jesus.,  who  was  doing  the  same 
thing  on  a  larger  scale — not  only  mak- 
ing disciples,  but  baptizing  also  with- 
out their  authority,  and  drawing  away 
the  people  after  him. 

2.  Though  Jesus  himself  baptized  not. 
The  reason  why  Jesus  did  not  baptize 
was  probably  because,  if  he  had  bap- 
tized, it  might  have  made  unhappy  di- 
visions among  his  followers :  those 
might  have  considered  themselves 
most  worthy  or  honored  who  had 
been  baptized  by  him.  Comp.  1  Cor. 
i.  17. 

8.  He  left  Judea.  The  envy  and  mal- 
ice of  the  Pharisees  he  m'ight  have 
known  were  growing  so  rapidly  as  to 
endanger  his  life.  As  his  time  to  die 
had  not  yet  come,  he  retired  to  Gali- 
lee, a  country  farther  from  Jerusalem, 
and  much  less  under  their  control 
than  Judea.  See  Mark  ii.  22.  Luke 
iii.  1.  Though  he  feared  not  death  and 
did  not  shrink  from  suffering,  yet  he 
did  not  needlessly  throw  himself  into 
danger  or  provoke  opposition.  He 
could  do  as  much  good  in  Galilee, 
probably,  as  in  Judea,  and  he  there- 
fore withdrew  himself  from  immedi- 
ate danger. 

4.  And  he  must  needs  go  through  Sa- 
maria. Samaria  was  between  Judea 
and  Galilee.  The  direct  and  usual  way 
was  to  pass  through  Samaria.  Some- 
times, however,  the  Jews  took  a  cir- 
cuitous route  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Jordan.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii.  22. 

5.  Stjchar.  This  city  stood  about 
eight  miles  southeast  of  the  city  call- 
ed Samaria,  between  Mount  Ebal  and 
Mount  Gerizim.  It  was  one  of  the 
oldest  cities  of  Palestine,- and  was  for- 
merly known  by  the  name  of  Bhechem., 
orSichem.  Gen.  xxxiii.  18;  xii.6.  The 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


237 


6  Now  Jacob's  well  was  there. 
Jesus  therefore,  being  wearied  with 
Ms  journey,  sat  thus  on  the  well ; 
and  it  was  about  the  sixth  hour. 

7  There  cometh  a  woman  of  Sa- 
maria to  draw  water.  Jesus  saith 
unto  her,  Give  me  to  dri^k. 

8  For  his  disciples  were  gone 
away  unto  the  city  to  buy  meat. 

a  Acts  10.  28. 


city  was  in  the  tribe  of  Ephraim.  Josh, 
xxi.  21.  It  was  at  this  place  that 
Joshua  assembled  the  people  before 
his  death,  and  here  they  renewed  their 
covenant  with  the  Lord.  Josh.  xxiv. 
After  the  death  of  Gideon  it  became 
a  place  of  idolatrous  worship,  the  peo- 
ple worshipping  Baalberith.  Judg.  ix. 
46.  It  was  destroj^ed  by  Abimelech, 
who  beat  down  the  city  and  sowed  it 
with  salt.  Judg.  ix.  45.  It  was  after- 
ward rebuilt,  and  became  the  resi- 
dence of  Jeroboam,  the  king  of  Israel. 
1  Kings  xii.  25.  It  was  called  by  the 
Romans  Flavia  Neapolis^  and  this  has 
been  corrupted  by  the  Arabs  into  JSfdb- 
luSy  its  present  name.  It  is  still  a  con- 
siderable place,  and  its  site  is  remark- 
ably pleasant  and  productive.  The 
cut  on  the  opposite  page,  from  a  pho- 
tographic^'epresentationby  J.  Graham 
(Churton  and  Jones),  will  furnish  a 
good  illustration  of  Sychar,  with  the 
scenery  around  it,  as  it  appears  at 
present.  H  The  parcel  of  ground.  The 
piece  of  ground ;  or  the  land^  etc. 
%  That  Jacob  gave^  etc.  Jacob  bought 
one  piece  of  ground  near  to  Shalem, 
a  city  of  Shechem,  of  the  children  of 
Hamor,  the  father  of  Shechem,  for  an 
hundred  pieces  of  silver.  Gen.  xxxiii. 
19.  In  this  place  the  bones  of  Jo- 
seph were  buried  when  they  were 
brought  up  from  Egypt.  Josh.  xxiv. 
32.  He  also  gave  to  Joseph  an  addi- 
tional piece  of  ground  which  he  took 
from  the  hand  of  the  Amorite  by  his 
own  valor,  "with  his  sword  and  his 
bow,"  as  a  portion  above  that  which 
was  given  to  his  brethren.  Gen.  xlviii. 
22.  Possibly  these  pieces  of  ground 
lay  near  together,  and  were  a  part  of 
the  homestead  of  Jacob.  The  well  was 
"near"  to  this.  There  is  now,  the 
Rev.  E.  Smith  mentioned  to  me  in 
conversation,  a  place  near  this  well 
called  Shalem. 

6.  JacoVs  well.  This  is  not  mention- 
ed in  the  Old  Testament.   It  was  call- 


9  Then  saith  the  woman  of  Sa- 
maria unto  him,  How  is  it  that 
thou,  being  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of 
me,  which  am  a  woman  of  Sama- 
ria ?  for  the  J ews  have  no  dealings 
"  with  the  Samaritans. 

10  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
her.  If  thou  knewest  the  gift  ^  of 
God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to 

h  Eph.  2. 8. 

 IJ^  

ed  JacoV  swells  probably,  either  because 
it  was  handed  down  by  tradition  that 
he  dug  it,  or  because  it  was  near  to 
the  land  which  he  gave  to  Joseph. 
There  is  still  a  well  a  few  miles  to  the 
east  of  Nablvis,  which  is  said  by  the 
people  thereto  be  the  same.  The  Rev. 
Eli  Smith,  missionary  to  Syria,  stated 
to  me  that  he  had  visited  this  well. 
It  is  about  one  hundred  feet  deep.  It 
is  cut  through  solid  rock  of  limestone. 
It  is  now  dry,  probably  from  having 
been  partly  filled  with  rubbish,  or  per- 
haps because  the  water  has  been  di- 
verted by  earthquakes.  The  well  is 
covered  with  a  large  stone,  which  has 
a  hole  in  the  centre  large  enough  to 
admit  a  man.  It  is  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Gerizim,  and  has  a  plain  on 
the  east.  ^  Sat  tlius.  J esus  was  wea- 
ry, and,  being  thus  weary,  sat  down 
on  the  well.  The  word  translated  o?i 
here  may  denote  also  by — he  sat  down 
by  the  well,  or  near  it.  T|  The  sixth 
hour.  About  twelve  o'clock.  This 
was  the  common  time  of  the  Jewish 
meal,  and  this  was  the  reason  why  his 
disciples  were  gone  away  to  buy  food. 
Verse  8.  The  cut  on  the  following 
page,  from  "The  Land  and  the  Book" 
(Dr.  Thomson),  will  give  a  good  view 
of  the  scene  as  it  at  present  appears. 

7.  Of  Samaria.  Not  of  the  city  of 
Samaria,  for  this  was  at  a  distance  of 
eight  miles,  but  a  woman  who  was  a 
Samaritan,  and  doubtless  from  the  city 
of  Sychar.  Give  me  to  drink.  This 
was  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  when 
Jesus  was  weary  with  his  journey. 
The  request  was  also  made  that  it 
might  give  him  occasion  to  discourse 
with  her  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
and  in  this  instance  we  have  a  speci- 
men of  the  remarkably  happy  manner 
in  which  he  could  lead  on  a  conversa- 
tion so  as  to  introduce  the  subject  of 
religion. 

8.  Buy  meat.    Buy  food. 

9.  No  dealings  with  the  Samaritans. 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


239 


thee,  Give  me  to  drink ;  thou 
wouldest  have  asked  of  him,  and 
he  would  have  given  thee  living  « 
water. 

11  The  woman  saith  unto  him, 
Sir,  thou  hast  nothing  to  draw 
with,  and  the  well  is  deep ;  from 
whence,  then,  hast  thou  that  liv- 
ing water  ? 

a  Isa.  12. 3 ;  41. 17, 18.  Jer.  2. 13.  Zech.  13. 1 ;  14. 8. 
Rev.  k2. 17. 


For  an  account  of  the  Samaritans,  and 
of  the  differences  between  them  and 
the  Jews,  see  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  5. 

10.  The  gift  of  God,  The  word  gift 
here  denotes  favor.  It  may  refer  to 
Jesus  himself  as  ih.Q  gift  of  God  to  the 
world,  given  to  save  men  from  death 
(chap.  iii.  16.  2  Cor.  ix.  15),  or  it  may 
refer  to  the  opportunity  then  afforded 
her  of  seeking  salvation.  If  thou 
knewest  how  favorable  an  opportu- 
nity God  now  gives  thee  to  gain  a 
knowledge  of  himself,  etc.  H  And  who 
it  is,  etc.  If  thou  knewest  that  the 
Messiah  was  speaking.  T[  Living  wa- 
ter. The  Jews  used  the  expression 
living  water  to  denote  springs,  fount- 
ains, or  running  streams,  in  opposi- 
tion to  dead  and  stagnant  water.  J e- 
sus  here  means  to  denote  by  it  his 
doctrine,,  or  his  grace  and  religion,  in 
opposition  to  the  impure  and  dead 
notions  of  the  Jews  and  the  Samari- 
tans. See  verse  14.  This  was  one  of 
the  many  instances  in  which  he  took 
occasion  from  common  topics  of  con- 
versation to  introduce  religious  dis 
course.  None  ever  did  it  so  happily 
as  he  did,  but,  by  studying  his  exam- 
ple and  manner,  we  may  learn  also  to 
do  it.  One  way  to  acquire  the  art  is 
to  have  the  mind  full  of  the  subject; 
to  make  religion  our  first  and  main 
thing ;  to  carry  it  with  us  into  all  em- 
ployments and  into  all  society ;  to 
look  upon  every  thing  in  a  religious 
light,  and  out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  will  speak.  Matt, 
xii.  34. 

11.  Hast  nothing  to  draw  with.  It 
seems  that  there  were  no  means  of 
drawing  water  affixed  to  the  well,  as 
with  us.  Probably  each  one  took  a 
pail  or  pitcher  and  a  cord  for  the  pur- 
pose. In  traveling  this  was  indispen- 
sable. The  woman,  seeing  that  Jesus 
had  no  means  of  drawing  water,  and 
not  yet  understanding  his  design,  nat- 
urally inquired  whence  he  could  ob- 


12  Art  thou  greater  than  our  fa- 
ther Jacob,  which  gave  us  the 
well,  and  drank  thereof  himself, 
and  his  children,  and  his  cattle  ? 

13  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
her.  Whosoever  drinketh  of  this 
water  shall  thirst  again ; 

14  But  ^  whosoever  drinketh  of 
the  water  that  I  shall  give  ^  him 

b  c.  6.35,58. 

cc.  17.  2,3.    Rom.  6.  23. 

tain  the  water.  T[  The  well  is  deep.  If 
the  same  one  that  is  there  now,  it  was 
about  an  hundred  feet  deep. 

12.  Art  thou  greater.  Art  thou  wiser, 
or  better  able  to  find  water,  than  Ja- 
cob was  ?  It  seems  that  she  supposed 
that  he  meant  that  he  could  direct  her 
to  some  living  spring,  or  to  some  bet- 
ter well  in  that  region,  and  that  this 
implied  more  knowledge  or  skill  than 
Jacob  had.  To  find  water  and  to  fur- 
nish a  good  well  was  doubtless  con- 
sidered a  matter  of  signal  skill  and 
success.  It  was  a  subject  of  great  im- 
portance in  that  region.  This  show^s 
how  ready  sinners  are  to  misunder- 
stand the  words  of  Christ,  and  to  per- 
vert the  doctrines  of  religion.  If  she 
had  had  any  proper  anxiety  about  her 
soul,  she  would  at  least  have  suspected 
that  he  meant  to  direct  her  thoughts 
to  spiritual  objects.  1[  Our  father  Ja- 
cob. The  Samaritans  were  composed 
partly  of  the  remnant  of  the  ten  tribes, 
and  partly  of  people  sent  from  Chal- 
dea;  still,  they  considered  themselves 
descendants  of  Jacob.  1[  Which  gave 
us.  This  was  doubtless  the  tradition, 
though  there  is  no  evidence  that  it 
was  true.  H  And  drank  thereof  etc. 
This  was  added  in  commendation  of 
the  water  of  the  well.  A  well  from 
which  Jacob,  and  his  sons,  and  cattle 
had  drank  must  be  pure,  and  whole- 
some, and  honored,  and  quite  as  valu- 
able as  any  that  Jesus  could  furnish. 
Men  like  to  commend  that  which 
their  ancestors  used  as  superior  to 
any  thing  else.  The  world  over,  peo- 
ple love  to  speak  of  that  which  their 
ancestors  have  done,  and  boast  of  ti- 
tles and  honors  that7  have  been  hand- 
ed down  from  t^iem,  even  if  it  is  noth- 
ing better  than  existed  here — because 
Jacob's  cattle  had  drunk  of  the  water. 

13.  Shall  thirst  again.  Jesus  did  not 
directly  answer  her  question,  or  say 
that  he  was  greater  than  Jacob,  but 
he  gave  her  an  answer  by  which  she 


240 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


shall  never  thirst ;  but  the  water 
that  I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in 
him  *  a  well  of  water  springing  up 
into  everlasting  life. 
15  The  woman  saith  unto  him, 

a  c.  7. 38. 

might  infer  that  he  was.  He  did  not 
despise  or  undervalue  Jacob  or  his 
gifts ;  but,  however  great  might  be 
the  value  of  that  well,  the  water  could 
not  altogether  remove  thirst. 

14.  The  water  that  I  shall  give  him. 
Jesus  here  refers,  without  doubt,  to 
his  own  teaching^  his  grace^  his  spirit^ 
and  to  the  benefits  which  come  into 
the  soul  that  embraces  his  Gospel. 
It  is  a  striking  image,  and  especially 
in  Eastern  countries,  where  there  are 
vast  deserts,  and  often  a  great  want 
of  water.  The  soul  by  nature  is  like 
such  a  desert,  or  like  a  traveler  wan- 
dering through  such  a  desert.  It  is 
thirsting  for  happiness,  and  seeking 
it  every  where,  and  finds  it  not.  It 
looks  in  all  directions  and  tries  all  ob- 
jects, but  in  vain-.  Nothing  meets  its 
desires.  Thougli  a  sinner  seeks  for  joj^ 
in  wealth  and  pleasures,  yet  he  is  not 
satisfied.  He  still  thirsts  for  more, 
and  seeks  still  for  happiness  in  some 
new  enjoyment.  To  such  a  weary 
and  unsatisfied  sinner  the  grace  of 
Clirist  is  as  cold  waters  to  a  thirsty  soul. 
^  Shall  never  thirst.  He  shall  be  satis- 
fied with  this,  and  will  not  have  a 
sense  of  want,  a  distressing  feeling 
that  it  is  not  adapted  to  him.  He 
who  drinks  this  will  not  wish  to  seek 
for  happiness  in  other  objects.  Satis- 
fied with  the  grace  of  Christ,  he  will 
not  desire  the  pleasures  and  amuse- 
ments of  this  world.  And  this  will  be 
forever — in  this  world  and  the  world 
to  come.  Whosoever  drinketh  of  this 
— all  who  partake  of  the  Gospel — shall 
be  forever  satisfied  with  its  pure  and 
rich  joys.  1[  Shall  he  in  him.  The 
grace  of  Christ  shall  be  in  his  heart ; 
or  the  principles  of  religion  shall  abide 
with  him.  T[  A  well  of  water.  There 
shall  be  a  constant  supply,  an  unfail- 
ing fountain;  or  religion  shall  live 
constantly  with  him.  H  Springing 
up.  This  is  a  beautiful  image.  It 
shall  bubble  or  spring  up  like  a  fount- 
ain. It  is  not  like  a  stagnant  pool — 
not  like  a  deep  well,  but  like  an  over- 
living fountain,  that  flows  at  all  sea- 
sons of  the  year,  in  heat  and  cold, 
and  in  all  external  circumstances  of 


Sir,  give  me  this  water,  that  I  thirst 
not,  neither  come  hither  to  draw. 

16  Jesus  saith  unto  her.  Go  call 
thy  husband,  and  come  hither. 

17  The  woman  answered  and 


weather,  whether  foul  or  fair,  wet  or 
dry.  So  religion  always  lives;  and, 
amid  all  changes  of  external  circum- 
stances— in  heat  and  cold,  hunger  and 
thirst,  prosperity  and  adversity,  life, 
persecution,  contempt,  or  death — it 
still  lives  on,  and  refreshes  and  cheers 
the  soul.  *[!  Into  evey^lasting  life.  It  is 
not  temporary.^  like  the  supply  of  our 
natural  wants ;  it  is  not  changing  in 
its  nature ;  it  is  not  like  a  natural 
fountain  or  spring  of  Water,  to  play 
a  while  and  then  die  away,  as  all  nat- 
ural springs  will  at  the  end  of  the 
world.  It  is  eternal  in  its  nature  and 
supply,  and  will  continue  to  live  on 
forever.  We  may  learn  here,  1st.  That 
the  Christian  has  a  never-failing  source 
of  consolation  adapted  to  all  times  and 
circumstances.  2d.  That  religion  has 
its  seat  in  the  heart,  and  that  it  should 
constantly  live  there.  3d.  That  it  sheds 
its  blessings  on  a  world  of  sin,  and  is 
manifest  by  a  continual  life  of  piety, 
like  a  constant  flowing  spring.  4th. 
That  its  end  is  everlasting  life.  It  will 
continue  forever ;  and  whosoever  drinks 
of  this  shall  never  thirsty  but  his  piety 
shall  be  in  his  heart  a  pure  fountain 
springing  up  to  eternal  joy. 

15.  The  woman  said.,  etc.  It  may 
seem  strange  that  the  woman  did  not 
yet  understand  him,  but  it  shows  how 
slow  sinners  are  to  understand  the 
doctrines  of  religion.  . 

16.  Go  call  thy  husband.  We  may 
admire  the  manner  which  our  Saviour 
took  to  lead  her  to  perceive  that  he 
was  the  Christ.  His  instructions  she 
did  not  understand.  He  therefore  pro- 
ceeded to  show  her  that  he  was  ac- 
quainted with  her  life  and  with  her 
sins.  His  object,  here,  was  to  lead  her 
to  consider  her  own  state  and  sinful- 
ness— a  delicate  and  yet  pungent  way 
of  making  her  see  that  she  was  a  sin- 
ner. By  showing  her,  also,  that  he 
knew  her  life,  though  a  stranger  to 
her,  he  convinced  her  that  he  was 
qualified  to  teach  her  the  way  to 
heaven,  and  thus  prepared  her  to  ad- 
mit that  he  was  the  Messiah.  Ver.  29. 

17. 1  have  no  husband.  This  was  said, 
evidently,  to  evade  the  subject.  Per- 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


241 


said,  I  liave  no  husband.  Jesus 
said  unto  her,  Thou  hast  well  said, 
I  have  no  husband ; 

18  For  thou  hast  had  five  hus- 
bands; and  he  wjiom  thou  now 
hast  is  not  thy  husband :  in  that 
saidst  thou  truly. 

a  c.  1.48,49.  '  6Judg.9.7. 

haps  she  feared  that  if  she  came  there 
with  the  man  that  she  Uved  with,  the 
truth  might  be  exposed.  It  is  not 
improbable  that  by  this  time  she  be- 
gan to  suspect  that  Jesus  was  a  proph- 
et. H  Hast  well  said.  Hast  said  the 
truth. 

18.  Hast  had  five  husbands.  Who 
have  either  died ;  or  who,  on  account 
of  your  improper  conduct,  have  di- 
vorced you;  or  whom  you  have  left 
improperly,  without  legal  divorce. 
Either  of  these  might  have  been  the 
case.  ^  Is  not  tJiy  husband.  You  are 
not  lawfully  married  to  him.  Either 
she  might  have  left  a  former  husband 
without  divorce,  and  thus  her  mar- 
riage with  this  man  was  unlawful,  or 
she  was  living  with  him  without  the 
form  of  marriage,  in  open  guilt. 

19.  A  prophet.  One  sent  from  God, 
and  who  understood  her  life.  The 
word  here  does  not  denote  one  who 
f or etels  future  events^  but  one  who  knew 
her  heart  and  life,  and  who  must  there- 
fore have  come  from  God.  She  did 
not  yet  suppose  him  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah. Verse  25.  Believing  him  now  to 
be  a  man  sent  from  God,  she  proposed 
to  him  a  question  respecting  the  prop- 
er place  of  worship.  This  point  had 
been  long  a  matter  of  dispute  between 
the  Samaritans  and  the  Jews.  She  sub- 
mitted it  to  him  because  she  thought 
he  could  settle  the  question,  and  per- 
haps because  she  wished  to  divert  the 
conversation  from  the  unpleasant  top- 
ic respecting  her  husbands.  The  con- 
versation about  her  manner  of  life  was 
a  very  unpleasant  topic  to  her — as  it  is 
always  unpleasant  to  sinners  to  talk 
about  their  lives  and  the  necessity  of 
religion — and  she  was  glad  to  turii  the 
conversation  to  something  else.  Noth- 
ing is  more  common  than  for  sinners 
to  change  the  conversation  when  it  be- 
gins to  bear  too  hard  upon  their  con- 
sciences ;  and  no  way  of  doing  it  is 
more  common  than  to  direct  it  to  some 
speculative  inquiry  having  some  sort  of 
comtection  with  religion,  as  if  to  show 
that  they  are  willing  to  talk  about  re- 


19  The  woman  saith  unto  him, 
Sir,  I  perceive  "  that  thou  art  a 
prophet. 

20  Our  fathers  worshipped  in  this 
mountain ;  *  and  ye  say  that  in  Je- 
rusalem is  the  place  where  men 
ought  to  worship. 

c  Deut.  12.5-11.    1  Kin.  9.  3. 

ligion,  and  do  not  wish  to  appear  to 
be  opposed  to  it.  Sinners  do  not 
love  direct  religious  conversation,  but 
many  are  too  well  bred  to  refuse  al- 
together to  talk  about  it ;  yet  they 
choose  to  converse  about  some  spec- 
ulative matter,  or  something  pertain- 
ing to  the  mere  externals  of  religion, 
rather  than  the  salvation  of  their  own 
souls.  So  sinners  often  now  change 
the  conversation  to  some  inquiry 
about  a  preacher,  or  about  some  doc- 
trine, or  about  building  or  repairing 
a  place  of  worship,  or  about  a  Sab- 
bath-school, in  order  to  seem  to  talk 
about  religion,  and  yet  to  evade  close 
and  faithful  appeals  to  their  own  con- 
sciences. 

20.  Ottr  fathers.  Th»  Samaritans ; 
perhaps  also  meaning  to  intimate  that 
the  patriarchs  had  done  it  also.  See 
Gen.  xii.  6 ;  xxxiii.  20.  T[  Worshipped. 
Had  a  place  of  worship.  ^  In  this 
mountain.  Hount  Gerizim,  but  a  lit- 
tle way  from  Sychar.  On  this  mount- 
ain they  had  built  a  temple  somewhat 
similar  to  the  one  in  Jerusalem.  This 
was  one  of  the  main  subjects  of  con- 
troversy between  them  and  the  Jews. 
The  old  Samaritan  Pentateuch,  or  five 
books  of  Moses,  has  the  word  Oerizim 
instead  of  Fbal  in  Deut.  xxvii.  4.  On 
this  account,  as  well  as  because  the 
patriarchs  are  mentioned  as  having 
worshipped  in  Shechem,  they  sup- 
posed that  that  was  the  proper  place 
on  which  to  erect  the  Temple.  ^  Ye 
say.  Ye  Jews.  H  In  Jerusalem.  The 
place  where  "ftie  Temple  was  built. 
This  was  built  in  accordance  with  the 
promise  and  command  of  God.  Deut. 
xii.  5, 11.  In  building  this,  David  and 
Solomon  were  under  the  divine  direc- 
tion. 2  Sam.  vii.  2,  3,  13.  1  Kings  v. 
5, 12 ;  viii.  15-22.  As  it  was  contem- 
plated in  the  law  of  Moses  tliat  there 
should  be  but  one  place  to  offer  sacri- 
fice and  to  hold  the  great  feasts,  so  it 
followed  that  the  Samaritans  were  in 
error  in  supposing  that  their  temple 
was  the  place.  Accordingly,  our  Sa- 
viour decided  in  favor  , of  the  Jews, 


242 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


21  Jesus  saitli  unto  her,  Woman, 
believe  me,  the  hour  cometh  when 
"  ye  shall  neither  in  this  mountain, 
nor  yet  at  Jerusalem,  worship  the 
Father. 

a  Mai.  1.11.  Matt.  18.  20.  ft  2  Kin.  17.  29. 


yet  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show  the 
woman  that  the  question  was  of  much 
less  consequence  than  they  supposed  it 
to  be. 

21.  Believe  me.  As  she  had  profess- 
ed to  believe  that  he  was  a  prophet,  it 
was  right  to  require  her  to  put  faith 
in  what  he  was  about  to  utter.  It 
also  shows  the  importance  of  wliat  he 
was  about  to  say.  ^  The  hour  cometh. 
The  time  is  coming,  or  is  near.  ^  When 
neither  i7i  this  mowitain^  etc.  Hitherto 
the  public  solemn  worship  of  God  has 
been  confined  to  one  place.  It  has 
been  a  matter  of  dispute  wliether  that 
place  should  be  Jerusalem  or  Mount 
Gerizim.  That  controversy  is  to  be 
of  much  less  importance  than  you 
have  supposed.  The  old  dispensation 
is  about  to  pass  awaj^  The  peculiar 
rites  of  the  ^ews  are  to  cease.  The 
worship  of  God,  so  long  confined  to  a 
single  place,  is  soon  to  be  celebrated 
every  where,  and  with  as  much  ac- 
ceptance in  one  place  as  in  another. 
He  does  not  say  that  there  would  be 
no  worship  of  God  in  that  place  or  in 
Jerusalem,  but  that  the  worship  of 
God  would  not  be  co7iJi7iecl  there.  He 
would  be  worshipped  in  other  places 
as  well  as  there. 

23.  Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what.  This 
probably  refers  to  the  comparative  ig- 
norance and  corruption  of  the  Samari- 
tan worship.  Though  tliej^  received 
the  five  books  of  Moses,  yet  they  re- 
jected the  prophets,  and  of  course  all 
that  the  prophets  had  said  respecting 
the  true  God.  Originally,  also,  they 
had  joined  the  worship  of  idols  to  that 
of  the  true  God.  See  ^ Kings  xvii.  26- 
o4.  They  had,  moreover,  no  authori- 
ty for  building  their  temple  and  con- 
ducting public  worship  by  sacrifices 
there.  On  all  these  accounts  they 
were  acting  in  an  unauthorized  man- 
ner. They  were  not  obeying  the  true 
God,  nor  offering  the  worship  which 
he  liad  commanded  or  would  approve. 
Jesus  thus  indirectly  settled  the  ques- 
tion,which  she  had  proposed  to  him, 
yet  in  such  a  way  as  to  show  her  that 
it  was  of  much  less  importance  than 
she  had  supposed.    ^  We  know.  We 


22  Ye  worship  *  ye  know  not 
what :  we  know  what  we  worship ; 
for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews. 

23  But  the  hour  cometh,  and  now 
is,  when  the  trug  worshippers  shall 

c  Isa.  2.  3.    Rom.  9.  5. 


Jews.  This  they  knew  because  God 
had  commanded  it ;  because  they  wor- 
shipped in  a  place  appointed  by  God, 
and  because  they  did  it  in  accordance 
with  the  direction  and  teaching  of  the 
prophets.  H  Salvation  is  of  the  Jews. 
They  have  the  true  religion  and  the 
true  form  of  worship ;  and  the  Mes- 
siah., who  will  bring  salvation,  is  to 
proceed  from  them.  See  Luke  ii.  30 ; 
iii.  6.  Jesus  thus  afllrms  that  the  J ews 
had  the  true  form  of  the  worship  of 
God.  At  the  same  time  he  was  sensi- 
ble how  much  they  had  corrupted  it, 
and  on  various  occasions  reproved 
them  for  it. 

23.  But  the  hour  cometh.,  and  now  is. 
The  old  dispensation  is  about  to  pass 
away,  and  the  new  one  to  commence. 
Already  there  is  so  much  light  that 
God  may  be  worshipped  acceptably  in 
anyplace.  ^  The  true  worship2)crs.  All 
who  truly  and  sincerely  worship  God. 
They  who  do  it  with  the  heart.,  and 
not  merely  inform.  If  In  sjnrit.  The 
word  spirit,  here,  stands  opposed  to 
rites  and  ceremonies,  and  to  the  pomp 
of  external  worship.  It  refers  to  the 
mind,  the  soul,  the  heai^t.  They  shall 
worship  God  with  a  sincere  mind; 
with  the  simple  offering  of  gratitude 
and  prayer ;  with-  a  desif^e  to  glorify 
him,  and  without  external  pomp  and 
splendor.  Sjnritual  worship  is  that 
where  the  Jieart  is  offered  to  God,  and 
where  we  do  not  depend  on  external 
forms  for  acceptance,  f  Bi  truth.  Not 
through  the  medium  of  shadows  and 
types,  not  by  means  of  sacrifices  and 
bloody  offerings,  but  in  the  manner 
represented  or  typified  by  all  these. 
Heb.  ix.  9,  24.  In  the  true  way  of 
direct  access  to  God  through  Jesus 
Christ.  H  For  the  Father  seeketh,  etc. 
Jesus  gives  two  reasons  why  this  kind 
of  worship  should  take  place.  One  is 
that  God  souyht  it,  or  desired  it.  He 
had  appointed  the  old  mode,  but  he 
did  it  because  he  sought  to  lead  the 
mind  to  himself  even  &?/  those  forms, 
and  to  prepare  the  people  for-  the 
purer  system  of  the  Gospel,  and  now 
he  sought  or  desired  that  those  who 
Avorshipped  him  should  worship  him 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


243 


worship  the  Father  in  spirit  ^  and 
in  truth;  for  the  Father  seeketh 
such  to  worship  him. 

24  God  *  is  a  spirit ;  and  they 
that  worship  him  must  worship 
Mm  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

25  The  woman  saith  unto  him,  I 
know  that  Messias  cometh,  which 
is  called  Christ :  when  he  is  come 
he  will  tell  us  all  things. 

a  Phil.  3.  3.  6  2  Cor  3.17. 


in  that  manner.  He  intimated  his 
will  by  Jesus  Christ. 

24.  God  is  a  spirit.  This  is  the  second 
reason  why  men  should  worship  him 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.  By  this  is 
meant  that  God  is  without  a  body; 
that  h-e  is  not  material  or  composed 
of  parts  ;  that  he  is  invisible,  in  every 
place,  pure  and  holy.  This  is  one  of 
the  first  truths  of  religion,  and  one 
of  the  sublimest  ever  presented  to  the 
mind  of  man.  Almost  all  nations  have 
had  some  idea  of  God  as  gross  or  ma- 
terial, but  the  Bible  declares  that  he 
is  a  pure  spirit.  As  he  is  such  a  spir- 
it, he  dwells  not  in  temples  made  with 
hands  (Acts  vii.  48),  neither  is  wor- 
shipped with  men's  hands  as  though 
he  needed  any  thing,  seeing  he  giveth 
to  all  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things. 
Acts  xvii.  25.  A  pure,  a  holy,  a  spir- 
itual worship,  therefore,  is  such  as  he 
seeks — the  offering  of  the  soid  rather 
than  the  formal  offering  of  the. body — 
the  homage  of  the  heart  rather  than 
that  of  the  lips. 

25.  /  know  that  Messias  cometh.  As 
the  Samaritans  acknowledged  the  five 
books  of  Moses,  so  they  expected,  also, 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  ^  Which 
is  called  Christ.  These  are  probably 
the  words  of  the  evangelist,  as  it  is 
not  likely  that  the  woman  would  ex- 
plain the  name  on  such  an  occasion. 
^  Will  tell  us  all  thi7igs.  Jesus  had 
decided  the  question  proposed  to  him 
(verse  20)  in  favor  of  the  Jews.  The 
woman  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
satisfied  with  this  answer,  and  said 
that  the  Messiah  would  tell  them  all 
about  this  question.  Probably  she  was 
expecting  that  he  would  soon  appear. 

26.  I  that  speak  unto  thee  am  he.  I  am 
the  Messiah.  This  was  the  first  time 
that  he  openly  professed  It.  He  did 
not  do  it  yet  to  the  Jews,  for  it  would 
have  excited  envy  and  opposition. 
But  nothing  could  be  apprehended  in 


26  Jesus  saith  unto  her, I  that 
speak  unto  thee  am  he. 

27  And  upon  this  came  his  dis- 
ciples, and  marvelled  that  he  talk- 
ecl  with  the  woman ;  yet  no  man 
said,  What  seekest  thou  ?  or,  Why 
talkest  thou  with  her  ? 

28  The  woman  then  left  her  wa- 
ter-pot, and  went  her  way  into  the 
city,  and  saith  to  the  men, 

c  c.  9.  37. 


Samaria;  and  as  the  woman  seemed 
reluctant  to  listen  to  him  as  a  proph- 
et, and  professed  her  willingness  to 
listen  to  the  Messiah,  he  openly  de- 
clared that  he  was  the  Christ,  that  by 
some  means  he  might  save  her  soul. 
From  this  w^e  may  learn,  1st.  The  great 
wisdom  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  leading 
the  thoughts  along  to  the  subject  of 
practical  personal  religion.  2d.  His 
know^ledge  of  the  heart  and  of  the  life, 
He  must  be  therefore  divine.  3d.  He 
gave  evidence  here  that  he  was  the 
Messiah.  This  was  the  design  of  John 
in  writing  this  gospel.  He  has  there- 
fore recorded  this  narrative,  which 
was  omitted  by  the  other  evangelists. 
4th.  We  see  02ir  duty.  It  is  to  seize 
on  all  occasions  to  lead  sinners  to  the 
belief  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  to* 
make  use  of  all  topics  of  conversation 
to  teach  them  the  nature  of  religion. 
There  never  was  a  model  of  so  much 
wisdom  in  this  as  the  Saviour,  and  we 
shall  be  successful  only  as  we  diligent- 
ly study  his  character.  5th.  We  see 
the  nature  of  religion.  It  does  not 
consist  merely  in  external  forms.  It 
is  pure,  spiritual,  active — an  ever-bub- 
bling fountain.  It  is  the  worship  of 
a  pure  and  holy  God,  where  the  heart 
is  offered,  and  where  the  desires  of  an 
humble  soul  are  breathed  out  for  sal- 
vation. 

27.  Upo7i  this.  At  this  time.  ^  3far- 
velled.  Wondered.  They  wondered 
because  the  Jews  had  no  intercourse 
with  the  Samaritans,  and  they  were 
surprised  that  Jesus  was  engaged  with 
her  in  conversation.  If  Yet  no  man 
said.  No  one  of  the  disciples.  They 
had  such  respect  and  reverence  for 
him  that  they  did  not  dare  to  ask  him 
the  reason  of  his  conduct,  or  even  to 
appear  to  reprove  him.  We  should  be 
confident  that  Jesus  is  right,  even  if 
we  can  not  fully  understand  all  that 
he  does. 


244 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


29  Come  see  a  man  wliicli  told 
me.  all  things  that  ever  I  did.  Is 
not  this  the  Christ  ? 

30  Then  they  went  out  of  the 
city  and  came  unto  him. 

31  In  the  mean  while  his  disci- 
ples prayed  him,  saying,  Master, 
.eat. 

32  But  he  said  unto  them,  I 

a  Job  23. 12.  c.6.38. 


28.  Left  her  water-jyot.  Her  mind  was 
greatly  excited.  She  was  disturbed, 
and  hastened  to  the  city  in  great  agi- 
tation to  make  this  known.  She  seems 
to  have  been  convinced  that  he  was 
the  Messiah,  and  went  immediately  to 
make  it  known  to  others.  Our  first 
business,  when  we  have  found  the  Sa- 
viour, should  be  to  make  him  known 
also  to  others. 

29.  Is  7wt  this  the  Christ?  Though 
she -probably  believed  it,  yet  she  pro- 
X)osed  it  modestly,  lest  she  should  ap- 
XDear  to  dictate  in  a  case  which  was 
so  important,  and  which  demanded 
so  much  attention.  The  evidence  on 
which  she  was  satisfied  that  he  was 
the  Messiah  was  that  he  had  told  her 
all  things  that  she  had  done— perhaps 
much  more  than  is  here  recorded. 

*The  question  which  she  submitted  to 
them  was  whether  this  was  not  satis- 
factory proof  that  he  was  the  Messiah. 

30.  They  went  out  of  the  cittj.  The 
men  of  the  city  left  it  and  went  to 
Jesus,  to  hear  and  examine  for  them- 
selves. 

S\.  Prayed  him.    Asked  him. 

32.  I  have  meat  to  eat.    See  verse  34. 

33.  Hath  any  man  brought  him^  etc. 
This  is  one  of  the  many  instances  in 
which  the  disciples  were  slow  to  un- 
derstand the  Saviour. 

34.  My  meat,  etc.  Jesus  here  ex- 
plains what  he  said  in  verse  32.  His 
great  object— the  great  design  of  his 
life— was  to  do  the  will  of  God.  He 
came  to  that  place  weary  and  thirsty, 
and  at  the  usual  time  of  meals,  proba- 
bly an  hungered ;  yet  an  opportunity 
of  doing  good  presented  itself,  and  he 
forgot  his  fatigue  and  hunger,  and 
found  comfort  and  joy  in  doing  good 
— in  seeking  to  save  a  soul.  This  one 
great  object  absorbed  all  his  powers, 
and  made  him  forget  his  weariness 
and  the  wants  of  nature.  The  mind 
may  be  so  absorbed  in  doing  the  will 
of  God  as  to  forget  all  other  things. 


have  meat  to  eat  that  ye  know 
not  of. 

33  Therefore  said  the  disciples 
one  to  another.  Hath  any  man 
brought  him  aught  to  eat  ? 

34  Jesus  saith  unto  them,* My* 
meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that 
sent  me,  and  to  finish  *  his  work. 

35  Say  not  ye.  There  are  yet  four 

b  c.17.4. 


Intent  on  this,  we  may  rise  above  fa- 
tigue, and  hardship,  and  want,  and 
bear  all  with  pleasure  in  seeing  the 
work  of  God  advance.  See  Job  xxiii.  ^ 
12 :  "I  have  esteemed  the  words  of  his 
mouth  more  than  my  necessary  food." 
We  may  learn,  also,  that  the  main  bu- 
siness of  life  is  not  to  avoid  fatigue  or 
to  seek  the  supply  of  our  temporal 
wants,  but  to  do  the  will  of  God. 
The  mere  supply  of  our  temporal  ne- 
cessities, though  most  men  make  it 
an  object  of  their  chief  solicitude,  is 
a  small  consideration  in  the  sight  of 
him  who  has  just  views  of  the  great 
design  of  human  life.  The  will  of 
him  that  seiit  me.  The  will  of  God  in 
regard  to  the  salvation  of  men.  See 
John  vi.  38.  To  finish  his  work.  To 
comjylete  or  fully  to  do  the  work  which 
he  has  commanded  in  regard  to  the 
salvation  of  men..  It  is  his  work  to 
provide  salvation,  and  his  to  redeem, 
and  his  to  apply  the  salvation  to  the 
heart.  Jesus  came  to  do  it  by  teach- 
ing, by  his  example,  and  by  his  death 
as  an  expiation  for  sin.  And  he  shows 
us  that  we  should  be  diligent.  If  he 
was  so  diligent  for  our  welfare,  if  he 
bore  fatigue  and  want  to  benefit  ws, 
then  we  should  be  diligent,  also,  in  re- 
gard to  our  0W71  salvation,  and  also  in 
seeking  the  salvation  of  others. 

35.  iSay  not  ye.  This  seems  to  have 
been  a  proverb.  Ye  say— that  is,  men 
sa3\  ^  Four  months  a^id,  etc.  The 
common  time  from  sowing  the  seed 
to  the  harvest,  in  Judea,  was  about 
four  months.  The  meaning  of  this 
passage  may  be  thus  expressed :  "  The 
husbandman,  when  he  sows  his  seed, 
is  compelled  to  wait  a  considerable 
period  before  it  produces  a  crop.  lie 
is  encouraged  in  sowing  it ;  he  ex- 
pects fruit ;  his  labor  is'lightened  by 
that  expectation ;  but  it  is  not  imme- 
diate— it  is  remote.  But  it  is  not  so 
with  my  preaching.  The  seed  has  al- 
ready sprung  up.   Scarce  was  it  sown 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


245 


months,  and  then  cometh  harvest  ? 
Behold,  I  say  unto  you.  Lift  up 
your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fielcls, 
for  they  are  white  already  to « 
harvest. 

36  And  he  thaf  reapeth  receiveth 
wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  *  unto 

a  Matt.  9.  37.  b  Rom.  6.  22. 

before  it  produced  an  abundant  har- 
vest. The  Gospel  was  just  preached 
to  a  woman,  and  see  how  many  of 
the  Samaritans*come  to  hear  it  also. 
There  is  therefore  more  encourage- 
ment to  labor  in  this  field  than  the 
farmer  has  to  sow  his  grain."  T[  Lift 
ivp  your  eyes.  See  the  Samaritans  com- 
ing to  hear  the  Gospel.  H  They  are 
lohite.  Grain,  when  ripe,  turns  from  a 
green  to  a  yellow  or  light  color,  indi- 
cating that  it  is  time  to  reap  it.  So 
here  were  indications  that  the  Gospel 
was  effectual,  and  that  the  harvest  was 
to  be  gathered  in.  Hence  we  may 
learn,  1st.  That  there  is  as  much  en- 
couragement to  attempt  to  save  souls 
as  the  farmer  has  to  raise  a  crop.  2d. 
That  the  Gospel  is  fitted  to  make  an 
immediate  impression  on  the  minds  of 
men.  We  are  to  expect  that  it  will. 
We  are  not  to  wait  to  some  future  pe- 
riod, as  if  we  could  not  expect  imme- 
diate results.  This  wicked  and  igno- 
rant people — little  likely,  apparently, 
to  be  affected — turned  to  God,  heard 
the  voice  of  the  Saviour,  and  came  in 
multitudes  to  him.  3d.  We  are  to  ex- 
pect revivals  of  religion.  Here  was 
one  instance  of  it  under  the  Saviour's 
own  preaching.  Multitudes  were  ex- 
cited, moved,  and  came  to  learn  the 
way  of  life.  4th.  We  know  not  how 
much  good  may  be  done  by  conver- 
sation with  even  a  single  individual. 
This  conversation  with  a  woman  re- 
sulted in  a  deep  interest  felt  through- 
out the  city,  and  in  the  conversion  of 
many  of  them  to  God.  So  a  single  in- 
dividual may  often  be  the  means,  in 
the  hand  of  God,  of  leading  many  to 
the  cross  of  Jesus.  5th.  What  evils 
may  follow  from  neglecting  to  do  our 
duty !  How  easily  might  Jesus  have 
alleged,  if  he  had  been  like  many  of 
his  professed  disciples,  that  he  was 
weary,  that  he  was  hungry,  that  it 
was  esteemed  improper  to  converse 
with  a  woman  alone,  that  she  was  an 
abandoned  character,  and  there  could 
be  little  hope  of  doing  her  good !  How 
many  consciences  of  ministers  and 


life  eternal ;  that  both  *  he  that 
soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  may 
rejoice  together. 

37  And  herein  is  that  saying  true, 
One  ^  soweth,  and  another  reapeth. 

38  I  sent  you  to  reap  that  where- 
on ye  bestowed  no  labour :  other  * 

cl  Cor.  3.  5-9.         <i  Micah  6. 15.        cl  Pet.  1.12. 


Christians  would  have  been  satisfied 
with  reasoning  like  this  !  Yet  Jesus, 
in  spite  of  his  fatigue  and.  thirst,  and 
all  the  difficulties  of  the  case,  serious- 
ly set  about  seeking  the  conversion 
of  this  woman.  And  behold  what  a 
glorious  result !  The  city  was  moved, 
and  a  great  harvest  was  found  ready 
to  be  gathered  in  !  Let  us  not  be  weary 
i7i  well-doing^  for  in  due  season  we  shall 
reap  if  we  faint  not. 

36.  He  that  reapeth.  He  that  gathers 
the  harvest,  or  he  who  so  preaches 
that  souls  are  converted  to  Christ. 
^  Receiveth  wages.  The  laborer  in  the 
harvest  #eceives  his  hire.  Jesus  says 
it  shall  be  thus  with  those  who  labor 
in  the  ministry — he  will  not  suffer 
them  to  go  unrewarded.  See  Dan. 
xii.  3.  Matt.  xix.  28.  H  Gathereth  fruit 
unto  life  eternal.  Converts  souls,  who 
shall  inherit  eternal  life.  The  harvest 
is  not  temporary,  like  gathering  grain, 
but  shall  result  in  eternal  life,  t  That 
both  he  that  soweth^  etc.  It  is  a  united 
work.  It  matters  little  whether  we 
sow  the  seed  or  whether  we  reap  the 
harvest.  It  is  part  of  the  same  work, 
and  whatever  part  we  may  do,  we 
should  rejoice.  God  gives  the  in- 
crease, wbile  Paul  may  plant  and 
Apollos  water.  The  teacher  in  the 
Sunday-school,  who  sows  the  seed  in 
early  life,  shall  rejoice  with  the  min- 
ister of  the  Gospel  who  may  gather  in 
the  harvest,  and  both  join  in  giving 
all  the  praise  to  God. 

37.  That  saying.  That  proverb.  This 
proverb  is  found  in  some  of  the  Greek 
writers. — Grotius.  Similar  proverbs 
were  in  use  among  the  Jews.  See  Isa. 
Ixv.  21,  22.  Lev.  xxvi.  16.  Micah  vi. 
15.  T[  One  soweth.,  etc.  One  man  may 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  with  little 
apparent  effect ;  another,  succeeding 
him,  may  be  crowned  with  eminent 
success.  The  seed,  long  buried,  may 
spring  up  in  an  abundant  harvest. 

38.  /  sent  you.  In  the  commission 
given  you  to  preach  the  Gospel.  You 
have  not  labored  or  toiled  in  prepar- 
ing the  way  for  the  great  harvest 


246 


JOHN. 


[A.D.30. 


men  laboured,  and  ye  are  entered 
into  tlieir  labours. 

39  And  many  of  the  Samaritans 
of  that  city  believed  on  liim  for 
the  saying  "  of  the  woman,  which 
testified.  He  told  me  all  that  ever 
I  did. 

40  So  when  the  Samaritans  were 
come  unto  him,  they  besought  him 
that  he  would  tarry  with  them; 
and  he  abode  there  two  days. 

41  And  many  more  believed  be- 
cause of  his  own  word ; 

42  And  said  unto  the  woman, 

aver.  29.  ic.  17.8.    lJno.4.  14. 


which  is  now  to  be  ^^athered  in. 
^  Other  men  labored.  (1.)  The  proph- 
ets, who  long  labored  to  prepare  tlie 
way  for  tlie  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
(2.)  The  teachers  among  the  Jews, 
who  have  read  and  explained  the  Uxw 
and  taught  tiie  people.  (3.)^olm  tlie 
Bai^tist,  who  came  to  prepare  the  way. 
And,  (4.)  The  Saviour  himself,  who  by 
his  personal  ministry  taught  the  peo- 
ple, and  prepared  them  for  the  suc- 
cess which  was  to  attend  the  i^reach- 
ing  of  the  apostles.  Especially  did 
Jesus  lay  the  foundation  for  the  rapid 
and  extensive  spread  of  the  Gospel. 
He  saw  comparatively  little  fruit  of 
his  ministry.  He  confined  his  labors 
to  Judea,  and  even  there  he  was  oc- 
cupied in  sowing  seed  which  chiefly 
sprang  up  after  his  death.  From  this 
we  may  learn,  1st.  That  the  man  who 
is  crowned  with  eminent  ^ccess  has 
no  cause  of  boasting  over  others,  any 
more  than  tlie  man  who  rcajos  a  field 
of  grain  should  boast  over  the  man 
who  sowed  it.  The  labor  of  both  is 
equally  necessary,  and  the  labor  of 
both  would  be  useless  if  God  did  not 
give  the  increase.  Compare  1  Cor.  iii. 
G.  3d.  We  should  not  be  discouraged 
if  we  do  not  meet  with  immediate 
success.  The  man  that  sows  is  not 
disheartened  because  he  does  not  see 
the  harvest  immediately  spring  up. 
We  are  to  sow  our  seed  in  the  morn- 
ing, a»d  in  the  evening  we  are  not  to 
withhold  our  hand,  for  \ye  know  not 
whether  shall  prosper,  this  or  that; 
and  we  are  to  go  forth  bearing  pre- 
cious seed,  though  weeping^  knowing 
that  we  shall  come  again  rejoicing, 
bearing  our  sheaves  with  us.  Eccl. 
xi.  4.  Psalm  cxxvi.  6.    3d.  Every  part 


jSTow  we  believe,  not  because  of 
thy  saying  ;  for  *  we  have  heard 
hpn  ourselves,  and  know  that  this 
is  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour 
of  the  world. 

43  Now  after  two  days  he  de- 
parted thence,  and  went  into  Gal- 
ilee. 

44  For  Jesus  himself  testified 
that  a  prophet  hath  no  honour 
in  his  own  country. 

45  Then,  when  he  was  come 
into  Galilee,  the  Galileans  received 
him,  having  seen  ^  all  the  things 

c  Matt.  13.  57.    Mar.  6. 4.    Lu.  4.  24. 
d  c.  2.  23. 

of  the  work  of  the  ministry  and  of 
teaching  men  is  needful,  and  we  should 
rejoice  that  we  are  permitted  to  bear 
any  part,  however  humble,  in  bring- 
ing sinners  to  the  knowledge  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  1  Cor. 
xii.-21-24. 

39-43.  And  many  of  the  Samaritans 
of  that  city  believed  on  him^  etc.  There 
is  seldom  an  instance  of  so  remarka- 
ble success  as  this.  From  a  single 
conversation,  in  circumstances,  in  a 
place,  and  with  an  individual  little 
likely  to  be  attended  with  such  re- 
sults, many  sinners  were  converted; 
many  believed  on  the  testimony  of 
the  woman ;  many  more  came  to  hear, 
and  believed  because  they  heard  him 
themselves.  We  should  never  despair 
of  doing  good  in  the  most  unpromis- 
ing circumstances,  and  we  should  seize 
upon  every  opportunity  to  converse 
with  sinners  on  the  great  subject  of 
their  souls'  salvation. 

43.  Into  Galilee.  Into  some  of  the 
parts  of  Galilee,  though  evidently  not 
into  Nazareth,  but  probably  direct  to 
Ca7ia.   Verse  46. 

44.  For  Jesus  himself  testified.^  etc.  Sec 
Notes  on  Matt.  xiii.  57.  The  connec- 
tion of  this  verse  with  the  preceding 
may  be  thus  explained  :  "Jesus  went 
to  Galilee,  bnt  not  to  Nazareth,  for  he 
testified,"  etc.  Or,  "Jesus  went  to 
Galilee,  although  he  had  said  that  a 
prophet  had  no  honor  in  his  own  coun- 
try ;  yet,  because  he  foreknew  that  the 
Galileans  would  many  of  them  believe 
on  him,  he  went  at  this  time." 

45.  Received  him.  Received  him 
kindly,  or  as  a  messenger  of  God. 
They  had  seen  his  miracles,  and  be- 
lieved on  him. 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  IV. 


247 


that  he  did  at  Jerusalem  at  the 
feast ;  for  they  also  went  unto  the 
feast. 

46  So  Jesus  came  again  into 
Cana  of  Galilee,  where  he  made'' 
the  water  wine.  And  there  was  a 
certain  ^  nobleman,  whose  son  was 
sick  at  Capernaum. 

47  When  he  heard  that  Jesus  was 
come  out  of  Judea  into  Galilee,  he 
went  unto  him,  and  besought  him 
that  he  would  come  down  and 
heal  his  son,  for  he  was  at  the 
point  of  death. 

aDeut.  16.16.  ic.2. 1,11. 

1  or,  courtier  ;jor,  ruler. 


46.  A  certain  nobleman.  One  who 
was  of  the  royal  family,  connected  by 
birth  with  Herod  Antipas ;  or  one  of 
the  officers  of  the  court,  whether  by 
birth  allied  to  him  or  not.  It  seems 
that  his  ordinary  residence  was  at  Ca- 
pernaum. Capernaum  was  about  a 
day's  journey  from  Cana,  where  Jesus 
then  was. 

47.  He  went  unto  him.  Though  high 
in  office,  yet  he  did  not  refuse  to  go 
personally  to  Jesus  to  ask  his  aid.  He 
felt  as  a  father ;  and  believing,  after 
all  that  Jesus  had  done,  that  he  could 
cure  his  son,  he  traveled  to  meet  him. 
If  men  receive  benefits  of  Christ,  they 
must  come  in  the  same  manner.  The 
rich  and  the  poor,  the  high  and  the 
low,  must  come  personally  as  hum- 

^ble  suppliants,  and  must  be  willing  to 
bear  all  the  reproach  that  may  be 
cast  on  them  for  thus  coming  to  him. 
Tliis  man  showed  strong  faith  in  be- 
ing willing  thus  to  go  to  Jesus,  but 
he  erred  in  supposing  that  Jesus  could 
heal  only  by  his  being  present  with 
his  son.  ^  Would  come  down.  It  is 
probable  that  the  miracles  of  Jesus 
heretofore  liad  been  performed  only 
on  those  who  were  presm^  with  him, 
and  this  nobleman  seems  to  have 
thought  tliat  this  was  necessary.  One 
design  of  Jesus  in  working  tliis  mira- 
cle^was  to  show  him  that  this  was  not 
necessary.  Hence  he  did  not  go  down 
to  Capernaum,  but  healed  him  where 
he  was. 

48.  Except  ye  see  signs^  etc.  ^This  was 
spoken  not  to  the  nobleman  only,  but 
to  the  Galileans  generally.  The  Sa- 
maritans had  believed  without  any 
miracle.    The  Galileans,  he  said,  were 


48  Then  said  Jesus  unto  him. 
Except  ye  see  signs "  and  wonders, 
ye  will  not  believe. 

4.9  The  nobleman  saith  unto  him. 
Sir,  come  down  ere  my  child  die. 

50  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Go  ^  thy 
way;  thy  son  liveth.  And  the  man 
believed  the  word  that  Jesus  had 
spoken  unto  him,  and  he  went  his 
way. 

51  And  as  he  was  now  going 
down,  his  servants  met  him,  and 
told  7w'm,  saying.  Thy  son  liveth. 

52  Then  inquired  he  of  them  the 

el  Cor.  1.22. 

d  Matt.  8. 13.    Mar.  7.  29, 30.    Lu.  17. 14. 


less  disposed  to  believe  him  than  even 
they  were ;  and  though  he  had  wrought 
miracles  enough  to  convince  them,  yet, 
unless  they  continually  saw  them,  they 
would  not  believe. 

49.  Cotne  down,  etc.  The  earnestness 
of  the  nobleman  evinces  the  deep  and 
tender  anxiety  of  a  father.  So  anxious 
was  he  for  his  son  that  he  was  not 
willing  that  Jesus  should  delay  a  mo- 
ment— not  even  to  address  the  peo- 
ple. He  still  seems  to  liave  supposed 
that  Jesus  had  no  power  to  heal  his 
son  except  he  was  present  with  him. 

50.  Go  thy  way.  This  was  a  kind 
and  tender  address.  It  was  designed 
to  convince  him  that  he  could  Avork 
a  miracle  though  not  personally  pres- 
ent. H  Thy  son  liveth.  Thy  son  shall 
recover;  or  he  shall  be  restored  to 
health,  according  to  tliy  request. 
1[  The  man  believed.  The  manner  in 
which  Jesus  spoke  it,  and  the  assur- 
ance which  he  gave,  convinced  the 
man  that  he  could  heal  him  there  as 
well  as  to  go  to  Capernaum  to  do  it. 
This  is  an  instance  of  the  power  of 
Jesus  to  convince  the  mind,  to  soothe 
doubts,  to  confirm  faith,  and  to  meet 
our  desires.  He  blesses  not  always 
in  the  manner  in  which  we  ask,  but  he 
grants  us  our  main  wish.  The  father 
wished  his  son  healed  by  Jesus  going 
down  to  Capernaum.  Jesus  healed 
him,  but  not  in  the  way  in  "w^iich  he 
asked  it  to  be  done.  God  will  hear 
our  prayers  and  grant  our  requests, 
but  often  not  in  the  precise  manner 
in  which  we  ask  it.  It  is  his  to  judge 
of  the  best  way  of  doing  us  good. 

52.  The  seventh  hour.  About  one 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 


248 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


hour  when  he  began  to  amend. 
And  they  said  unto  him,  Yester- 
day at  the  seventh  hour  the  fever 
left  him. 

53  So  the  father  knew  that  it  was 
at  the  same « hour  in  the  which 
Jesus  said  unto  him.  Thy  son  liv- 
eth  :  and  himself  believed,  *  and 
his  whole  house. 

54  This  is  again  the  second  mir- 
acle that  Jesus  did  when  he 

a  Psa.  107.  20. 

b  Acts  16.34;  18.8. 


53.  The  same  hour.  The  very  time 
when  Jesus  spoke.  H  The  fever  left 
him.  It  seems  that  it  left  him  sudden- 
ly and  entirely ;  so  much  so  that  his 
friends  went  to  inform  tl^e  father  and 
to  comfort  him,  and  also,  doubtless, 
to  apprise  him  that  it  was  not  neces- 
sary to  ask  aid  from  Jesus.  From 
this  miracle  we  may  learn,  1st.  That 
Jesus  has  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
all  things.  He  knew  the  case  of  this 
son — the  extent  of  his  disease — where 
he  was — and  thus  had  power  to  heal 
him.  2d.  That  J esus  has  almighty  pow- 
er. Nothing  else  could  have  healed 
this  child.  Nor  could  it  be  pretended 
that  he  did  it  hy  any  natural  means. 
He  was  far  away  from  him,  and  the 
child  knew  not  the  source  of  the  pow- 
er that  healed  him.  It  could  not  be 
X)retended  that  there  was  any  collu- 
sion or  jugglery.  The  father  came  in 
deep  anxiety.  The  servants  saw  the 
cure.  Jesus  was  at  a  distance.  Every 
tiling  in  the  case  bears  the  mark  of 
being  the  simple  energy  of  God — put 
forth  with  equal  ease  to  heal,  whether 
far  or  near.  Thus  he  can  save  the 
sinner.  3d.  We  see  the  benevolence 
of  Jesus.  Ever  ready  to  aid,  to  heal, 
or  to  save,  he  may  be  called  on  at  all 
times,  and  will  never  be  called  on  in 
vain.  H  Himself  believed.  This  mira- 
cle removed  all  his  doubts,  and  he  be- 
came a  real  disciple  and  friend  of  Je- 
sus. T[  His  whole  house.  His  whole 
family.  We  may  learn  from  this,  1st. 
That  sickness  or  any  deep  affliction  is 
often  tt»e  means  of  great  good.  Here 
the  sickness  of  the  son  resulted  in  the 
faitli  of  all  the  family.  God  often 
takes  away  earthly  blessings  that  he 
may  impart  rich  spiritual  mercies. 
3d.  The  father  of  a  family  may  be 
the  means  of  tlie  salvation  of  his  chil- 
dren.   Here  the  ctfort  of  a  parent  rc- 


was  come  out  of  Judea  into  Gal- 
ilee. 

CHAPTER  V. 

AFTER  this  there  was  a  feast  ^ 
of  the  Jews ;  and  Jesus  went 
up  to  Jerusalem. 

2  Now  there  is  at  Jerusalem,  by 
the  sheep  ^  market.,  a  pool,  which 
is  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue 
Bethesda,  having  five  porches. 

3  In  these  lay  a  great  multitude 

c  Lev.  23.  2,  etc.    Deut.  16. 16.   c.  2. 13. 
1  or,  gate.   Neh.  3. 1 ;  12.  39. 

suited  in  their  conversion  to  Christ. 
3d.  There  is  great  beauty  and  propri- 
ety when  sickness  thus  results  in  pi- 
ety. For  that  it  is  sent.  God  does 
not  willingly  grieve  or  afflict  the  chil- 
dren of  men ;  and  when  afflictions 
thus  terminate,  it  will  be  cause  of 
eternal  joy,  of  ceaseless  praise.  4th. 
There  is  a  peculiar  charm  when  piety 
thus  comes  into  the  families  of  the 
rich  and  the  noble.  It  is  so  unusual; 
their  example  and  influence  go  so  far ; 
it  overcomes  so  many  temptations, 
and  affords  opportunities  of  doing  so 
much  good,  that  there  is  no  wonder 
that  the  evangelist  selected  this  in- 
stance as  one  of  the  effects  of  the 
power  and  of  the  preaching  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

CHAPTER  V. 

1.  A  feast.  Probably  the  Passover, 
though  it  is  not  certain.  There  were 
two  other  feasts; — the  Pentecost  and^ 
the  Feast  of  Tabernacles — at  which 
all  the  males  were  required  to  be  pres- 
ent, and  it  might  have  been  one  of 
them.  It  is  of  no  consequence,  how- 
ever, which  of  them  is  intended. 

2.  The  sheep-market.  This  might  have 
been  rendered  the  sheep -gate^  or  the 
gate  through  which  the  sheep  were 
taken  into  the  city  for  sacrifice.  The 
marginal  rendering  is  gate^  and  the 
word  "  marA:(?^"  is  not  in  the  original, 
nor  is  a  "  s/ieep-marA:e^"  mentioned  in 
the  Scriptures  or  in  any  of  the  Jewish 
writings,  A  sheep-gate  is  repeatedly 
mentioned  by  Nehemiah  (chap,  iiff  1, 
32 ;  xii.  39),  being  that  by  which  sheep 
and  oxen  were  brought  into  the  city. 
As  these  were  brought  mainly  for  sac- 
rifice, the  gate  was  doubtless  near  the 
Temple,  and  near  the  present  place 
which  is  shown  as  the  pool  of  Bethes- 
da.   1[  A  pool.    Tins  word  maj^  cither 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


249 


of  impotent  folk,  of  blind,  halt, 
withered,  waiting  for  the  moviiiig 
of  the  water. 

mean  a  s^all  lake  or  pond  in  which 
one  can  swim,  or  a  place  for  fish,  or 
any  waters  collected  for  bathing  or 
washing.  If  Hebrew  tongue.  Hebrew 
language.  The  language  then  spo- 
ken, which  did  not  dilFer  essentially 
from  the  ancient  Hebrew.  If  Bethesda. 
The  house  of  mercy.  It  was  so  call- 
ed on  account  of  its  strong  healing 
properties — the  property  of  restoring 
heal  til  to  the  sick  and  infirm,  t  Five 
porches.  The  word  porch  commonly 
means  a  covered  place  surrounding  a 
building,  in  which  people  can  walk  or 
sit  in  hot  or  wet  weather.  Here  it 
probably  means  that  ihere  were  five 
covered  places,  or  apartments,  in 
which  the  sick  could  remain,  from 
each  one  of  which  they  could  have  ac- 
cess to  the  water.  This  "pool"  is 
thus  described  by  Professor  Hackett 
(Illustrations  of  Scripture,  p.  291, 293) : 
"Just  to  the  east  of  the  Turkish  gar- 
rison, and  under  the  northern  wall  of 
the  mosque,  is  a  deep  excavation,  sup- 
posed by  many  to  be  the  ancient  pool 
of  Bethesda,  into  which  the  sick  de- 
scended 'after  the  troubling  of  the 
water,'  and  were  healed.  John  v.  1, 
sq.  It  is  360  feet  long,  130  feet  wide, 
and  75  deep.  The  evangelist  says  that 
this  pool  was  near  the  slrobp-gate,  as 
the  Greek  probably  signifies,  rather 
than  sheep-market,  as  rendered  in  the 
English  version.  That  gate,  accord- 
ing to  Neh.  iii.  1,  sq.,  was  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Temple,  and  hence  the  sit- 
uation of  this  reservoir  would  agree 
with  that  of  Bethesda.  The  present 
name,  Birket  Israil,  Pool  of  Israil,  in- 
dicates the  opinion  of  the  native  in- 
habitants in  regard  to  the  object  of 
the  excavation.  The  general  opinion 
of  the  most  accurate  travelers  is  that 
the  so-called  pool  was  originally  part 
of  a  trench  or  fosse  which  protected 
the  Temple  on  the  north.  Though  it 
contains  no  water  at  present  except 
a  little  which  trickles  through  the 
stones  at  the  west  end,  it  has  evident- 
ly been  used  at  some  period  as  a  res- 
ervoir. It  is  lined  with  cement,  and 
adapted  in  other  respects  to  hold  wa- 
ter. "  Dr.  Robinson  established  by 
personal  inspection  the  fact  of  the 
subterranean  connection  of  the  pool 
of  Siloam  with  the  Fountain  of  the 
Virgin^  and  made  it  probable  that  the 
L  2 


4  For  an  angel  went  down  at  a 
certain  season  into  the  pool,  and 
troubled  the  water:  whosoever 

fountain  under  the  Mosque  of  Omar 
is  connected  with  them.  This  spring 
is,  as  he  himself  witnessed,  an  inter- 
mittent one,  and  there  may  have  been 
some  artificially  constructed  basin  in 
connection  with  this  spring  to  which 
was  given  the  name  of  Bethesda.  He 
supposes,  however,  that  there  is  not 
the  slightest  evidence  that  the  place 
or  reservoir  now  pointed  out  as  Be- 
thesda was  the  Bethesda  of  the  New 
Testament.— lies.,  i.,  501,  506,  509. 
In  the  time  of  Sandys  (1611)  the  spring 
was  found  running,  but  in  small  quan- 
tities ;  in  the  time  of  Maundrell  (1697) 
the  stream  did  not  run.  Probably  in 
his  time,  as  now,  the  water  which  had 
formerly  filtered  through  the  rocks 
was  dammed  up  by  the  rubbish. 

3.  Impotent  folk.  Sick  people;  or 
people  who  were  weak  and  feeble 
long  disease.  The  word  means  those 
who  were  feeble  rather  than  those  who 
were  afflicted  with  acute  disease. 
IF  Halt.  Lame.  "H  Withered.  Those 
who  were  afflicted  with  one  form  of 
the  palsy  that  withered  or  dried  up  the 
part  affected.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  iv. 
24.  *1[  Moving  of  the  water.  It  appears 
that  this  pool  had  medicinal  properties 
only  when  it  was  agitated  or  stirred. 
It  is  probable  that  at  regular  times 
or  intervals  the  fountain  put  forth  an 
unusual  quantity  of  water,  or  water 
of  peculiar  properties,  and  that  about 
these  times  the  people  assembled  in 
multitudes  who  were  to  be  healed. 

4.  ^1^71  ayigel.  It  is  not  affirmed  that 
the  angel  did  this  visibly,  or  that  they 
saw  him  do  it.  They  judged  by  the 
effect,  and  when  they  saw  the  waters 
agitated,  they  concluded  that  they 
had  healing  properties,  and  descend- 
ed to  them.  The  Jews  were  in  the 
habit  of  attributing  all  favors  to  the 
ministry  of  the  angels  of  God.  Gen. 
xix.  15.  Heb.  i.  14.  Matt.  iv.  11 ;  xviii. 
10.  Lukexvi.22.  Actsvii.53.  Gal.  iii. 
19.  Acts  xii.  11.  This  fountain,  it 
seems,  had  strong  medicinal  proper- 
ties. Like  many  other  waters,  it  had 
the  property  of  healing  certain  dis- 
eases that  were  incurable  by  any  oth- 
er means.  Thus  the  waters  of  Bath, 
of  Sara^^a,  etc.,  are  found  to  be  high- 
ly medmnal,  and  to  heal  diseases  that 
are  otherwise  incurable.  In  the  case 
of  the  waters  of  Bethesda  there  does 


250 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


then  first  after  the  troubling  of 
the  water  stepped  in,  was  made 

aProv.8. 17.    Ecc.9. 10.    Matt.  11. 12. 


not  appear  to  have  been  any  thing 
miraculous^  but  the  waters  seem  to 
have  been  endued  with  strong  medic- 
inal properties,  especially  after  a  peri- 
odical agitation.  All  that  is  peculiar 
about  them  in  the  record  is  that  this 
was  produced  by  the  ministry  of  an 
angel.  This  was  in  accordance  with 
the  common  sentiment  of  the  Jews, 
the  common  doctrine  of  the  Bible, 
and  the  belief  of  the  sacred  writers. 
Nor  can  it  be  shown  to  be  absurd  or 
improbable  that  such  blessings  should 
be  imparted  to  man  by  the  ministry 
of  an  angel.  There  is  no  more  ab- 
surdity in  the  belief  that  a  pure  spir- 
it or  holy  angel  should  aid  man,  than 
that  a  physician  or  a  parent  should ; 
and  no  more  absurdity  in  supposing 
Uiat  the  healing  prox)erties  of  such  a 
fountain  should  be  loroduced  by  his 
aid,  than  that  any  other  blessing 
should  be.  Heb.  i.  12.  What  man  can 
prove  that  all  his  temporal  blessings 
do  not  come  to  him  through  the  me- 
dium of  others — of  parents,  of  teach- 
ers, of  friends,  of  angels?  And  who 
can  prove  that  it  is  unworthy  the  be- 
nevolence of  angels  to  minister  to  the 
wants  of  the  poor,  the  needy,  and  the 
afflicted,  when  ma7i  does  it,  and  Jesus 
Christ  did  it,  and  God  himself  does  it 
daily?  ^  Went  down.  Descended  to 
the  pool.  ^  At  a  certain  season.  At  a 
certain  time ;  periodically.  The  peo- 
ple knew  about  the  time  when  this 
was  done,  and  assembled  in  multi- 
tudes to  partake  of  the  benefits.  #Iany 
medicinal  springs  are  more  strongly 
impregnated  at  some  seasons  of  the 
year  than  others.  1[  Troubled  the  wa- 
ter. Stirred  or  agitated  the  water. 
There  was  probably  an  increase,  and 
a  bubbling  and  agitation  produced  by 
the  admission  of  a  fresh  quantity. 
^  Whosoever  tJmi  first.  This  does  not 
mean  that  but  one  was  healed,  and 
that  first  one,  but  that  those  who 
first  descended  into  the  pool  were 
healed.  The  strong  medicinal  prop- 
erties of  the  waters  soon  subsided, 
and  those  who  could  not  at  first  enter 
into  the  pool  were  obliged  to  wait 
for  the  return  of  the  agitation. 
If  Stepped  in.  Went  in.  H  Was  made 
whole.  Was  healed.  It  is  n(^mplied 
that  this  was  done  instantaneously  or 
by  a  miracle.    The  water  had  such 


whole  *  of  whatsoever  disease  he 
bad. 

6  Ezek.  47.  8, 9.    Zech.  13. 1. 


properties  that  he  was  healed,  though 
probably  gradually.  It  is  not  less  the 
gift  of  God  to  suppose  that  this  fount- 
ain restored  gradually,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  what  commonly  occurs, 
than  to  suppose,  what  is  not  affirm- 
ed, that  it  was  done  at  once  and  in  a 
miraculous  manner. 

In  regard  to  this  passage,  it  shouM 
be  remarked  that  the  account  of  the 
angel  in  the  4th  verse  is  wanting  in 
many  manuscripts,  and  has  been  by 
many  supposed  to  be  spurious.  There 
is  not  conclusive  evidence,  however, 
that  it  is  not  a  part  of  the  genuine 
text,  and  the  bfest  critics  suppose  that 
it  should  not  be  rejected.  One  diffi- 
culty has  been  that  no  such  place  as 
this  spring  is  mentioned  by  Josephus, 
But  John  is  as  good  a  historian,  and 
as  worthy  to  be  believed  as  Josephus. 
Besides,  it  is  known  that  many  im- 
portant places  and  events  have  not 
been  mentioned  by  the  Jewish  histo- 
rian, and  it  is  no  evidence  that  there 
was  no  such  place  as  this  because  he 
did  not  mention  it.  When  this  fount- 
ain was  discovered,  or  how  long  its 
healing  properties  continued  to  be 
known,  it  is  impossible  now  to  as- 
certain. All  that  we  know  of  it  is 
what  is  inentioned  here,  and  conjec- 
ture would  be  useless.  We  may  re- 
mark, however,  that  such  a  place  any 
where  is  an  evidence  of  the  great 
goodness  of  God.  Springs  or  fount- 
ains having  healing  properties  abound 
on  earth,  and  nowhere  more  than  in 
our  own  country.  Diseases  are  often 
healed  in  such  places  which  no  human 
skill  could  remove.  The  Jews  regard- 
ed such  a  provision  as  proof  of  the 
mercy  of  God.  They  gave  this  heal- 
ing spring  the  name  of  a  "house  of 
mercy."  They  regarded  it  as  under 
the  care  of  an  angel.  And  there  is  no 
place  where  man  should  be  more  sen- 
sible of  the  goodness  of  God,  or  be 
more  disposed  to  render  him  praise 
as  m  a  "house  of  mercy,"  than  when 
at  such  a  healing  fountain.  And  yet 
how  lamentable  is  it  that  such  places 
— watering  places  —  should  be  mere 
places  of  gayety  and  thoughtlessness, 
of  balls,  and  gambling,  and  dissipa- 
tion !  How  melancholy  that  amid  the 
very  places  where  there  is  most  evi- 
dence of  the  goodness  of  God,  and  of 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


251 


5  And  a  certain  man  was  there 
which  had  an  infirmity  « thirty  and 
eight  years. 

6  When  JeSus  saw  him  lie,  and  ^ 
knew  that  he  had  been  now  a  long 
time  in  that  case^  he  saith  unto  him, 
Wilt  thou  be  made  whole  ? 

7  The  impotent  man  answered 
him.  Sir,  I  have  ^  no  man,  when 
the  water  is  troubled,  to  put  me 

a  Lu.  8. 43;  13. 16.  6  Psa.  142. 3.  c  Deut.  32. 
36.  P3a.72.12;  142.4.  Rom.  5.  6.  2  Cor.  1.9, 10. 

the  misery  of  the  poor,  the  sick,  the 
afflicted,  men  should  forget  all  the 
goodness  of  their  Maker,  and  spend 
their  time  in  scenes  of  dissipation, 
folly,  and  vice ! 

5.  An  infiiinitij.  A  weakness.  We 
know  not  what  his  disease  was.  We 
know  only  that  it  disabled  him  from 
walking,  and  that  it  was  of  very  long 
standing.  It  was  doubtless  regarded 
as  incurable. 

7.  Sir,  I  have  no  man,  etc.  The  an- 
swer of  the  man  implied  that  he  did 
wish  it,  but,  in  addition  to  all  his  oth- 
er trials,  he  had  no  friend  to  aid  him. 
This  is  an  additional  circumstance  that 
heightened  his  affliction. 

8.  Mse,  take  up,  etc.  Jesus  not  only 
restored  him  to  health,  but  he  gave 
evidence  to  those  around  him  that 
this  was  a  real  miracle,  and  that  he 
was  really  healed.  For  almost  forty 
years  he  had  been  afflicted.  He  was 
not  even  able  to  walk.  Jesus  com- 
manded him  not  only  to  walk,  but  to 
take  up  his  bed  also,  and  carry  that  as 
proof  that  he  was  truly  made  whole. 
In  regard  to  this  we  may  observe,  1st. 
That  it  was  a  remarkable  command. 
The  poor  man  had  been  long  infirm, 
and  it  does  not  appear  that  he  expect- 
ed to  be  healed  except  by  being  put 
into  the  waters.  Yet  Jesus,  when 
he  gives  a  commandment,  can  give 
strength  to  obey  it.  2d.  It  is  our  bu- 
siness to  obey  the  commands  of  Je- 
sus, however  feeble  we  feel  ourselves 
to  be.  Ilis  grace  will  be  sufficient 
for  us,  and  his  burden  will  be  light. 
8d.  The  weak  and  helpless  sinner 
should  put  forth  his  eff"orts  in  obe- 
dience to  the  command  of  Jesus. 
Never  was  a  sinner  more  helpless  than 
was  this  man.  If  God  gave  him 
strength  to  do  his  will,  so  he  can  all 
others ;  and  the  plea  that  we  can  do 
nothing  could  have  been  urged  with 


into  the  pool ;  but  while  I  am  com- 
ing, another  steppetli  down  before 
me. 

8  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Rise,^ 
take  up  thy  bed,  and  walk. 

9  And  immediately  the  man  was 
made  whole,  and  took  up  his  bed, 
and  walked ;  and  on  ^  the  same  day 
was  the  sabbath. 

10  The  Jews  therefore  said  unto 

Matt.  9.  6.  Mar.  2.  11.  Lu.  5.  24. 
CC.9. 14. 


far  more  propriety  by  this  man  than 
it  can  be  by  any  impenitent  sinner. 
4th.  This  narrative  should  not  be 
abused.  It  should  not  be  supposed 
as  intended  to  teach  that  a  sinner 
should  delay  repentance,  as  if  waiting 
for  God.  The  narrative  neither  teach- 
es nor  implies  a7iy  such  tiling.  It  is  a 
simple  record  of  a  fact  in  regard  to  a 
man  who  had  no  power  to  heal  him- 
self, and  who  was  under  no  obligation 
to  heal  himself.  There  is  no  reference 
in  the  narrative  to  the  difficulties  of  a 
sinner — no  intimation  that  it  was  in- 
tended to  refer  to  his  condition ;  and 
to  make  this  example  an  excuse  for 
delay,  or  an  argument  for  waiting,  is 
to  abuse  and  pervert  the  Bible.  Sel- 
dom is  more  mischief  done  than  by 
attempting  to  draw  from  the  Bible 
what  it  was  not  intended  to  teach, 
and  by  an  effort  to  make  that  convc}^ 
spiritual  instruction  which  God  has 
not  declared  designed  for  that  pur- 
pose. Thy  bed.  Thy  couch  ;  or  the 
mattress  or  clothes  on  which  he  la}^ 

9.  The  Sabbath.  To  carry  burdens 
on  the  Sabbath  was  forbidden  in  the 
Old  Testament.  Jer.  xvii.  21.  Neh. 
xiii.  15.  Exod.  xx.  8-10.  If  it  be  asked, 
then,  why  Jesus  commanded  a  man  to 
do  on  the  Sabbath  what  was  under- 
stood to  be  a  violation  of  the  day,  it 
may  be  answered,  1st.  That  the  Son  of 
man  was  Lord  of  the  Sabbath,  and  had 
a  right  to  declare  what  might  be  done, 
and  even  to  dispense  with  a  positive 
law  of  the  Jews.  Matt.  xii.  8.  John  v. 
17.  2d.  This  was  a  poor  man,  and  Je- 
sus directed  him  to  secure  his  i)rop- 
erty.  3d.  The  Jews  extended  the  ob- 
ligation of  the  Sabbath  beyond  what 
was  intended  by  the  appointment. 
They  observed  it  superstitiously,  and 
Jesus  took  every  opportunity  to  con- 
vince them  of  their  error,  and  to  re- 
store the  day  to  its  proper  observance. 


353 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


him  that  was  cured,  It  is  the  sab- 
bath day ; "  it  is  not  lawful  for  thee 
to  carry  tliy  bed. 

11  He  answered  them,  He  that 
made  me  whole,  the  same  said 
unto  me,  Take  up  thy  bed  and 
walk. 

12  Then  asked  they  him,  What 

a  Jer.  17.  21,  etc.  Matt.  12.  2,  etc.  b  c.  14.  9. 


Matt.  xii.  6-11.  Luke  vi.  9;  xiii.  14; 
xiv.  5.  This  method  he  took  to  show 
them  what  the  law  of  God  really  per- 
mitted on  that  day,  and  that  works  of 
necessity  and  mercy  were  lawful. 

10.  Not  lavrfid.  It  was  forbidden, 
they  supposed,  in  the  Old  Testament. 
The  Jews  were  very  strenuous  in  the 
observation  of  the  external  duties  of 
religion. 

11.  He  that  made  me  whole.  The  man 
reasoned  correctly.  If  Jesus  had  pow- 
er to  work  so  signal  a  miracle,  he  had 
a  right  to  explain  the  law.  If  he  had 
conferred  so  great  a  favor  on  him,  he 
had  a  right  to  expect  obedience ;  and 
we  may  learn  that  the  mercy  of  God 
in  pardoning  our  sins,  or  in  bestowing 
any  signal  blessing,  imposes  the  obli- 
gation to  obey  him.  We  should  yield 
obedience  to  him  according  to  what 
we  krtow  to  be  his  will,  whatever  may 
be  the  opinions  of  men,  or  whatever 
interpretation  tliejj  may  put  on  the 
law  of  God.  Our  business  is  a  sim- 
ple, hearty,  child-like  obedience,  let 
the  men  of  the  world  say  or  think  of 
us  as  they  choose. 

12.  What  inan  is  he^  etc.  In  this  verse 
there  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
perverseness  of  men,  of  their  want  of 
candor,  and  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  often  look  at  a  subject.  Instead 
of  looking  at  the  miracle,  and  at  the 
man's  statement  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  was  healed,  they  look  only 
at  what  they  thought  to  be  a  viola- 
tion of  the  law.  They  assumed  it  as 
certain  that  nothing  could  make  his 
conduct,  in  carrying  his  bed  on  the 
Sabbath  day,  proper;  angl  they  medi- 
tated vengeance,  not  only  on  the  man 
who  was  carrying  his  bed,  but  on  him, 
also,  who  had  told  him  to  do  it.  Thus 
men  often  assume  that  a  certain  course 
or  ox)inion  is  proper,  and  wlien  any 
one  differs  from  them  they  lool-c  only 
at  tlie  difference,  but  not  at  the  reasons 
for  it.  One  great  source  of  dispute 
among  men  is  that  they  look  only  at 


man  is  that  which  said  unto  thee, 
Take  up  thy  bed  and  walk  ? 

13  And  he  that  was  healed  wist 
*  not  who  it  was ;  for  Jesus  had 
conveyed  ^  himself  away,  ^  a  multi- 
tude being  in  that  place. 

14  Afterward  Jesus  findeth  him 
in  the  temple,  and  said  unto  him, 

c  Lu.  4.  30.  1  or, from  the  multitude  that  was. 


the  points  in  which  they  differ,  but  are 
unwilling  to  listen  to  the  reasons  why 
others  do  not  believe  as  they  do.  It 
is  always  enough  to  condemn  one  in 
the  eyes  of  a  bigot  that  he  differs  from 
7w7i,  and  he  looks  upon  him  who  holds 
a  different  opinion,  as  the  Jews  did  at 
this  man,  as  certainly  wrong  ;  and  such 
a  bigot  looks  at  the  reasons  why  oth- 
ers differ  from  him  just  as  the  Jews 
did  at  the  reason  why  this  man  bore 
his  bed  on  the  Sabbath — as  not  worth 
regarding  or  hearing,  or  as  if  they 
could  not  j)ossibly  be  right. 

13.  Wist  7iot.  Knew  not.  If  Had 
conveyed  liimself  avmy.  Was  lost  in 
the  crowd.  He  had  silently  mingled 
with  the  multitude,  or  had  passed  on 
with  the  crowd  unobserved,  and  the 
man  had  been  so  rejoiced  at  his  cure 
that  he  had  not  even  inquired  the 
name  of  his  benefactor. 

14.  Fi7ideth  him.  Fell  in  with  him, 
or  saw  him.  T[  In  the  Temple.  The 
man  seems  to  have  gone  at  once  to 
tlie  Temple  —  perhaps  a  privilege  of 
which  he  had  been  long  deprived. 
They  who  are  healed  from  sickness 
sliould  seek  the  sanctuary  of  God  and 
give  him  thanks  for  his  mercy.  Com- 
pare Notes  on  Isa.  xxxviii.  20.  There 
is  nothing  more  improper,  when  we 
are  raised  up  from  a  bed  of  pain,  than 
to  forget  God  our  benefactor,  and 
neglect  to  praise  him  for  his  mercies. 
1[  Thou  art  made  whole.  Jesus  calls  to 
his  remembrance  the  fact  that  he  was 
healed,  in  order  that  he  might  admon- 
ish him  not  to  sin  again.  ^  Bin  no 
more.  By  this  expression  it  was  im- 
plied that  tlie  infirmity  of  this  man 
was  caused  by  sin — perhaps  by  vice  in 
his  youth.  His  crime  or  dissipation 
had  brought  on  him  this  long  and 
distressing  affliction.  Jesus  shows 
him  that  he  knew  the  cause  of  his 
sickness,  and  takes  occasion  to  warn 
him  not  to  repeat  it.  No  man  who  in- 
dulges in  vice  can  tell  what  may  be 
its  consequences.   It  must  always  cud 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


253 


Behold,  thou  art  made  whole :  sin 
"  no  more,  lest  a  worse  thing  come 
^  unto  thee. 

15  The  man  departed,  and  told 
the  Jews  that  it  was  Jesus  which 
had  made  him  whole. 

16  And  therefore  did  the  Jews 

a  c.8.11. 

in  evil,  and  not  unfrequently  it  results 
in  loss  of  heal  til,  and  in  long  and  pain- 
ful disease.  This  is  always  the  case 
with  intemperance  and  all  gross  pleas- 
ures. Sooner  or  later,  sin  will  always 
result  in  misery.  H  Sin  no  inore.  Do 
not  repeat  the  vice.  You  have  had 
dear-bought  experience,  and  if  repeat- 
ed it  wili  be  worse.  When  a  man  has 
been  restored  from  the  effects  of  sin, 
he  should  learn  to  avoid  the  very  ap- 
pearance of  evil.  He  should  shun  the 
place  of  temptation ;  he  should  not 
mingle  again  with  his  old  compan- 
ions ;  he  should  touch  not,  iaste  not, 
handle  not.  God  visits  with  heavier 
judgment  those  who  have  been  once 
restored  from  the  ways  of  sin  and  who 
return  again  to  it.  The  drunkard  that 
has  been  reformed,  and  that  returns 
to  his  habits  of  drinking,  becomes 
more  beastly;  the  man  that  professes 
to  have  experitnced  a  change  of  heart, 
and  who  then  indulges  in  sin,  sinks 
deeper  into  pollution,  and  is  seldom 
restored.  The  only  way  of  safety  in 
all  such  cases  is  to  sin  no  more;  not 
to  be  in  the  way  of  temptation ;  not 
to  expose  ourselves ;  not  to  touch  or 
approach  that  which  came  near  to 
working  our  ruin.  The  man  who  has 
been  intemperate  and  is  reformed,  if 
he  tastes  the  poison  at  all^  may  expect 
to  sink  deeper  than  ever  into  drunk- 
enness and  pollution.  T[  A  worse  tldng. 
A  more  grievous  disease,  or  the  pains 
of  hell.  "The  doom  of  apostates  is  a 
worse  thing  than  thirty-eight  years' 
lameness. " — Henry. 

16.  Persecuted  Jesus.  They  opposed 
him;  attempted  to  ruin  his  character; 
to  destroy  his  popularity ;  and  proba- 
bly held  him  up  before  the  people  as 
a  violator  of  the  law  of  God.  Instead 
of  making  inquiry  whether  he  had  not 
given  proof  that  he  wafe  the  Messiah, 
they  assumed  that  he  must  be  wrong, 
and  ought  to  be  punished.  Thus  ev- 
ery bigot  and  persecutor  does  in  re- 

fard  to  those  who  differ  from  them. 
To  slay  him.    To  put  him  to  death. 
This  they  attempted  to  do  because  it 


persecute  Jesus,  and  sought  to 
slay  him,  because  he  had  done 
these  things  on  the  sabbath  clay. 

17  But  Jesus  answered  them,  My 
*  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I 
work. 

18  Therefore  the  Jews  sought  the 

6  c.9.4;  14.10. 


was  directed  in  the  law  of  Moses. 
Exod.  xxxi.  15 ;  xxxv.  2.  See  Luke  vi. 
7, 11 ;  xiii.  14.  We  see  here,  1st.  How 
full  of  enmity  and  how  bloody  was  the 
purpose  of  the  Jews.  All  that  Jesus 
had  done  was  to  restore  an  infirm  man 
to  health — a  thing  which  they  would 
have  done  for  their  cattle  (Luke  vi.  7), 
and  yet  they  sought  his  life  because 
he  had  done  it  for  a  sick  man.  2d. 
Men  are  often  extremely  envious  l)e- 
cause  good  is  done  by  others,  especial- 
ly if  it  is  not  done  according  to  the 
way  of  their  denomination  or  party. 
3d.  Here  was  an  instance  of  the  com- 
mon feelings  of  a  hj-pocrite.  He  oft- 
en covers  his  enmity  against  the  power 
of  religion  by  great  zeal  for  the  form 
of  it.  He  hates  and  persecutes  those 
who  do  good,  who  seek  the  conver- 
sion of  sinners,  who  love  revivals  of 
religion  and  the  sj)read  of  the  Gospel, 
because  it  is  not  according  to  some 
matter  of  form  which  has  been  estab- 
lished, and  on  which  he  supposes  the 
whole  safety  of  the  Church  to  hang. 
TJiere  was  nothing  that  Jesus  was 
more  opposed  to  than  hypocrisy,  and 
nothing  that  he  set  himself  more 
against  than  those  who  suppose  all 
goodness  to  consist  in  /orms,  and  all 
piety  in  the  shibboleths  of  a  party. 

11.  3Iy Father.  God.  '^Worketh hith- 
erto. Worketh  until  nm),  or  till  this 
time.  God  has  not  ceased  to  work  on 
the  Sabbath.  He  makes  the  sun  to 
rise ;  he  rolls  the  stars ;  he  causes  the 
grass,  the  tree,  the  flower  to  grow. 
He  has  not  suspended  his  operations 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  the  obligation  to 
rest  on  the  Sabbath  does  not  extend 
to  him.  He  created  the  world  in  six 
days,  and  ceased  the  work  of  creations- 
hut  he  has  not  ceased  to  govern  it,  and 
to  carry  forward,  by  his  providence, 
his  great  plans  on  the  Sabbath.  T[  A7id 
I  work.  "As  God  does  good  on  that 
day;  as  he  is  not  bound  by  the  law 
which  requires  his  creatures  to  rest 
on  that  day,  so  7  do  the  same.  The 
law  on  that  subject  may  be  dispensed 
with,  also,  in  my  case,  for  the  Son  of 


254 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


more  to  kill  *  him,  because  he  not 
only  had  broken  the  sabbath,  but 
said  also  that  God  was  his  Fa- 
ther, making  ^  himself  equal  with 
God. 

19  Then  answered  Jesus  and  said 

a  c,  1. 19.         b  Zech.  13.  7.  c.  10.  30, 33.   Phil.  2.  6. 


man  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbath."  In  this 
reply  it  is  implied  that  he  was  equal 
with  God  from  two  circumstances: 
1st.  Because  he  called  God  his  Father. 
Verse  18.  2d.  Because  he  claimed  the 
same  exemption  from  law  which  God 
did,  asserting  that  the  law  of  the  Sab- 
bath did  not  bind  him  or  his  Father, 
thus  showing  that  he  had  a  right  to 
impose  and  repeal  laws  in  the  same 
manner  as  God.  He  that  has  a  right 
to  do  this  must  be  God. 

18.  The  more  to  kill  him.  The  an- 
swer of  Jesus  was  fitted  greatly  to  ir- 
ritate them.  He  did  not  deny  what 
he  liad  done,  but  he  added  to  tliat 
what  he  well  knew  would  highly  of- 
fend them.  That  he  should  claim  the 
right  of  dispensing  witli  the  law,  and 
affirm  that,  in  regard  to  its  observ- 
ance, he  was  in  tlie  same  condition 
with  God,  was  eminently  fitted  to  en- 
rage tliem,  and  he  doubtless  knew  that 
it  might  endanger  liis  life.  We  may 
learn  from  his  answer,  1st.  That  we  are 
not  to  keep  back  trutli  because  it  may 
endanger  us.  2d.  That  we  are  not  to 
keep  back  truth  because  it  will  irri- 
tate and  enrage  sinners.  The  fault  is 
not  in  the  truth^  but  in  the  sinner. 
Od.  That  when  any  one  portion  of 
truth  enrages  hypocrites,  they  will  be 
enraged  the  more  they  hear.  ^  Had 
broken  the  Sabbath.  They  suj^posed  he 
had  broken  ilk  If  Making  himself  equal 
with  God.  This  shows  that,  in  the 
view  of  the  Jews,  the  name  Son  of 
God,  or  that  calling  God  his  Father, 
implied  equality  with  God.  The  Jews 
were  the  best  interpreters  of  their  own 
language,  and  as  Jesus  did  not  deny 
the  correctness  of  their  interpreta- 
tions, it  follows  that  he  meant  to  be 
so  understood.  See'  chap.  x.  29-38. 
The  interpretation  of  the  Jews  was  a 
very  natural  and  just  one.  He  not 
only  said  that  God  was  his  Father, 
but  he  said  that  he  had  the  same  right 
to  work  on  the  Sabbath  that  God  had; 
that  by  the  same  authority,  and  in  the 
same  manner,  he  could  dispense  with 
the  obligation  of  the  day.  They  had 
now  two  pretences  for  seeking  to  kill 


unto  them.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  ^  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of 
himself  but  what  he  seeth  the  Fa-  * 
ther  do;  for  what  things  soever 
he  doeth,  these  also  doetli  the  Son 
likewise. 

c  ver.  30. 


him — one  for  making  himself  equal 
with  God,  which  they  considered 
blasphemy,  and  the  other  for  violat- 
ing the  Sabbath.  For  each  of  these 
the  law  denounced  death.  Num.  xv. 
35.  Lev.  xxiv.  11-14. 

19.  The  Son  can  do  nothing  of  Jiimself. 
Jesus,  having  stated  the  extent  of  his 
authority,  proceeds  here  to  show  its 
source  and  nature^  and  to  prove  to  them 
that  what  he  had  said  was  true.  The 
first  explanation  which  he  gives  is  in 
these  words  :  The  Son — whom  he  had 
just  impliedly  affirmed  to  be  equal 
with  God — did  nothing  of  himself; 
that  is,  nothing  without  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  Father;  nothing  contra- 
ry to  the  Father,  as  he  immediately 
explains  it.  When  it  is  said  that  he 
CAN  do  nothing  of  himself,  it  is  meant 
that  such  is  the  union  subsisting  be- 
tween the  Father  and  the  Son  that  he 
can  do  nothing  indejiendently  or  sepa- 
rate from  the  Father.  Such  is  the 
nature  of  this  union  that  he  can  do 
nothing  which  has  not  the  concur- 
rence of  the  Father,  and  which  he 
does  not  command.  In  all  things  he 
must,  from  the  necessity  of  his  na- 
ture, act  in  accordance  with  the  na- 
ture and  will  of  God.  Such  is  the  in- 
timacy of  the  union,  that  the  fact  that 
?ie  does  any  thing  is  proof  that  it  is  by 
the  concurring  agency  of  God.  There 
is  no  separate  action — no  separate  ex- 
istence ;  but,  alike  in  being  and  in  ac- 
tion, there  is  the  most  perfect  one- 
ness between  him  and  the  Father. 
Compare  John  x.  30 ;  xvii.  21.  What 
he  seeth  the  Father  do.  In  the  works  of 
creation  and  providence,  in  making 
laws,  and  in  the  government  of  the 
universe.  There  is  a  peculiar  force 
in  the  word  seeth  here.  No  man  can 
see  God  acting  in  his  works ;  but  the 
word  here  implies  that  the  Son  sees 
him  act,  as  wcTfeoe  our  fellow-men  act, 
and  that  he  has  a  knowledge  of  him, 
therefore,  which  no  mere  mortal  could 
possess.  Tj  Wliat  things  soever.  In  the 
works  of  creation  and  of  providence, 
and  in  the  government  of  the  worlds. 
The  word  is  without  limit — all  that 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V.  • 


255 


20  «  the  Father  loveth  the 
Son,  and  showeth  him  all  things 
that  himself  doeth  ;  and  he  will 
show  him  greater  works  than 
these,  that  ye  may  marvel. 

21  For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up 

a  Matt.  3. 17.   c.3.35;  17.26. 


the  Father  does  the  Son  likewise  does. 
This  is  as  high  an  assertion  as  possible 
of  his  being  equal  with  God.  If  one 
does  all  that  another  does  or  can  do, 
then  there  must  be  equality.  If  the 
Son  does  all  that  the  Father  does, 
then,  like  him,  he  must  be  almighty, 
omniscient,  omnipresent,  and  inlinite 
in  every  j)erfection;  or,  in  other 
words,  he  must  be  God.  If  he  had 
this  power,  then  he  had  authority, 
also,  to  do  on  the  Sabbath  day  what 
God  did. 

20.  The  Father  loveth  the  Son.  This 
authority  he  traces  to  the  love  which 
the  Father  has  for  him — that  peculiar, 
ineifable,  infinite  love  which  God  has 
for  his  only-begotten  Son,  feebly  and 
dimly  illustrated  by  the  love  which  an 
earthly  parent  has  for  an  only  child. 

Showeth  him.'  Makes  him  acquaint- 
ed with.  Conceals  nothing  from  him. 
From  apostles,  prophets,  and  philoso- 
phers no  small  part  of  the  doings  of 
God  are  concealed.  From  the  Son 
nothing  is.  And  as  God  shows  him 
all  that  he  does,  he  must  be  possessed 
of  omniscience,  for  to  no  finite  mind 
could  be  imparted  a  knowledge  of  all 
the  works  of  God.  II  Will  show  him. 
Will  appoint  and  direct  him  to  do 
greater  works  than  these.  1[  Greater 
works  than  these.  Than  healing  the 
impotent  man,  and  commanding  him 
to  carry  his  bed  on  the  Sabbath  day. 
The  greater  works  to  which  he  refers 
are  those  which  he  proceeds  to  speci- 
fy— he  ^ill  raise  the  dead  and  judge 
the  world,  etc.  H  May  marvel.  May 
wonder,  or  be  amazed. 

21.  As  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead. 
God  has  power  to  raise  the  dead.  By 
his  power  it  had  been  done  in  at  least 
two  instances — by  the  prophet  Elijah, 
in  the  case  of  the  son  of  the  widow  of 
Sarepta  (1  Kings  xvii.  22),  and  by  the 
prophet  Elisha,  in  the  case  of  the  Shu- 
namite's  son.  2  Kings  iv.  32-35.  The 
Jews  did  not  doubt  that  God  had  pow- 
er to  raise  the  dead.  Jesus  here  ex- 
pressly affirms  it,  and  says  he  has 
the  same  power.    1  Quickeneth  them. 


the  dead,  and  quickeneth  them, 
even  ^  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom 
he  will. 

22  For  the  Father  judgeth  no 
man,  but  hath  committed  ^  all 
judgment  unto  the  Son ; 

b  Lu.8.  54.    c.  11.25;  17.2. 

c  Matt.  11.27.    Acts  17.31.    2  Cor.  5. 10. 


Gives  them  life.  This  is  the  sense  of 
the  word  quickeneth  tliroughout  the 
Bible.  If  Even  so.  In  the  same  man- 
ner. By  the  same  authority  and  pow- 
er. The  power  of  raising  the  dead 
must  be  one  of  the  highest  attributes 
of  the  divinity.  As  Jesus  affirms  that 
he  has  the  power  to  do  this  in  the  same 
maimer  as  the  Father,  so  it  follows 
that  he  must  be  equal  with  God. 
H  The  Son  quickeneth.  Gives  life  to. 
This  may  either  refer  to  his  raising 
the  dead  from  their  graves,  or  to  his 
giving  spiritual  life  to  those  who  are 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  The  for- 
mer he  did  in  the  case  of  Lazarus  and 
the  widow's  son  at  Nain.  John  xi.  43, 
44.  Luke  vii.  14, 15.  The  latter  he  did 
in  the  case  of  all  those  who  were  con- 
verted b}^  his  power,  and  still  does 
it  in  any  instance  of  conversion. 
^  Whom  he  will.  It  was  in  the  power 
of  J esus  to  raise  up  any  of  the  dead  as 
well  as  Lazarus.  It  depended  on  his 
will  whether  Lazarus  and  the  widow's 
son  should  come  to  life.  So  it  de- 
pends on  his  will  whether  sinners 
shall  live.  He  has  power  to  renew 
them,  and  the  renewing  of  the  heart 
is  as  much  the  result  of  his  ivill  as  the 
raising  of  the  dead. 

22.  Judgeth  no  man.  J  esus  in  these 
verses  is  showing  his  equality  with  God. 
He  affirmed  (verse  17)  that  he  had  the 
same  power  over  the  Sabbath  that  his 
Father  had;  in  verse  19,  that  he  did 
the  same  things  as  the  Father;  in 
verse  21,  particularly  that  he  had  the 
same  power  to  raise  the  dead.  He 
now  adds  that  God  has  given  him  the 
authority  to  judge  men.  The  Father 
pronounces  judgment  on  no  one.  This 
office  he  has  committed  to  the  Son. 
The  power  of  judging  the  world  im- 
plies ability  to  search  the  heart,  and 
omniscience  to  understand  the  mo- 
tives of  all  actions.  This  is  a  work 
which  none  but  a  divine  being  can  do, 
and  it  shows,  therefore,  that  the  Son 
is  equal  to  the  Father.  ^  Hath  com-' 
mitted,  etc.  Hath  appointed  him  to 
be  the  #idge  of  the  world.   In  the 


356 


•  JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


23  That  all  men  should  honour 
the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the 
Father.    He  that  honoureth  not 


previous  verse  he  had  said  that  he  had 
power  to  raise  the  dead;  he  here  adds 
that  it  will  be  his,  also,  to  judge  them 
when  they  are  raised.  See  Matt.  xxv. 
Acts  xvii.  31. 

23.  That  all  men  should  honor^  etc. 
To  honor  is  to  esteem,  reverence, 
praise,  do  homage  to.  We  honor  one 
when  we  ascribe  to  him  in  our  hearts, 
and  words,  and  actions  the  praise  and 
obedience  which  are  due  to  him.  We 
honor  God  when  we  obey  him  and 
worship  him  aright.  We  honor  the 
Son  when  we  esteem  him  to  be  as  he 
is ;  when  we  have  right  views  and 
feelings  toward  him.  As  he  is  de- 
clared to  be  God  (John  i.  1),  as  he 
here  says  he  has  power  and  author- 
ity equal  with  God,  so  we  honor  him 
when  we  regard  him  as  such.  The 
primitive  Christians  are  described  by 
Pliny,  in  a  letter  to  the  Emperor 
Trajan,  as  meeting  together  to  sing- 
hymns  to  Christ  as  God.  So  we  hon- 
or him  aright  when  we  regard  him  as 
possessed  of  wisdom,  goodness,  pow- 
er, eternity,  omniscience — equal  with 
God.  ^  Eve7i  as.  To  the  same  ex- 
tent; in  the  same  manner.  Since  the 
Son  is  to  be  honored  even  as  the  Fa- 
ther, it  follows  that  he  must  be  equal 
with  tlie  Father.  To  honor  the  Father 
must  denote  religious  homage,  or  the 
rendering  of  that  honor  which  is  due 
to  God;  so  to  honor  the  Son  must 
also  denote  religious  homage.  If  our 
Saviour  here  did  not  intend  to  teach 
that  he  ought  to  be  worshij^ped,  and 
to  be  esteemed  as  equal  with  God,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  teach  it  by  any 
language  which  we  could  use.  H  lie 
that  honoreth  not  the  Son.  He  that  does 
not  believe  on  him,  and  render  to  him 
the  homage  which  is  his  due  as  the 
equal  of  God.  U  Honoreth  not  the  Fa- 
ther.* Docs  not  worship  and  obey  the 
Father,  the  first  person  of  the  Trinity 
— that  is,  does  not  worship  God.  He 
may  imagine  that  he  worships  God, 
but  there  is  no  God  but  the  God 
subsisting  as  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  lie  that  withholds  proper 
homage  from  one,  withholds  it  from 
all.  lie  that  should  refuse  to  honor 
the  Father^  could  not  be  said  to  honor 
God;  and  in  the  like  manner,  lift  that 
honoreth  not  the  Son^  hon#eth  not 


the  Son,  honoureth  not  Hie  Fa- 
ther which  hath  sent  himr 
24  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 


the  Father.  This  appears  farther  from 
the  following  considerations :  1st.  The 
Father  wills  that  the  Son  should  be 
honored.  He  that  refuses  to  do  it 
disobeys  the  Father.  2d.  They  are 
equal.  He  that  denies  the  one  de- 
nies also  the  otl>er.  3d.  The  same 
feeling  that  leads  us  to  honor  the 
Father  will  also  lead  us  to  honor  the 
Son^  for  he  is  "the  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his 
person."  Heb.  i.  3.  4th.  The  evidence 
of  the  existence  of  the  Son  is  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Father.  He  has  the 
same  wisdom,  goodness,  omnipres- 
ence, truth,  power. 

And  from  these  verses  we  may 
learn,  1st.  That  those  who  do  not  ren- 
der proper  homage  to  Jesus  Christ  do 
not  worship  the  true  God.  2d.  There 
is  no  such  God  as  the  infidel  professes 
to  believe  in.  There  can  be  but  one 
God;  and  if  the  God  of  the  Bible  be 
the  true  God,  then  all  other  gods  are 
false  gods.  3d.  Those  who  withhold 
proper  homage  from  Jesus  Christ, 
who  do  not  honor  him  even  as  they 
honor  the  Father,  can  not  be  Chris- 
tians. 4th.  One  evidence  of  piety  is 
when  we  are  willing  to  render  proper 
praise  and  homage'to  Jesus  Christ — 
to  love  him,  and  serve  and  obey  him, 
with  all  our  hearts.  5th.  As  a  matter 
offaet^  it  may  be  added  that  they  who 
do  not  honor  the  Son  do  not  worship 
God  at  all.  The  infidel  has  no  form 
of  worship;  he  has  no  place  of  secret 
prayer,  no  temple  of  worship,  no  fam- 
ily altar.  Who  ever  yet  heard  of  an 
infidel  that  prayed?  Where  do  such 
men  build  houses  of  worship  ?  Where 
do  they  meet  to  praise  God?  No- 
where. As  certainly  as  we  ^lear  the 
name  infidel^  we  are  certain  at  once 
that  we  hear  the  name  of  a  man  who 
has  no  form  of  religion  in  his  family, 
who  never  jorays  in  secret,  and  who 
will  do  nothing  to  maintain  the  pub- 
lic worship  of  God.  Account  for  it  as 
men  may,  it  is  a  fact  that  no  one  can 
dispute,  that  it  is  only  they  who  do 
honor  to  the  Lord  Jesus  that  have 
any  form  of  the  worship  of  God,  or 
that  honor  him ;  and  their  veneration 
for  God  is  just  in  proportion  to  their 
Jove  for  the  liedeemer—just  as  they  honor 
him. 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


257 


He  that  hearetli  my  word,  and  be- 
lieveth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath 
everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come 

a  c.  6. 40, 47. 


24.  He  that  heareth  my  word.  To 
hear^  in  this  place,  evidently  denotes 
not  the  outward  act  of  hearing,  but  to 
receive  in  a  proper  manner ;  to  suffer 
it  to  make  its  proper^ipipression  on 
the  mind;  to  ohey.  The  word  hear  is 
often  used  in  this  seuse.  Matt.  xi.  15. 
John  viii.  47.  Acts  iii.  23.  Many  per- 
sons outwardly  hear  the  Gospel  who 
neither  understand  nor  obey  it.  ^  My 
ivorcl.  My  doctrine,  my  teaching.  All 
that  Jesus  taught  about  himself^  as 
well  as  about  the  Father.  ^  On  him 
that  sent  me.  On  the  Father,  who,  in 
the  plan  of  redemption,  is  represent- 
ed as  sefulmg  his  Son  to  save  men. 
See  John  iii.  17.  Faith  in  God,  who 
sent  his  Son,  is  here  represented  as 
being  connected  with  everlasting  life ; 
but  there  can  be  no  faith  in  him  who 
sent  his  Son,  without  faith  also  in  him 
who  is  sent.  The  belief  of  one  of  the 
true  doctrines  of  religion  is  connect- 
ed with,  and  will  lead  to,  the  belief  of 
all.  %  Hath  everlasting  life.  The  state 
of  man  by  nature  is  represented  as 
death  in  sin.  Eph.  ii.  1.  Religion  is 
the  opposite  of  this,  or  is  life.  The 
dead  regard  not  any  thing.  They  are 
unaffected  by  the  cares,  pleasures, 
amusements  of  the  world.  They  hear 
neither  the  voice  of  merriment  nor 
the  tread  of  the  living  over  their 
graves.  So  with  sinners.  They  are 
unmoved  with  the  things  of  religion. 
They  hear  not  the  voice  of  God;  they 
see  not  his  loveliness ;  they  care  not 
for  liis  threatenings.  But  religion  is 
life.  The  Christian  lives  with  God, 
and  feels  and  acts  as  if  there  was  a 
God.  Religion,  and  its  blessings  here 
and  hereafter,  are  one  and  the  same. 
The  happiness  of  heaven  is  living  unto 
God — being  sensible  of  his  presence, 
and  glory,  and  power — and  rejoicing 
in  that.  There  shall  be  no  more  deaffi 
there.  Rev.  xxi.  4.  This  life.,  or  this 
religion,  whetlier  on  earth  or  in  heav- 
en, is  tlie  same — the  same  joys  extend- 
ed and  expanded  forever.  Hence, 
when  a  man  is  converted,  it  is  said 
that  he  has  everlasting  life ;  not  mere- 
ly shall  have^  but  is  already  in  possession 
of,  that  life  or  happiness  which  shall 
be  everlasting.  It  is  life  begun,  ex- 
imnded,  ripening  for  the  skies.  He 


into  condemnation,  but  is  passed  ^ 
from  death  unto  life. 
25  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 

h  1  Jno.  3. 14. 


has  already  entered  on  his  inheritance 
— that  inheritance  which  "is  everlast- 
ing. ^  Shall  not  come  into  condemna- 
tion. He  was  by  nature  under  con- 
demnation. See  John  iii.  18.  Here  it 
is  declared  that  he  shall  not  return  to 
tiiat  state,  or  he  will  not  be  again 
condemned.  This  promise  is  sure ;  it 
is  made  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  there 
is  no  one  that  can  pluck  them  out  of 
his  hand.  John  x.  28.  Compare  Notes 
on  Rom.  viii.  1.  H  But  is  passed  from 
death  unto  life.  Has  passecZ  over  from 
a  state  of  spiritual  death  to  the  life  of 
the  Christian.  The  word  translated 
is  passed  would  be  better  expressed 
by  has  passed.  It  implies  that  he  has 
done  it  voluntarily ;  tliat  none  com- 
pelled him ;  and  that  the  passage  is 
made  unto  everlasting  life.  Because 
Christ  is  the  author  of  this  life  in  the 
soul,  \\m  is  called  the  life  (John  i.  4) ; 
and  as  he  has  alimys  existed,  and  is 
the  source  of  all  life.,  he  is  called  the 
eternal  life.   1  John  v.  20. 

25.  The  hour.  The  time.  If  Is  com- 
ing. Under  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel, as  well  as  in  the  resurrection  of 
tlie  dead.  ^  Now  is.  It  is  now  taking 
place.  Sinners  were  converted  under 
his  ministry  and  brought  to  spiritual 
life.  ^  The  dead.  Either  the  dead  in 
sins,  or  those  tliat  are  in  their  graves. 
The  words  of  the  Saviour  will  apply 
to  either.  Language,  in  the  Script- 
ures, is  often  so  used  as  to  describe 
two  similar  events.  Thus  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  and  the  end  of  the 
world  are  described  by  Jesus  in  the 
same  language.  Matthew  xxiv.,  xxv. 
The  return  of  the  Jews  from  Ballon, 
and  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  and 
the  spread  of  his  Gospel,  are  described 
in  the  same  language  by  Isaiah.  Isa. 
xl.-lxi.  Compare  Notes  on  Isa.  vii. 
14.  The  renewal  of  the  heart,  and  the 
raising  of  the  dead  at  the  judgment, 
are  here  also  described  in  similar  lan- 
guage, because  they  so  far  resemble 
each  other  that  the  same  language 
will  apply  to  both.  ^  The  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God.  The  voice  is  that  by  which 
we  give  command.  Jesus  raised  up 
the  dead  by  his  command,  or  by  his 
authority.  When  he  did  it  he  spoke, 
or  commanded  it  to  be  done.  Mark 


258 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


The  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is, 
when  the  dead  ^  shall  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  they 
that  hear  shall  live. 

aver.  28.   Eph.2. 1. 


V.  41:  "He  took  the  damsel  by  the 
hand,  and  saicl^  Talitha-cumi."  Luke 
vii.  14:  "And  he  came  and  touched 
the  bier,  and  said^  Young  man,  I  say 
unto  thee.  Arise."  John  xi.  43  :  "He 
cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus,  come 
forth."  So  it  is  by  his  command  that 
those  who  are  dead  in  sins  are  quick- 
ened or  made  alive.  Verse  21.  And 
so  at  the  day  of  judgment  the  dead 
will  be  raised  by  his  command  or 
voice,  though  there  is  no  reason  to 
think  that  his  voice  will  be  audibly 
heard.  Verse  28.  T[  Shall  live.  Shall 
be  restored  to  life. 

26.  As  the  Father  hath  life.  God  is 
the  source  of  all  life.  He  is  thence 
called  the  living  God,  in  0]3position  to 
idols,  which  have  no  life.  Acts  xiv. 
15:  "We  preach  unto  you  that  ye 
should  turn  from  these  vanities  (idols) 
u7ito  the  living  God.''''  Josh.  iii.  10. 
1  Sam.  xvii.  26.  Jer.  x.  10.  See  also 
Isaiah  xl.  18-31.  T[  Li  himself.  Tliis 
means  that  life  in  God,  or  existence, 
is  not  derived  from  any  other  being. 
Our  life  is  derived  from  God.  Gen.  n. 
7 :  God  "breathed  into  his  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life,  and  man  became  a  living 
soul" — that  is,  a  living  being.  All  oth- 
er creatures  derive  their  life  from  him. 
Psa.  civ.  30,  29:  "Thou  sendest  forth 
thy  spirit,  they  are  created;  thou  tak- 
est  away  their  breath,  they  die  and  re- 
turn to  their  dust,"  But  God  is  un- 
dcrived.  He  always  existed  as  he  is. 
Psa.  xc.  2:  "From  everlasting  to  ev- 
erlasting thou  art  God."  He  is  un- 
changeably the  same.  James  i.  17.  It 
can  not  be  said  that  he  is  self -existent^ 
because  that  is  an  absurdity ;  no  be- 
ing can  originate  or  create  himself; 
but  he  is  not  dependent  on  any  other 
for  life.  Of  course,  no  being  can  take 
away  his  existence ;  and  of  course, 
also,  no  being  can  take  away  his  happi- 
ness. He  lias  in  himself  m^nite  sources 
of  happiness,  and  no  other  being,  no 
change  in  his  universe,  can  destroy 
that  happiness.  ^  So.  In  a  manner 
like  his.  It  corresponds  to  the  first 
"as,"  implying  that  one  is  the  same 
as  the  other;  life  in  the  one  is  the 
same,  and  possessed  in  the  sa)ne  man- 
7ier^  as  in  the  other.    T[  Hath  he  given. 


26  For  as  the  Father  hath  life 
in  himself,  so  hath  he  given  to 
the  Son  to  have  life  ^  in  him- 
self; 

h  1  Cor.  15.45. 


This  shows  that  the  power  or  author- 
ity here  spoken  of  was  given  or  com- 
mitted to  the  Lord  Jesus.  This  evi- 
dently does  ipt  refer  to  the  manner 
in  which  the  second  person  of  the 
Trinit}^  exists,  for  the  power  and  au- 
thority of  which  Christ  here  speaks 
is  that  which  he  exercises  as  Mediator. 
It  is  the  power  of  raising  the  dead  and 
judging  the  world.  In  regard  to  his 
divine  nature^  it  is  not  affirmed  here 
that  it  is  in  any  manner  derived ;  nor 
does  the  fact  that  God  is  said  to  have 
given  him  this  power  prove  that  he 
was  inferior  in  his  nature,  or  that  his 
existence  w^as  derived.  For,  1st.  It 
has  reference  merely  to  office.  As  Me- 
diator, he  may  be  said  to  have  been 
appointed  by  the  Father.  2d.  Appoint- 
ment to  office  does  not  prove  that  the 
one  who  is  apiDointed  is  inferior  in  na- 
ture to  him  who  appoints  him.  A  son 
may  be  appointed  to  a  particular  work 
by  a  parent,  and  yet,  in  regard  to  tal- 
ents and  every  other  qualification, 
may  be  equal  or  superior  to  the  fa- 
ther. He  sustains  the  relation  of  a 
son,  and  in  this  relation  there  is  an 
official  inferiority.  General  Washing- 
ton was  not  inferior  in  nature  and 
talents  to  the  men  who  commission- 
ed him.  He  simply  derived  aiithoritij 
from  them  to  do  what  he  was  other- 
wise fully  able  to  do.  So  the  Son,  as 
Mediator^  is  subject  to  the  Father;  yet 
this  proves  nothing  about  his  nature. 
1[  To  have  life.  That  is,  the  right  or 
authority  of  imparting  life  to  others, 
whether  dead  in  their  graves  or  in 
their  sins.  T[  In  himself  There  is 
mucli  tliat  is  remarkable  in  this  ex- 
pression. It  is  IN  ?iim  as  it  is  in  God. 
He  has  the  control  of  it,  and  q^n  ex- 
ercise it  as  he  wilU  The  prophets  and 
apostles  are  never  represented  as  hav- 
ing such  power  in  themselves.  They 
were  dependent ;  they  performed  mir- 
acles in  the  name  of  God  and  of  Jesus 
Christ  (Acts  iii.  6;  iv.30;  xvi.  18);  but 
Jesus  (lid  it  by  his  own  name,  author- 
ity, and  power.  He  had  but  to  speak, 
and  it  was  done.  Mark  v.  41.  Luke 
vii.  14.  John  xi.  43.  This  wonderful 
commission  he  bore  from  God  to  raise 
up  the  dead  as  he  pleased ;  to  convert 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


259 


27  And  hath  given  him  author- 
ity *  to  execute  judgment  also,  be- 
cause he  is  the  Son  of  man. 

28  Marvel  not  at  this ;  for  the 
hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all 

a  ver.  22. 


sinners  when  and  where  he  chose ;  and 
linally  to  raise  up  all  the  dead,  and 
pronounce  on  them  an  eternal  doom 
according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body.  None  could  do  this  but  he  who 
had  the  .power  of  creation — equal  in 
omnipotence  to  the  Father,  and  the 
power  of  searching  all  hearts — equal 
in  omniscience  to  God. 

27.  Hath  given  him  authority.  Hath 
appointed  him  to  do  tliis.  Has  made 
him  to  be  judge  of  all.  This  is  rej^re- 
sented  as  being  the  appointment  of 
the  Father.  Acts  xvii.  31.  The  word 
authority  here  (commonly  rendered 
poimr)  implies  all  that  is  necessary  to 
execute  judgment  —  all  the  physical 
power  to  raise  the  dead,  and  to  inves- 
tigate the  actions  and  thoughts  of  the 
life;  and  all  the  moral  right  or  author- 
ity to  sit  in  judgment  on  the  creatures 
of  God,  and  to  pronounce  their  doom. 
H  To  execute  judgment.  To  do  judg- 
ment— that  is,  to  judge.  He  has  ap- 
pointment to  do  justice;  to  see  that 
the  universe  suffers  no  wrong,  either 
by  the  escape  of  the  guilty  or  b}^  the 
punishment  of  the  innocent.  \  Be- 
cause he  is  the  Son  of  man.  The  phrase 
Son  of  man  here  seems  to  be  used  in 
the  sense  of  "because  he  is  a  man," 
or  because  he  has  human  nature.  The 
term  is  one  which  Jesus  often  gives 
to  himself,  to  show  his  union  with 
man  and  his  interest  in  man.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  19,  20.  It  is  to  be 
remarked  here  that  the  word  son  has . 
not  the  article  before  it  in  the  orig- 
inal :  "  Becflise  he  is  a  Son  of  man" — 
that  is,  because  he  is  a  man.  It  would 
seem  from  this  that  there  is  a  propri- 
ety that  one  in  our  nature  should 
judge  us.  What  this  propriety  is  we 
do  not  certainly  know.  It  may  be, 
1st.  Because  one  who  has  experienced 
our  infirmities,  and  who  possesses  our 
nature,  may  be  supposed  by  those  who 
are  judged  to  be  better  qualified  than 
one  in  a  diflferent  nature.  2d.  Because 
he  is  to  decide  between  man  and  God^ 
and  it  is  proper  that  our  feelings,  and 
nature,  and  views  should  be  repre- 
sented in  the  judge,  as  well  as  those 
of  God.   3d.  Because  Jesus  has  all  the 


that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear 
his  voice, 

29  And  shall  come  forth ;  they  * 
that  have  done  good  .unto  the  res- 
urrection of  life,  and  they  that 

*■     h  Dan.  12.  2. 


feelings  of  compassion  we  could  ask — 
all  the  benevolence  we  could  desire  in 
a  judge ;  because  he  has  shown  his  dis- 
position to  defend  us  by  giving  his 
life,  and  it  can  never  be  alleged  b}* 
those  who  are  condemned  that  their 
judge  was  a  distant,  cold,  and  un- 
friendly being.  Some  have  supposed 
that  the  expression  Son  of  man  here 
means  the  same  as  Messiah  (see  Dan. 
vii.  13,  14),  and  that  the  meaning  is 
that  God  hath  made  him  judge  be- 
cause he  was  the  Messiah.  Some  of 
the  ancient  versions  and  fathers  con- 
nected this  with  the  following  verse, 
thus:  "Marvel  not  because  I  am  a 
man,  or  because  this  great  work  is 
committed  to  a  man  apparently  in 
humble  life.  You  shall  see  greater 
things  than  these."  Thus  the  Syriac 
version  reads  it,  and  Chrysostom,  The- 
ophylact,  and  some  others  among  the 
fathers. 

28.  Marvel  not.  Do  not  wory^r  or 
be  astonished  at  this.  ^  The  nour  is 
comivg.  The  time  is  approaching  or 
will  be.  ^  All  that  are  i7i  the  graves. 
All  the  dead,  of  every  age  and  nation. 
They  are  described  as  in  the  graves. 
Though  many  have  turned  to  their 
native  dust  and  perished  from  human 
view,  yet  God  sees  them,  and  can  re- 
gather  their  remains  and  raise  them 
up  to  life.  The  phrase  all  that  are  in 
the  graves  does  not  prove  that  the 
same  particles  of  matter  will  be  raised 
up,  but  it  is  equivalent  to  saying  all 
the  dead.  See  Notes  on  1  Cor.  xv.  35- 
38.  ^  Shall  hear  his  voice.  He  will  re- 
store them  to  life,  and  command  them 
to  appear  before  him.  This  is  a  most 
sublime  description,  and  this  will  be 
a  wonderful  display  of  almighty  pow- 
er. None  but  God  can  see  all  the  dead, 
none  but  he  could  remould  their 
frames,  and  none  else  could  command 
them  to  return  to  life. 

29.  Shall  come  forth.  Shall  come 
out  of  their  graves.  This  was  the  lan- 
guage which  he  used  when  he  raised 
up  Lazarus.  John  xi.  43,  44.  They 
that  have  done  good.  That  is,  they  who 
are  righteous,  or  they  who  have  by 
their  good  works  shown  that  they  were 


260 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


have  done  evil  unto  the  resurrec- 
tion of  damnation.* 

30  I  *  can  of  mine  own  self  do 
nothing:  as- 1  hear  I  judge;  and 

a  Matt.  25. 46.  b  ver.  19. 


the  friends  of  Christ.  See  Matt.  xxv. 
34-36.  *1[  Resarrection  of  life.  Relig- 
ion is  often  called  life,  and  everlasting 
life.  See  Notes  on  verse  24.  In  the 
resurrection  the  righteous  will  be 
^'aised  up  to  the  full  enjoyment  and 
perpetual  security  of  that  life.  It  is 
also  called  the  resurrection  of  life,  be- 
cause there  shall  be  no  more  death. 
Rev.  xxi.  4.  The  enjoyment  of  God 
himself  and  of  his  works ;  of  the  so- 
ciety of  the  angels  and  of  the  redeem- 
ed; freedom  from  sickness,  and  sin, 
and  dying,  will  constitute  the  life  of 
the  just  in  the  resurrection.  The  res- 
urrection is  also  called  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  just  (Luke  xiv.  14),  and  the 
first  resurrection.  Rev  xx.  5, 6.  1]  The 
resurrection  of  damnation.  The  word 
damnation  means  the  sentence  passed 
on  one  by  a  judge— judgment  or  con- 
demnation. The  word,  as  we  use  it, 
applies  only  to  the  judgment  pro- 
nounced by  God  on  the  wicked ;  but 
this  ^  not  its  meaning  always  in  the 
Bible.  Here  it  has,  however,  that 
meaning.  Those  who  have  done  evil 
will  be  raised  up  to  he  condemned  or 
damned.  This  will  be  the  object  in 
raising  them  up — this  the  sole  design. 
It  is  elsewhere  said  that  they  shall 
then  be  condemned  to  everlasting 
punishment  (Matt.  xxv.  46),  and  that 
they  shall  be  punished  with  everlast- 
ing destruction  (3  Thess.  i.  8, 9);  and  it 
is  said  of  the  unjust  that  they  are  re- 
served unto  the  day  of  judgment  to 
be  punished.  2  Peter  ii.  9.  That  this 
refers  to  the  future  judgment — to  the 
resurrection  then,  and  not  to  any 
thing  that  takes  place  in  this  life— is 
clear  from  the  following  considera- 
tions :  1st.  Jesus  had  just  spoken  of 
what  would  be  done  in  this  life — of 
the  power  of  the  Gospel.  Verse  25. 
He  adds  here  that  something  still 
more  wonderful  —  something  beyond 
this — would  take  place.  All  that  arc 
in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice.  2d. 
He  speaks  of  those  who  are  in  their 
graves,  evidently  referring  to  the 
dead.  Sinners  are  sometimes  said  to 
be  dead  in  sin,  but  sinners  are  not  said 
to  be  in  a  grave.  This  is  applied  in 
the  Scriptures  only  to  those  who  are 


my  judgment  is  just,  because  I 
seek  not  mine  own  will,  but  the 
will  "  of  the  Father  which  hath 
sent  me. 

cPsa.40.  7,8.    Matt.  26.  39.    c.  4. 34;  6.38. 


deceased.  3d.  The  language  used  here 
of  the  righteous  can  not  be  applied  to 
any  thing  in  this  life.  When  God  con- 
verts men,  it  is  not  because  they  have 
been  good.  4th.  Nor  is  the  language 
employed  of  the  evil  applicable  to  any 
thing  here.  In  what  condition  among 
men  can  it  be  said,  with  any  appear- 
ance of  sense,  that  they  are  brought 
forth  from  their  graves  to  the  resur- 
rection of  damnation  ?  The  doctrine 
of  those  Universalists  who  hold  that 
all^men  will  be  saved  immediately  at 
death,  therefore,  can  not  be  true.  This 
passage  proves  that  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment the  wicked  will  be  condemned. 
Let  it  be  added  that  if  tJien  condemned 
they  will  be  lost  forever.  Thus  (Matt, 
xxv.  46)  it  is  said  to  be  everlastitig  pun- 
ishment. 2  Thess.  i.  8,  9,  it  is  called 
everlasting  destruction.  There  is  no 
account  of  redemption  in  hell  —  no 
Saviour,  no  Holy  Spirit,  no  offer  of 
mercy  there. 

30.  Of  mine  own  self.  See  verse  19. 
The  Messiah,  the  Mediator,  does  noth- 
ing without  the  concurrence  and  the 
authority  of  God.  Such  is  the  nature 
of  the  union  subsisting  between  them, 
that  he  does  nothing  independently  of 
God.  Whatever  he  does,  he  does  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God.  T[  As  I 
hear  I  judge.  To  ?iear  expresses  the 
condition  of  one  who  is  commission- 
ed or  instructed.  Thus  (John  viii.  26), 
"I  speak  to  the  world  those  things 
which  I  have  hea^^d  of  him,"  viii.  28: 
"As  the  Father  hath  taught  me,  I 
speak  those  things."  Jesus  here 
represents  himself  as  commissioned, 
taught,  or  sent  of  God.  When  he 
says,  "as  I  /iear,"  he  refers  to  those 
things  which  the  Father  had  showed 
him  (verse  20) — that  is,  he  came  to 
communicate  the  will  of  God;  to 
show  to  man  what  God  wished  man 
to  know.  H  I  judge.  I  determine  or 
decide.  This  was  true  respecting  the 
institutions  and  doctrines  of  religion, 
and  it  will  be  true  respecting  the" sen- 
tence which  he  will  pass  on  mankind 
at  the  day  of  judgment.  He  will  de- 
cide their  destiny  according  to  what 
the  Father  wills  and  wishes — that  is, 
according  to  justice.  ^  Because  Isccky 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTER  V. 


261 


31  If  I  bear  witness  of  myself, 
my  witness  is  not  true. 

32  There  is  another^  that  bear- 
eth  witness  of  me ;  and  I  know 
that  the  witness  which  he  witness- 
eth  of  me  is  true. 

a  Psa.  27.  2.   c.  8. 14.    Rev.  3. 14. 

b  c.  8. 18.   Acts  10. 43.    1  John  5.  7-9. 


etc.  This  does  not  imply  that  his 
own  judgment  would  be  wrong  if  he 
sought  his  own  will,  but  that  he  had 
no  py-ivate  ends,  no  selfish  views,  no 
improper  bias.  He  came  not  to  ag- 
grandize himself,  or  to  promote  his 
own  views,  but  he  came  to  do  the  will 
of  God.  Of  course  his  decision  would 
be  impartial  and  unbiased,  and  there 
is  every  security  that  it  will  be  ac- 
cording to  truth.  See  Luke  xxii.  42, 
where  he  gave  a  memorable  instance, 
in  the  agony  of  the  gardei,  of  his 
submission  to  his  Father's  will. 

31.  If  Iheai^  wiUiess  of  myself  -  If  I 
have  no  other  evidence  than  my  own 
testimony  about  myself.  ^  My  ivit- 
ness.  My  testimony;  my  evidence. 
The  proof  would  not  be  decisive.  ^  Is 
not  true.  The  word  true^  here,  means 
worthy  of  belief,  or  established  by 
suitable  evidence.  See  Matt.  xxii.  16 : 
"We  know  that  thou  art  ^7^we" — that 
is,  worthy  of  confidence,  or  that  thou 
hast  been  truly  sent  from  God.  Luke 
XX.  2L  John  viii.  13, 17.  The  law  did 
not  admit  a  man  to  testify  in  his  own 
case,  but  required  two  witnesses. 
Deut.  xvii.  6.  Though  what  Jesus 
said  was  t7'ue  (chap.  viii.  13,  17),  yet 
he  admitted  it  wtis  not  sufficient  tes- 
timony alone  to  claim  their  belief 
They  had  a  right  to  expect  that  his 
statement  that  he  came  from  God 
would  be  confirmed  by  other  evi- 
dence. This  evidence  he  gave  in  the 
miracles  which  he  wrought  as  proof 
that  God  had  sent  him. 

32.  There  is  another.  That  is,  God. 
See  verse  36. 

33.  Ye  sent  unto  John.  See  chap.  i. 
19.  ^  lie  bare  witness^  etc.  See  chap, 
i.  26,  29,  36.  This  testimony  of  John 
ought  to  have  satisfied  them.  John 
was  an  eminent  man ;  many  of  the 
Pharisees  believed  on  him ;  he  was 
candid,  unambitious,  sincere,  and  his 
evidence  was  impartial.  On  this  Jesus 
might  have  rested  the  proof  that  he 
was  the  Messiah,  but  he  was  willing, 
also,  to  adduce  evidence  of  a  higher 
order.  • 


33  Ye  sent  unto  John,  and "  he 
bare  witness  unto  the  truth. 

34  But  I  receive  not  testimony 
from  man ;  but  these  things  I  say 
that  ye  might  be  saved. 

85  He  was  a  burning  and  a  shin- 

c  Jno.  1.  7,32. 

c?c.  20.31.    Rom.  3.  3. 


34.  I  receive  not  testimony  f  rom  meri. 
I  do  not  depend  for  proof  of  my  Mes- 
siahship  on  the  testimony  of  men,  nor 
do  I  pride  myself  on  the  commenda- 
tions or  flattery  of  men.  If  But  these 
tliifigs,  etc.  "This  testimony  of  John 
I  adduce  that  you  might  be  convinced. 
It  was  evidence  of  your  own  seeking. 
It  was  clear,  full,  explicit.  You  sent 
to  make  inquiry,  and  he  gave  you  a 
candid  and  satisfactory  answer.  Had 
you  believed  that,  you  would  have  be- 
lieved in  the  Messiah  and  been  saved." 
Men  are  often  dissatisfied  with  the 
very  evidence  of  the  truth  of  religion 
which  they  sought,  and  on  which  they 
professed  themselves  willing  to  rely. 

35.  He  was.  It  is  probable  that  John 
had  been  cast  into  prison  before  this. 
Hence  his  public  ministry  had  ceased, 
and  our  Saviour  says  he  was  such  a 
light.  H  Light.  The  word  in  the  orig- 
inal properly  means  a  lamp,  and  is  not 
the  same  which  in  John  i.  4, 5,  is  trans- 
lated ligJit.  That  is  a  word  common- 
ly applied  to  the  sun,  the  fountain  of 
hght ;  this  means  a  lamp,  or  a  light 
that  is  lit  up  or  kindled  artificially 
from  oil  or  tallow.  A  teacher  is  often 
called  a  light,  because  he  guides  or  il- 
luminates the  minds  of  others.  Rom. 
ii.  19:  "Thou  art  confident  that  thou 
art  a  guide  of  the  blind,  a  light  of  them 
that  sit  in  darkness."  John  viii.  12; 
xii.  46.  Matt.  v.  14.  ^  A  burning.  A 
lamp  lit  up  that  burns  with  a  steady 
lustre.  H  Shining.  Not  dim,  not  in- 
distinct. The  expression  means  that 
he  was  an  eminent  teacher;  that  his 
doctrines  were  clear,  distinct,  consist- 
ent. T[  Ye  were  willing.  You  willed, 
or  you  chose ;  you  went  out  volunta- 
rily. This  shows  that  some  of  those 
whom  Jesus  was  now  addressing  were 
among  the  great  multitudes  of  "Phari- 
sees that  came  unto  John  in  the  wil- 
derness. Matt.  iii.  7.  As  they  had  at 
one  time  admitted  John  to  be  a  proph- 
et, so  Jesus  might  with  great  proprie- 
ty adduce  his  testimony  in  his  favor. 
^  For  a  seaso7i.  In  the  original,  for  an 
hour — denoting  only  a  short  time. 


• 


262 

ing  light,  and  ye  were  willing  "  for 
a  season  to  rejoice  in  his  light. 

36  But  I  have  greater  witness 
than  that  of  John ;  for  the  works  ^ 
which  the  Father  hath  given  me 

a  Matt.  21.  26.    Mar.  6.  20. 
b  c.  10.  25;  15.24.    Acts  2.22. 

They  did  it,  as  many  others  do,  wliile 
lie  was  popular,  and  it  was  the  fashion 
to  follow  him.  1[  To  rejoice  m  his 
light.  To  rejoice  in  his  doctrines,  and 
in  admitting  that  he  was  a  distinguish- 
ed prophet ;  perhaps,  also,  to  rejoice 
that  he  professed  to  be  sent  to  intro- 
duce the  Messiah,  until  they  found 
that  he  bore  testimony  to  Jesus  of 
Nazareth. 

36.  Greater  witness.  Stronger,  more 
decisive  evidence.  1[  The  loorks.  The 
miracles — healing  the  sick  and  raising 
the  dead.  H  Hath  given  me.  Hath 
committed  to  me,  or  appointed  me  to 
do.  Certain  things  he  intrusted  in 
his  hands  to  accomplish.  H  Toji7iish. 
To  do  or  to  perform  until  the  task  is 
completed.  The  word  is  applied  to 
the  terminatio7i  of  any  thing,  as  we 
say  a  task  is  ended  or  a  work  is  com- 
pleted. So  Jesus  said,  when  he  ex- 
pired. It  is  finished.''''  John  xix.  30. 
From  this  it  appears  that  Jesus  came 
to  accoinplish  a  certain  work ;  and 
hence  we  see  the  reason  why  he  so 
often  guarded  his  life  and  sought  his 
safety  until  the  task  was  fully  com- 
pleted. These  works  or  miracles  bore 
witness  of  him  ;  that  is,  they  showed 
that  he  was  sent  from  God,  because 
none  but  God  could  perform  them, 
and  because  God  would  not  give  such 
X)Ower  to  any  whose  life  and  doctrines 
he  did  not  approve.  They  were  more 
decisive  proof  than  the  testimony  of 
John,  because,  1st.  John  worked  no 
miracles.  John  x.  41.  2d.  It  was  pos- 
sible that  a  man  might  be  deceived  or 
be  an  impostor.  It  was  not  possible 
for  God  to  deceive.  3d.  The  miracles 
which  Jesus  wrought  were  such  as  no 
man  could  work,  and  no  angel.  He 
that  could  raise  the  dead  must  have 
all  power,  and  he  who  commissioned 
Jesus,  therefore,  must  be  God. 

37.  The  Father  himself — hath  home 
nntness  of  me.  This  God  had  done, 
1st.  By  the  miracles  which  Jesus  had 
wrought,  and  of  which  he  was  con- 
versing. 2d.  At  the  baptism  of  Jesus, 
where  he  said,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son."  Matt.  iii.  17.  3d.  In  the  proph- 
ecies of  the  Old  Testament.    It  is  not 


[A.D.  30. 

to  finish,  the  same  works  that  I 
do,  bear  witness  of  me  that  the 
Father  hatlf  sent  me. 

37  And  the  Father  ^  himself, 
which  hath  sent  me,  hath  borne 

c  c.  17.4. 

d  Matt.  3. 17;  17.5. 

easy  to  say  here  to  which  of  these  he 
refers.  Perhaps  he  has  reference  to 
all.  U  Ye  have  neither  heard  his  voice. 
This  difficult  passage  has  been  inter- 
preted in  various  ways.  The  main  de- 
sign of  it  seems  to  be  clear — to  re- 
prove the  Jews  for  not  believing  the 
evidence  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  In 
doing  this  he  says  that  they  were  in- 
disposed to  listen  to  the  testimony  of 
God.  He  affirmed  that  God  had  given 
sufficient  evidence  of  his  divine  mis- 
sion, but  they  had  disregarded  it.  The 
first  thing  that  he  notices  is  that  they 
had  not  heard  his  voice.  The  word 
hear^  in  this  place,  is  to  be  understood 
in  the  sense  of  obey  or  Ijsten  to.  See 
Notes  on  verse  25.  The  voice  of  God 
means  his  commands  or  his  declara- 
tions, however  made ;  and  the  Saviour 
said  that  it  had  been  the  characteristic 
of  the  Jews  that  they  had  not  listen- 
ed to  the  voice  or  command  of  God. 
As  this  had  been  their  ge/tieral  charac- 
teristic, it  was  not  wonderful  that  they 
disregarded  now  his  testimony  in  re- 
gard to  the  Messiah.  The  voice  of 
God  had  been  literally  heard  on  the 
mount.  See  Deut.  iv.  12:  "Ye  heard 
the  voice  of  the  words."  If  ^1^  any 
time.  This  has  been  the  uniform  char- 
acteristic of  the  nation  that  they  have 
disregarded  and  pen^erted  the  testi- 
mon}^  of  God,  and  it  was  as  true  of 
that  generation  as  of  their  fathers. 
^  Nor  seen  his  shape.  No  man  hath 
seen  God  at  any  time.  John  i.  18.  But 
the  word  shape,  here,  does  not  mean 
God  himself.  It  refers  to  the  visible 
manifestation  of  himself ;  to  the  ap- 
pearance which  he  assumed.  It  is  ap- 
plied in  the  Septuagint  to  his  mani- 
festing himself  to  Moses.  Num.  xii. 
8:  "With  him  will  I  speak  mouth  to 
mouth,  even  apparentbj ;''''  in  Greek,  Mi 
a  form  or  shajie — the  word  used  here. 
It  is  applied  to  the  visible  symbol  of 
God  that  appeared  in  the  cloud  and 
that  rested  on  the  tabernacle.  Num. 
ix.  15, 16.  It  is  the  same  word  that  is 
applied  to  the  Holy  Spirit  appearing' 
in  bodily  shape  like  a  dove.  Luke  iii. 
22.  Jesus  docs  not  here  deny  that 
God  had  ajupeai'ed  in  this  manner,  but 


JOHN. 


A.D.  30.] 


CHAPTEK  V. 


263 


witness  of  me.  Ye  *  have  neither 
heard  his  voice  at  any  time,  nor 
seen  his  shape. 

38  And  ye  have  not  his  word^ 
abiding  in  you ;  for  whom  he  hath 
sent,  him  ye  believe  not. 

aDeut.4. 12.    1  Tim.  6. 16. 
b  1  Jno.  2. 14. 


he  says  they  had  not  seen  —  that  is, 
had  not  paid  attention  to,  or  regard- 
ed^ the  appearance  of  God.  He  had 
manifested  himself,  but  they  disre- 
garded it,  and,  in  particular,  they  had 
disregarded  his  manifestations  in  at- 
testation of  the  Messiah.  As  the  word 
hear  means  to  obey,  to  listen  to,  so 
the  word  see  means  to  pay  attention 
to,  to  regard  (2  John  8.  1  John  iii.  6), 
and  thus  throws  light  on  John  xiv.  9 : 
"He  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen  the 
Father."  "I  am  a  manifestation  of 
God — God  appearing  in  human  flesh, 
as  he  apxjeared  formerly  in  the  sym- 
bol of  the  cloud ;  and  he  that  regards 
me^  or  attends  to  me,  regards  the  Fa- 
ther." 

38.  His  ivord  abiding  in  you.  His  law 
does  not  abide  in  you — that  is,  you  do 
not  regard  or  obey  it.  This  was  the 
third  thing  that  he  charged  them  with. 
1st.  They  had  not  obeyed  the  com- 
mand of  God.  2d.  They  had  not  re- 
garded his  manifestations,  either  in 
the  times  of  the  old  dispensation,  or 
now  through  the  Messiah.  3d.  They 
did  not  yield  to  what  he  had  said  in 
the  revelation  of  the  Old  Testament. 
^  For  vjhom  he  hath  sent.  God  had 
foretold  that  the  Messiah  would  come. 
He  had  now  given  evidence  that  J esus 
was  he ;  but  now  they  rejected  him, 
and  this  was  proof  that  they  did  not 
regard  the  word  of  God. 

39.  Search  the  Scriptures.  The  word 
translated  search  here  means  to  search 
diligently  or  anxiously.  It  is  applied 
to  miners,  who  search  for  precious 
metals — who  look  anxiously  for  the 
bed  of  the  ore  with  an  intensity  or 
anxiety  proportionate  \o  their  sense  of 
the  value  of  the  metal.  Comp.  Notes 
on  Job  xxviii.  3.  It  is  applied  by  Ho- 
ifier  to  a  lioness  robbed  of  her  whelps, 
and  who  searches  the  plain  to  trace  oiit 
the  footsteps  of  the  man  who  has  rob- 
bed her.  It  is  also  applied  by  him  to 
dogs  tracing  their  game  by  searching 
them  out  by  the  scent  of  the  foot.  It 
means  a  diligent,  faithful,  anxious  in- 
vestigation.   The  word  may  be  cither 


39  Search  the  Scriptures ;  for  in 
them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life ; 
and  they  are  ^  they  which  testify 
of  me. 

40  And  ye  will  not  come  *  to  me, 
that  ye  might  have  life. 

c  Isa,  8.  20  ;  34. 16.  Lu.  1 6.  29.  d  Lu.  24.  27.  1 

Pet.  1.10, 11.  ec.3. 19. 


in  the  indicative  or  imperative  mood. 
In  our  translation  it  is  in  the  impera- 
tive, as  if  Jesus  commanded  them  to 
search  the  Scriptures.  Cyril,  Eras- 
mus, Beza,  Bengel,  Kuinoel,  Tholuck, 
De  Wette,  and  others,  give  it  as  in  the 
indicative ;  Chrysostom,  Augustine, 
Luther,  Calvin,  Wetstein,  Stier,  Al- 
ford,  and  otliers,  regard  it  as  in  the 
imperative,  or  as  a  command.  It  is 
impossible  to  determine  which  is  the 
true  interpretation.  Either  of  them 
makes  good  sense,  and  it  is  proper  to 
use  the  passage  in  either  signification. 
There  is  abundant  evidence  that  the 
Jews  did  search  the  books  of  the  Old 
Testament.  It  is  equally  clear  that 
all  men  ought  to  do  it.  If  The  Script- 
ures. The  writings  or  books  of  the 
Old  Testament,  for  those  were  all  the 
books  of  revelation  that  they  then 
IDOSsessed.  ^  In  tliem  ye  think  ye  ham 
eternal  life.  The  meaning  of  this  is : 
"Ye  think  that  by  studying  the  Script- 
ures you  will  obtain  eternal  life.  You 
suppose  that  they  teach  the  waj^  to 
future  blessedness,  and  that  by  dili- 
gently studying  them  you  will  attain 
it."  We  see  by  this  (1.)  That  the 
Jews  in  the  time  of  Jesus  were  ex- 
pecting a  future  state.  (2.)  The  Script- 
ures teach  the  way  of  life,  and  it  is  our 
duty  to  study  them.  The  Bereans  are 
commended  for  searching  the  Script- 
ures (Acts  xvii.  11) ;  and  Timothy  is 
said  from  a  child  to  have  "known  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to 
make  us  wise  unto  salvation."  2  Tim._ 
iii.  15.  Early  life  is  the  proper  time  to 
search  the  Bible,  for  they  who  seek 
the  Lord  early  shall  find  him.  TI  They 
are  they^  etc.  The}^  bear  witness  to  the 
Messiah.  They  predict  his  coming, 
and  the  manner  of  his  life  and  death. 
Isa.  liii.  Dan.  ix.  26, 27,  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Luke  xxiv.  27. 

40.  And  ye  will  not  comc^  etc.  Though 
the  Old  Testament  bears  evidence  that 
I  am  the  Messiah;  though  you  pro- 
fessedly search  it  to  learn  the  way  to 
life,  and' though  my  works  prove  it, 
yet  you  will  not  come  to  me  to  obtain 


264 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  30. 


41  I  receive  not  honour  from 
men. 

42  But  I  know  you,  tliat  ye  have 
not  the  love  of  God  in  you. 

43  I  am  come  in  my  Father's 

a  ver.  34.    1  Thess.  2.  6. 


life.  From  this  we  may  learn,  1st. 
That  life  is  to  be  obtained  in  Christ. 
He  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life, 
and  he  only  can  save  us.  2d.  That,  in 
order  to  do  that,  we  must  come  to  him 
— that  is,  must  come  in  the  way  ap- 
pointed, as  lost  sinners,  and  be  will- 
ing to  be  saved  by  him  alone.  3d. 
That  the  reason  why  sinners  are  not 
saved  lies  in  the  will.  "  The  only  rea- 
son why  sinners  die  is  because  they 
ivill  not  come  to  Christ  for  life  and  hap- 
piness :  it  is  not  because  tliey  can  7ioty 
but  because  they  will  7ioty — Henry. 
4th.  Sinners  have  a  particular  opposi- 
tion to  going  to  Jesm  Christ  for  eter- 
nal life.  They  would  prefer  any  oth- 
er way,  and  it  is  commonly  not  until 
all  other  means  are  tried  that  they  are 
willing  to  submit  to  him. 

41,  42.  I  receive  not  honor ^  etc.  "  I  do 
not  say  these  things  because  I  am  de- 
sirous of  human  applause,  but  to  ac- 
count for  the  lact  that  you  do  not  be- 
lieve on  me.  The  reason  is,  that  you 
have  not  the  love  of  God  in  you." 
In  this  passage  we  see,  1st.  That  we 
should  not  seek  for  human  applause. 
It  is  of  ver}^  little  value,  and  it  often 
keeps  men  from  the  approbation  of 
God.  Verse  44.  2d.  They  who  will 
not  believe  on  Jesus  Christ  give  evi- 
dence that  they  have  no  love  for  God. 
od.  The  reason  why  they  do  not  be- 
lieve on  him  is  because  they  have  no 
regard  for  his  character,  wishes,  or 
law.  •[[  Love  of  God.  Love  to  God. 
^  In  you.  In  your  hearts.  You  do 
not  love  God. 

43.  I  am  com,e  in  my  Father'' s  name. 
By  the  authority  of  God ;  or  giving 
proof  that  I  am  sent  by  him.  H 
another  shall  come  in  his  own  name.  A 
false  teacher  setting  up  himself,  and 
not  even  pretending  to  have  a  divine 
commission.  The  Jews  were  much 
accustomed  to  receive  and  follow  par- 
ticular teachers.  In  the  time  of  Christ 
they  were  greatly  divided  between  the 
schools  of  Ilillcl  and  Shammai,  two 
famous  teachers.  T[  Ye  will  receive. 
You  will  follow,  or  obey  him  as  a 
teacher. 

44.  WhicJi  receive  honor  one  of  another. 

4 


name,  and  ye  receive  me  not :  if 
another  shall  come  in  his  own 
name,  him  ye  will  receive. 
44  How  can  ye  believe,  which  * 
receive  honour  one  of  another,  and 

J  c.  12. 43. 


Who  are  studious  of  praise,  and  live 
for  pride,  ambition,  and  vainglory. 
This  desire,  Jesus  says,  was  the  great 
reason  why  they  would  not  believe 
oil  him.  They  were  unwilling  to  re- 
nounce their  worldly  honors,  and  be- 
come the  followers  of  one  so  humble 
and  unostentatious  as  he  was.  They 
expected  a  Messiah  of  pomp  and  splen- 
dor, and  would  not  submit  to  one  so 
despised  and  of  so  lowly  a  rank.  Had 
the  Messiah  come,  as  they  expected, 
with  pomp  and  power,  it  would  have 
been  an  honor,  in  their  view,  to  follow 
him ;  as  it  was,  they  despised  and  re- 
jected him.  The  great  reason  why 
multitudes  do  not  believe  is  their  at- 
tachment to  human  honors,  or  their 
pride,  and  vanity,  and  ambition.  These 
are  so  strong  that  while  they  continue 
they  can  not  and  will  not  believe. 
They  might,  however,  renounce  these 
things,  and  then,  the  obstacles  being 
removed,  they  would  believe.  Learn, 
(1.)  a  man  can  not  believe  the  Gospel 
while  he  is  wholly  under  the  influence 
of  ambition.  The  two  are  not  com- 
patible. The  religion  of  the  Gospel 
is  humility,  and  a  man  who  has  not 
that  ca7i  not  be  a  Christian.  (2.)  Great 
numbers  arc  deterred  from  being 
Christians  by  pride  and  ambition. 
Probably  there  is  no  single  thing  that 
prevents  so  many  young  men  from 
becoming  Christians  as  this  passion. 
The  proud  and  ambitious  heart  re- 
fuses to  bow  to  the  humiliating  terms 
of  the  Gospel.  (3.)  Though  while  a 
man  is  under  this  governing  principle 
he  ca7i  not  believe  the  Gospel,  yet  this 
proves  nothing  about  his  ability  to  lay 
that  aside,  and  to  yield  to  truth.  TJiat 
is  another  question.  A  child  can  not 
open  a  trunk  "^lien  he  gets  on  the  lid 
and  attempts  to  raise  liis  own  weight 
and  the  cover  of  the  trunk  too ;  but 
that  settles  nothing  about  the  inquii^ 
whether  he  might  not  get  offand  then 
open  it.  The  true  (]uestion  is  wheth- 
er a  man  can  or  can  not  lay  aside  his 
ambition  and  pride,  and  about  that 
there  ought  not  to  be  any  disi)ute. 
No  one  doubts  that  it  may  be  done ; 
and  iC  that  can  be  done,  he  can  bc- 

0' 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


265 


seek  *  not  the  honour  that  cometh 
from  God  only  ? 

45  Do  not  think  that  I  will  ac- 
cuse you  to  the  Father :  there  is  ^ 
one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses, 
in  whom  ye  trust. 

46  For  had  ye  believed  Moses, 
ye  would  have  believed  me ;  for  he 
wrote "  of  me. 

a  Rom.  2.  10.  b  Rom.  2. 12. 

c  Gen.  3. 15  ;  22. 18.    Deut.  18.15, 18.   Acts  26.  22. 


come  a  Christian.  ^  Seek  not  the  hon- 
or. The  praise,  the  glory,  the  appro- 
bation of  God.  The  honor  which 
comes  from  men  is  their  praise,  flat- 
tery, commendation ;  the  honor  that 
comes  from  God  is  his  approbation 
for  doing  his  will.  God  alone  can 
confer  the  honors  of  heaven — the  re- 
ward of  having  done  our  duty  here. 
That  we  should  seek,  and  if  we  seek 
that,  we  shall  come  to  Christ,  who  is 
the  way  and  the  life. 

45,  46.  Do  not  think  that  I  will  accuse 
you.  Do  not  suppose  that  I  intend  to 
follow  your  example.  They  had  ac- 
cused Jesus  of  breaking  the  law  of 
God.  Verse  16.  He  says  that  he  will 
not  imitate  their  exami)le,  though  he 
implies  that  he  might  accuse  them. 
IF  To  the  Father.  To  God.  H  TJiere  is 
one  that  accuseth  you.  Moses  might  be 
said  to  accuse  or  reprove  them.  He 
wrote  of  the  Messiah,  clearly  foretold 
his  coming,  and  commanded  them  to 
liear  him.  As  they  did  not  do  it,  it 
might  be  said  that  they  had  disregard- 
ed his  command;  and  as  Moses  was 
divinely  commissioned  and  had  a  right 
to  be  obeyed,  so  his  command  reproved 
them  :  they  were  disobedient  and  re- 
bellious. If  He  wrote  of  me.  He  wrote 
of  the  Messiah,  and  I  am  the  Messiah. 
Gen.  iii.  15;  xii.  3.  Compare  John  viii. 
56.   Gen.  xlix.  10.  Deut.  xviii.  15. 

47.  If  ye  believe  not  his  writings.  If 
5^ou  do  not  credit  what  he  has  writ- 
ten which  you  profess  to  believe,  it  is 
not  to  be  expected  that  you  will  be- 
lieve my  declarations.  And  from  this 
we  may  learn,  1st.  That  many  men 
who  profess  to  believe  the  Bible  have 
really  no  regard  for  it  when  it  crosses 
their  own  views  and  inclinations.  2d. 
It  is  our  duty  to  study  the  Bible,  that 
we  may  be  established  in  the  belief 
that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah.  3d.  The 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  are 
conclusive  proofs  of  the  truth  of  the 
II.— M 


47  But  if  ye  believe  not  his 
writings,  how  shall  ye  believe  my 
words  ? 

CHAPTER  VI. 

AFTER  '  these  things  Jesus 
went  over  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
which  is  the  sea  of  Tiberias. 

2  And  a  great  multitude  followed 
him,  because  they  saw  his  miracles 

d  Lu.16.31. 

e  Matt.  14. 15,  etc.    Mar.  6. 34,  etc.    Lu.  9. 12,  etc. 


Christian  religion.  4th.  He  that  re- 
jects one  part  of  the  Bible,  will,  for  the 
same  reason,  reject  all.  5th.  The  Sa- 
viour acknowledged  the  truth  of  the 
writings  of  Moses,  built  his  religion 
upon  them,  appealed  to  them  to  prove 
that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and  com- 
manded men  to  search  them.  We 
have  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  there- 
fore, that  the  Old  Testament  is  a  rev- 
elation from  God.  He  that  rejects  his 
testimony  on  this  subject  must  reject 
his  authority  altogether;  and  it  is 
vain  for  any  man  to  profess  to  be- 
lieve in  the  New  Testament,  or  in  the 
Lord  Jesus,  without  also  acknowledg- 
ing the  authority  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  of  Moses. 

We  have  in  this  chapter  an  instance 
of  the  profound  and  masterly  manner 
in  which  Jesus  could  meet  and  silence 
his  enemies.  There  is  not  any  where  a 
more  conclusive  argument,  or  a  more 
triumphant  meeting  of  the  charges 
which  they  had  brought  against  him. 
No  one  can  read  this  without  being 
strucl^  with  his  profound  wisdom; 
and  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  conceive 
that  there  could  be  a  more  distinct 
declaration  and  proof  that  he  was 
equal  with  God. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  Jesus  went  over.  Went  to  the  east 
side  of  the  sea.  The  place  to  which 
he  went  was  Bethsaida.  Luke  ix.  10. 
The  account  of  this  miracle  of  feeding 
the  five  thousand  is  recorded  also  in 
Matt,  xiv  13-21.  Mark  vi.  32-44.  Luke 
ix.  10-17.  John  has  added  a  few  cir- 
cumstances omitted  by  the  other 
evangelists. 

2.  Because  they  saw  his  miracles^  etc. 
They  saw  that  he  had  the  power  to 
supply  their  wants,  and  they  therefore 
followed  him.  See  verse  26.  Compare, 
also.  Matt.  xiv.  14. 

4-  The  Passover.  See  Notes  on  Matt. 


366 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  31. 


which  he  did  on  them  that  were 
diseased. 

3  And  Jesus  went  up  into  a 
mountain,  and  there  he  sat  with 
his  disciples. 

4  And  the  passover,  a  feast  of  the 
Jews,  was  nigh. 

5  When  Jesus  then  lift  up  Ms 
^yes,  and  saw  a  great  company 
come  unto  him,  he  saith  unto  Phil- 
ip, Whence  shall  we  buy  bread, 
that  these  may  eat  ? 

6  And  this  he  said  to  prove  him ; 
for  he  himself  knew  what  he  would 
do. 

7  Philip  answered  him.  Two  « 
hundred  pennyworth  of  bread  is 
not  sufficient  for  them,  that  every 
one  of  them  may  take  a  little. 

8  One  of  his  disciples,  Andrew, 
Simon  Peter's  brother,  saith  unto 
him, 

9  There  is  a  lad  here  which  hath 
five  barley-loaves  and  two  small 
fishes ;  but  what  are  they  among 
so  many  ? 

10  And  Jesus  said,  Make  the  men 

a  Num.  11.  21, 22.    2  Kin.  4. 43.  A  Neh.  9.  25. 

xxvi.  2, 17.  A  feast  of  the  Jews.  This 
is  one  of  the  circumstances  of  expla- 
nation thrown  in  by  John  which  show 
that  he  wrote  for  those  who  were  un- 
acquainted with  Jewish  customs. 

0.  To  prove  Mm.  To  try  him ;  to 
see  if  he  had  faith,  or  if  he  would  show 
that  he  believed  that  J esus  had  power 
to  supply  them. 

12.  Gather  up  the  fragments.  This 
command  is  omitted  by  the  other 
evangelists.  It  shows  the  care  of 
Jesus  that  there  should  be  no  waste. 
Though  he  had  power  to  provide 
any  quantity  of  food,  yet  he  has  here 
taught  us  that  the  bounties  of  Provi- 
dence are  not  to  be  squandered.  In 
all  things  the  Saviour  set  us  an  exam- 
ple of  frugality,  though  he  had  an  in- 
linite  supply  at  his  disposal ;  he  was 
himself  economical,  though  he  was 
Lord  of  all.  If  he  was  thus  saving,  it 
becomes  us  dependent  creatures  not 
to  waste  the  bounties  of  a  beneficent 
Providence.  And  it  especially  be- 
comes the  rich  not  to  squander  the 
bounties  of  Providence.    They  often 


sit  down.  Now  there  was  much 
grass  in  the  place.  So  the  men  sat 
down,  in  number  about  five  thou- 
sand. 

11  And  Jesus  took  the  loaves ; 
and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he 
distributed  to  the  disciples,  and 
the  disciples  to  them  that  were 
set  down ;  and  likewise  of  the 
fishes  as  much  as  they  would. 

12  When  they  were  filled,  ^  he 
said  unto  his  disciples.  Gather  up 
the  fragments  th^t  remain,  that 
nothing  <^  be  lost. 

13  Therefore  they  gathered  them 
together,  and  filled  twelve  baskets 
with  the  fragments  of  the  five  bar- 
ley-loaves, which  remained  over 
and  above  unto  them  that  had 
eaten. 

14  Then  those  men,  when  they 
had  seen  the  miracle  that  Jesus 
did,  said.  This  is  of  a  truth  that 
"^Prophet  that  should  come  into 
the  world. 

15  When  Jesus  therefore  per- 
ceived that  they  would  come  and 

c  Nell.  8. 10.  d  Gen.  49. 10.   Deut.  18. 15-18. 


feel  that  they  are  rich.  They  have 
enough.  They  have  no  fear  of  want, 
and  they  do  not  feel  the  necessity  of 
studying  economy.  Yet  let  them  re- 
member that  what  they  have  is  the 
gift  of  God— just  as  certainly  as  the 
loaves  and  fishes  created  by  the  Sa- 
viour were  his  gift.  It  is  not  given 
them  to  waste,  nor  to  spend  in  riot, 
nor  to  be  the  means  of  injuring  their 
health  or  of  shortening  life.  It  is  giv- 
en to  sustain  life,  to  excite  gratitude, 
to  fit  for  the  active  service  of  God. 
Every  thing  should  be  applied  to  its 
appropriate  end,  and  nothing  should 
be  squandered  or  lost. 

14.  That  Prophet^  etc.  The  Messiah. 
The poioer  to  work  the  miracle,  and  the 
benevolence  manifested  in  it,  showed 
that  he  was  the  long-expected  Messiah. 

15.  When  Jesus  perceived^  etc.  They 
were  satisfied  by  the  miracle  that  he 
was  the  Messiah.  They  supposed  that 
the  Messiah  was  to  be  a  temporal 
prince.  They  saw  that  Jesus  was  re- 
tiring, unambitious,  and  indisposed 
to  assume  the  ensigns  of  ofliice.  They 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


267 


take  liim  by  force,  to  make  him  a 
king,  he  departed  again  into  a 
mountain  himself  alone. 

16  And  *  when  even  was  now 
come,  his  disciples  went  down 
unto  the  sea, 

17  And  entered  into  a  ship,  and 
went  over  the  sea  toward  Caper- 
naum. And  it  was  now  dark,  and 
Jesus  was  not  come  to  them. 

18  And  the  sea  arose,  ^  by  reason 
of  a  great  wind  that  blew. 

19  So  when  they  had  rowed 
about  five  and  twenty  or  thirty 
furlongs,  they  see  Jesus  walking 
on  the  sea,  and  drawing  nigh  unto 
the  ship ;  and  they  were  afraid. 

a  Matt.  14.  23.   Mar.  6. 47,  etc.         b  Psa.  107.  25. 

thought,  therefore,  that  they  would 
proclahn  him  as  the  long-expected 
king,  and  constrain  him  to  assume 
the  character  and  titles  of  an  earthly 
prince.  Men  often  attempt  to  dictate 
to  God,  and  suppose  that  they  under- 
stand what  is  right  better  than,  he 
does.  They  are  fond  of  pomp  and  pow- 
er, but  Jesus  sought  retirement  and 
evinced  pypfound  humility.  Though 
he  had  claims  to  the  honor  and  grati- 
tude of  the  nation,  yet  he  sought  it 
not  in  this  way;  nor  did  it  evince  a 
proper  spirit  in  his  followers  when 
they  sought  to  advance  him  to  a  place 
of  external  splendor  and  regal  author- 
ity. 

16-21.  See  this  miracle  of  walking 
on  the  sea  explained  in  the  Notes  on 
Matt.  xiy.  32-33.  Compare  Mark  vi. 
45-52. 

21.  Immediately.  Quickly.  Before  a 
long  time.  How  far  they  were  from 
the  land  we  know  not,  but  there  is  no 
evidence  that  there  was  a  miixicle  in 
the  case.  The  word  translated  imme- 
diately does  not  of  necessity  imply 
that  there  was  no  interval  of  time, 
but  that  there  was  not  a  long  inter- 
val. Tlius  in  Matt.  xiii.  5,  in  the  par- 
able of  the  sower,  and  forthwith  (the 
same  word  in  Greek)  they  sprung 
up,"  etc.  Mark  iv.  17.  Matt.  xxiv.  29. 
3  John  14. 

22.  The  people  which  stood  on  the  oth- 
er side  of  the  sea.  That  is,  on  ih^ast 
side,  or  on  the  same  side  with  Jesus. 
Tiie  country  was  called  the  region  be- 
yond or  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea,  be- 
cause the  writer  and  the  people  lived 


20  But  he  saith  unto  them,  It  is 
I ;  be  not  afraid. 

21  Then  they  willingly  received 
him  into  the  ship  ;  and  immedi- 
ately the  ship  was  at  the  land 
whither  they  went. 

22  The  day  following,  when  the 
people  which  stood  on  the  other 
side  of  the  sea  saw  that  there  was 
none  other  boat  there,  save  that 
one  whereinto  his  disciples  were 
entered,  and  that  Jesus  went  not 
with  his  disciples  into  the  boat, 
but  tliat  his  disciples  were  gone 
away  alone : 

23  Howbeit  there  came  other 
boats  from  Tiberias,  nigh  unto  the 

c  Psa.  35.  3.    Isa.43.1,2.    Rev.  1.17,18. 

on  the  west  side.  ^  Jesits  went  not 
with  his  disciples.  He  had  gone  into 
a  mountain  to  pray  alone.  Verse  15. 
Compare  Mark  vi.  46. 

23.  There  came  other  boats.  After  the 
disciples  had  departed.  This  is  added 
because,  from  what  follows,  it  appears 
that  they  supposed  that  he  had  en- 
tered one  of  those  boats  and  gone  to 
Capernaum  after  his  disciples  had  de- 
parted. T[  From  Tiberias.  This  town 
stood  on  the  western  bord^s  of  the 
lake,  not  far  from  wher^  tB  miracle 
had  been  wrought.  It  was  so  called 
in  honor  of  the  Emperor  Tiberius.  It 
was  built  by  Herod  Antipas,  and  was 
made  by  him  the  capital  of  Galilee. 
The  city  afterward  became  a  cele- 
brated seat  of  Jewish  learning.  It  is 
now  called  Tabaria,  and  is  a  consider- 
able place.  It  is  occupied  chiefly  b}^ 
Turks,  and  is  very  hot  and  unhealthy. 
Mr.  Fisk,  an  American  missionary, 
was  at  Tiberias  (Tabaria)  in  1823.  The 
old  town  is  surrounded  by  a  wall,  but 
within  it  is  very  ruinous,  and  the  plain 
for  a  mile  or  two  south  is  strewed  with 
ruins.  The  Jordan,  where  it  issues 
from  the  lake,  was  so  shallow  that 
cattle  and  asses  forded  it  easily.  Mr. 
Fisk  was  shown  a  house  called  the 
house  of  Peter,  which  is  used  as  the 
Greek  Catholic  church,  and  is  the  only 
church  in  the  place.  The  number  of 
Christian  families  is  thirty  or  forty, 
all  Greek  Catholics.  There  were  two 
sects  of  Jews,  each  of  whom  had  a 
synagogue.  The  Jewish  population 
was  estimated  at  about  one  thousand. 
On  the  1st  of  January,  1837,  Tiberias 


268 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  31. 


place  where  they  did  eat  bread, 
after  that  the  Lord  had  given 
thanks : 

24  When  the  people,  therefore, 
saw  that  Jesus  was  not  there,  nei- 
ther his  disciples,  they  also  took 
shipping  and  came  to  Capernaum, 
seeking  for  Jesus. 

25  And  when  they  had  found 
him  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea, 

a  vex.  \  \. 

was  destroyed  by  an  earthquake.  Dr. 
Thomson  (The  Laud  and  the  Book, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  76,  77)  says  of  this  city: 
*'Ever  since  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, it  has  been  cliiefly  celebrated  in 
connection  witli  tlie  Jews,  and  was 
for  a  long  time  tlie  chief  seat  of  rab- 
binical learning.  It  is  still  one  of 
their  four  holy  cities.  Among  the 
Christians  it  also  early  rose  to  dis- 
tinction, and  the  old  church,  built 
upon  the  spot  where  our  Lord  gave 
his  last  charge  to  Peter,  is  a  choice 
bit  of  ecclesiastical  antiquity.  The 
present  city  is  situated  on  the  shore, 
at  the  northeast  corner  of  this  small 
plain.  The  walls  inclose  an  irregu- 
lar parallelogram,  about  one  hundred 
rods  from  "north  to  south,  and  in 
breadth  more  than  forty.  They 
were  strSgthened  by  ten  round  tow- 
ers on  the  west,  five  on  the  north, 
and  eight  on  the  south.  There  were 
also  two  or  three  towers  along  the 
shore  to  protect  the  city  from  attack 
by  sea.  Not  much  more  than  one 
half  of  this  small  area  is  occupied  by 
buildings  of  any  kind,  and  ttie  north 
end,  which  is  a  rocky  hill,  has  noth- 
ing but  the  ruins  of  the  old  palace. 
The  earthquake  of  1887  prostrated  a 
large  part  of  the  walls,  and  they  have 
not  yet  been  repaired,  and  perhaps 
never  will  be.  There  is  no  town  in 
Syria  so  utterly  filthy  as  Tiberias,  or. 
so  little  to  be  desired  as  a  residence. 
Being  dx  Jmndred  feet  below  the  level 
of  the  ocean,  and  overhung  on  the 
west  by  a  high  mountain,  which  ef- 
fectually shuts  off  the  Mediterranean 
breezes,  it  is  fearfully  hot  in  summer. 
The  last  time  I  was  encamped  at  the 
Baths  the  thermometer  stood  at  100° 
at  mMni<jht,  and  a  steam  went  up  from 
the  surliice  of  the  lake  as  from  some 
huge  smouldering  volcano.  Of  course 
it  swarms  with  all  sorts  of  vermin. 
What  can  induce  human  beings  to 


they  said  unto  him.  Rabbi,  when 
camest  thou  hither  ? 

26  J esus  answered  them  and  said. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Ye 
seek  me,  not  because  ye  saw  the 
miracles,  but  because  ye  did  eat 
of  the  loaves  and  were  filled. 

27  Labour  ^  not  for  the  meat 
which  perisheth,  but  for  tliat^ 
meat  which  endureth  unto  ever- 

1  or,  work  not.        h  Jer.  15. 16.  c.  4. 14.  ver.  54, 58. 


settle  down  in  such  a  place?  And 
yet  some  two  thousand  of  our  race 
make  it  their  chosen  abode.  They 
are  chiefly  Jews,  attracted  hither  ei- 
ther to  cleanse  their  leprous  bodies 
in  her  baths,  or  to  purify  their  un- 
clean spirits  by  contact  with  her  tra- 
ditionary and  ceremonial  holiness." 

24.  Took  shijjping.  Went  into  the 
boats.  Tl  Came  to  Capernaum.  This 
was  the  ordinary  place  of  the  resi- 
dence of  Jesus,  and  they  therefore 
expected  to  find  him  there. 

26.  Ye  seek  me^  7tot  because^  etc.  The 
miracles  which  Jesus  wrought  were 
X^roofs  that  he  came  from  God.  To 
seek  him  because  they  had  seen  them, 
and  were  convinced  by  them  that  he 
was  the  Messiah,  would  have  been 
proper ;  but  to  follow  him  simply  be- 
cause their  wants  were  supplied  was 
mere  selfishness  of  a  gross  kind.  Yet, 
alas  !  many  seek  religion  from  no  bet- 
ter motive  than  this.  They  suppose 
that  it  will  add  to  their  earthly  happi- 
ness, or  they  seek  only  to  escape  from 
sulfcring  or  from  the  convictions  of 
conscience,  or  they  seek  for  heaven 
07ily  as  a  place  of  enjoyment,  and  re- 
gard religion  as  valuable  only  for  this. 
All  this  is  mere  selfishness.  Religion 
does  not  forbid  our  regarding  our  own 
happiness,  or  seeking  It  in  any  proper 
way;  but  when  this  is  the  only  or  the 
prevailing  motive,  it  is  evident  that 
we  have  never  yet  sought  God  aright. 
We  are  aiming  at  the  loaves  and  fish- 
es, and  not  at  the  honor  of  God  and 
the  good  of  his  kingdom  ;  and  if  this 
is  the  only  or  the  niain  motive  of  our 
entering  the  Church,  we  can  not  be 
Christians. 

27.  Labor  not.  This  does  not  mean 
thaLjkVe  are  to  make  no  efort  for  the 
supply  of  our  wants  (comiuu'e  1  Tim. 
V.  1.  2  Thess.  iii.  10),  but  that  we  are 
not  to  manifest  anxiety,  we  are  not  to 
make  this  the  main  or  supreme  object 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


269 


lasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  man 
shall  give  unto  you ;  for  him  * 
hath  God  the  Father  sealed. 

28  Then  said  they  unto  him, 
What  shall  we  do,  that  we  might 
work  the  works  of  God  ? 

29  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
them.  This  *  is  the  work  of  God, 

a  Psa.  2.  7  ;  40.  7.  Isa.  42. 1.  c.  8. 18.  Acts  2.  22.  2 
Pet.  1.17.  6lJno.3.23. 


of  our  desire.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  vi. 
25.  The  meat  that  perisheth.  The  food 
for  the  supply  of  your  natural  wants. 
It  x)erishes.  The  strength  you  derive 
from  it  is  soon  exhausted,  and  your 
wasted  powers  need  to  be  reiiivigor- 
ated.  ll  That  meat  lohich  endureth. 
The  supply  of  your  spiritual  wants ; 
that  which  supports,  and  nourishes, 
and  strengthens  the  soul ;  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel,  that  are  to  a 
weak  and  guilty  soul  what  needful 
food  is  to  the  weary  and  decaying 
body.  1"  To  everlasting  life.  The 
strength  derived  from  the  doctrines 
of  tiie  Gospel  is  not  exhausted.  It 
endures  without  wasting  away.  It 
nourishes  the  soul  to  everlasting  life. 
'•"They  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall 
renew  their  strength ;  they  shall  run 
and  not  be  weary,  and  shall  walk  and 
not  faint."  Isa.  xl.  31.  ^  Him  hath 
God  the  Father  sealed.  To  seal  is  to 
confirm  or  approve  as  ours.  This  is 
done  when  we  set  our  seal  to  a  com- 
pact, or  deed,  or  testament,  by  which 
w^e  ratify  it  as  our  act.  So  God  the 
Father,  by  the  miracles  which  had 
been  wrought  by  Jesus,  had  shown 
that  he  had  sent  him,  that  he  ap- 
proved his  doctrines,  and  ratified  his 
works.  The  miracles  were  to  his  doc- 
trine what  a  seal  is  to  a  written  in- 
strument.   See  Notes  on  John  iii.  33. 

28.  What  shall  we  do^  that  we  might 
work  the  works  of  God?  That  is,  such 
things  as  God  will  approve.  This  was 
the  earnest  inquiry  of  men  who  were 
seeking  to  be  saved.  They  had  cross- 
ed the  Sea  of  Tiberias  to  seek  him ; 
they  supposed  him  to  be  the  Messiah, 
and  they  sincerely  desired  to  be  taught 
the  way  of  life;  yet  it  is  observable 
that  they  expected  to  find  that  way 
as  other  sinners  commonly  do — by 
their  works.  The  idea  of  doing  some- 
thing to  merit  salvation  is  one  of  the 
last  that  the  sinner  ever  surrenders. 

29.  This  is  the  ivork  of  God.  This  is 
the  thing  that  will  be  acceptable  to 


that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he 
hath  sent. 

30  They  said,  therefore,  unto  him, 
What  sign  ^  showest  thou,  then, 
that  we  may  see  and  believe  thee  ? 
what  dost  thou  work  ? 

31  Our  fathers  did  eat  manna 
in  the  desert ;  as  it  is  written,  ^  He 

c  Matt.  12.38.  1  Cor.  1.22.  t^Ex.  16. 15.  Num. 
11.7.   1  Cor.  10.3.  eNeh.9. 15.  Psa.  78.  24,  25. 

God,  or  which  you  are  to  do  in  order 
to  be  saved.  Jesus  did  not  tell  them 
they  had  nothing  to  do^  or  that  they 
were  to  sit  down  and  wait,  but  that 
there  toas  a  work  to  perform,  and  that 
was  a  duty  that  was  imperative.  It 
was  to  believe  on  the  Messiah.  This 
is  the  work  which  sinners  are  to  do ; 
and  doing  this  they  will  be  saved,  for 
Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  right- 
eousness to  every  one  that  believeth. 
Rom.  X.  4. 

30.  What  sign  shoivest  thou?  On  the 
word  sig7i^  compare  Notes  on  Isa.  vii. 
14.  What  miracle  dost  thou  work 
to  prove  that  thou  art  the  Messiah? 
They  had  just  seen  the  miracle  of  the 
loaves  in  the  desert,  which  was  sufl^- 
cient  to  show  that  he  was  the  Messiah, 
and  it  would  seem  from  the  preceding 
narrative  that  those  who  crossed  the 
lake  to  see  him  supposed  that  he  was 
the  Christ.  It  seems  wonderful  that 
they  should  so  soon  ask  for  farther 
evidence  that  he  was  sent  from  God; 
but  it  is  not  imi^robable  that  this 
question  was  put  by  other  Jews^  rulers 
of  the  synagogue,  who  happened  to 
be  present,  and  who  had  not  witness- 
ed his  miracles.  Those  men  were  con- 
tinually asking  for  signs  and  proofs 
that  he  was  the  Messiah.  See  Matt. 
xii.  -38,  39.  Mark  viii.  11.  Luke  xi.  29. 
As  Jesus  claimed  the  right  of  teach- 
ing them,  and  as  it  was  manifest  that 
he  would  teach  them  differently  from 
what  they  supposed  Moses  to  teach,  it 
was  natural  to  ask  him  by  what  au- 
thority he  claimed  the  right  to  be 
heard. 

31.  Our  fathers.  The  Jews  who  were 
led  by  Moses  through  the  wilderness. 
1[  Did  eat  manna.  This  was  the  name 
given  by  the  Jews  to  the  food  which 
was  furnished  to  them  by  God  in  their 
journey.  It  means  literally,  ''What  is 
this?"  and  was  the  question  which 
they  'asked  ^iien  they  first  saw  it. 
Exod.  xvi.  14, 15.  It  was  small  like 
frost,  and  of  the  size  of  coriander- 


270 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  31. 


gave  them  bread  from  heaven  to 
eat. 

32  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Mo- 
ses gave  you  not  that  bread  from 
heaven  ;  but  my  *  Father  giveth 
vou  the  true  bread  from  heaven. 
^  33  For  the  bread  of  God  ^  is  he 
which  Cometh  down  from  heaven, 
and  giveth  life  unto  the  world. 

a  Gal.  4. 4  b  ver.  48, 58. 

seed,  and  had  a  sweetish  taste  like 
honey.  It  fell  in  great  quantities,  and 
was  regarded  by  the  Jews  as  proof 
of  a  continued  miracle  during  forty 
years,  and  was  incontestable  evidence 
of  the  interposition  of  God  in  favor 
of  their  fathers.  The  manna  which  is 
sold  in  the  shops  of  druggists  is  a  dif- 
ferent substance  from  this.  It  is  ob- 
tained from  the  bark  of  certain  trees 
in  Armenia,  Georgia,  Persia,  and  Ara- 
bia. It  is  procured,  as  resin  is,  by 
making  an  incision  in  the  bark,  and 
it  flows  out  or  distills  from  the  tree. 
If  As  it  is  written.  The  substance  of 
this  is  written  in  Psalm  Ixxviii.  24,  25. 
T[  He  gave  them.  This  was  regarded  as 
a  miraculous  interference  in  their  be- 
half, and  an  attestation  of  the  divine 
mission  of  Moses,  and  hence  they  said 
familiarly  that  Moses  gave  it  to  them. 
T[  Bread  from  heaven.  The  word  heav- 
en^ in  the  Scriptures,  denotes  often 
the  region  of  the  air,  the  atmosphere, 
or  that  region  in  which  the  clouds 
are.  See  Matt.  xvi.  3:  "The  sky  (heav- 
en) is  red  and  lowering."  Also  Matt, 
iii.  16.  Luke  iv.  15;  V.  18.  The  Jews, 
as  appears  from  their  writings  (see 
Lightfoot),  expected  that  the  Messiah 
would  provide  his  followers  with  plen- 
ty of  delicious  food ;  and  as  Moses  had 
provided  for  the  Jews  in  the  wilder- 
ness, so  they  supposed  that  Christ 
would  make  provision  for  the  tempo- 
ral wants  of  his  friends.  This  was  the 
.'iifjn^  probably,  which  they  were  now 
desirous  of  seeing. 

32.  Moses  gave  you  not  that  bread  from 
heaven.  Tliis  might  be  translated, 
"Moses  gave  you  not  the  bread  of 
heaven."  The  word  " that,"  which 
makes  some  difference^in  the  sense,  is 
not  necessary  to  express  the  meaning 
of  the  original.  It  does  not  appear 
that  Jesus  intended  to  call  in  question 
the  fact  that  their  fathers  were  fed  by 
the  instrumentality  of  Moses,  but  to 


34  Then  said  they  unto  him, 
Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  bread. 

35  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  I 
am  the  bread  of  life :  he  that 
Cometh  to  me  shall  never  hunger, 
and  he  ^  that  believeth  on  me  shall 
never  thirst. 

36  But  I  said  unto  you  that  ye  ^ 
also  have  seen  me,  and  believe 
not. 

c  Rev.  7. 16.  c.  4. 14 ;  7. 38.  c  ver.  64. 


state  that  he  did  not  give  them  the 
true  bread  that  was  adapted  to  the 
wants  of  the  soul.  He  fed  the  body, 
although  his  food  did  not  keep  the 
body  alive  (verse  49),  but  he  did  not 
give  that  which  would  preserve  the 
soul  from  death.  God  gave,  in  his 
Son  Jesus,  the  true  bread  from  heav- 
en which  was  fitted  to  man,  and  of 
far  more  value  than  any  supply  of 
their  temporal  wants.  He  tells  them, 
therefore,  that  they  are  not  to  seek 
from  him  any  such  supply  of  their 
temporal  wants  as  they  had  supposed. 
A  better  gift  had  been  furnished  in 
his  being  given  for  the  life  of  the 
world.  My  Father  giveth  you.  In 
the  Gospel ;  in  the  gift  of  his  Son. 
H  The  true  bread.  The  true  or  real  sup- 
port which  is  needed  to  keep  the  soul 
from  death.  It  is  not  false,  deceit- 
ful, or  perishing.  Christ  is  called 
breads  because,  as  bread  supports  life, 
so  his  doctrine  supports,  preserves, 
and  saves  the  soul  from  death.  He  is 
the  t7'ue  support,  not  only  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  mere  supply  of  temporal 
Avants  such  as  Moses  furnished,  but 
also  in  opposition  to  all  false  religion 
which  deceives  and  destroys  the  soul. 

33.  The  bread  of  God.  The  means  of 
support  which  God  furnishes.  That 
which,  in  his  view,  is  needful  for  man. 

Is  he^  etc.  Is  the  Messiah  who  has 
come  from  heaven.  T[  And  giveth  life^ 
etc.    See  Notes  on  John  i.  4. 

35.  /  am  the  bread  of  life.  I  am  the 
support  of  sjjiritual  life ;  or  my  doc- 
trines will  give  life  and  peace  to  the 
soul.  T[  Shall  never  hunger.  See  Notes 
on  J ohn  iv.  14. 

36.  But  I  said  unto  you.  This  he 
said,  not  in  so  many  words,  but  in 
substance^  in  verse  26.  Though  they 
saw  him,  and  had  full  proof  of  his  di- 
vine mission,  yet  they  did  not  believe. 
Jesus  then  proceeds  to  state  that,  al- 
though they  did  not  believe  on  him, 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


271 


37  All  «  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  shall  come  to  me  ;  and  him  * 
that  Cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out. 

38  For  I  came  down  from  heav- 

a  ver.  45.  c.  17.  6-8,  etc.  6  Psa.  102. 17.  Isa.  1. 

18;  55.7.  Matt.11.28.  Lu.  23.42,43.  1  Tim.  1. 15, 16. 
Rev.  22. 17. 

yet  his  work  would  not  be  in  vain, 
for  others  would  come  to  him  and  be 
saved. 

37.  All.  The  original  word  is  in  the 
neuter  gender,  but  it  is  used,  doubt- 
less, for  the  masculine,  or  perhaps  re- 
fers to  his  people  considered  as  a  mass 
or  hody^  and  means  that  every  individ- 
ual that  the  Father  had  given  him 
should  come  to  him.  1[  The  Father 
giveth  me.  We  here  learn  that  those 
who  come  to  Christ,  and  who  will  be 
saved,  are  given  to  him  by  God.  1st. 
God  promised  him  that  he  should  see 
of  the  travail  of  his  soul — that  is,  *'the 
fruit  of  his  wearisome  toil"  (Lowth), 
and  should  be  satisfied.  Isa.  liii.  11*. 
2d.  All  men  are  sinners,  and  none  have 
any  claim  to  mercy,  and  he  may  there- 
fore bestow  salvation  on  whom  he 
pleases.  3d.  All  men  of  themselves 
are  disposed  to  reject  the  Gospel. 
John  V.  40.  4th.  God  enables  those 
who  do  believe  to  do  it.  He  draws 
them  to  him  by  his  Word  and  Spirit ; 
he  opens  their  hearts  to  understand 
the  Scriptures  (Acts  xvi.  14) ;  and  he 
grants  to  them  repentance.  Acts  xi. 
18.  2  Tim.  ii.  25.  5th.  All  those  who 
become  Christians  may  therefore  be 
said  to  be  given  to  Jesus  as  the  reward 
of  his  sufferings,  for  his  death  was  the 
jn'ice  hy  which  they  were  redeemed. 
Paul  says  (Eph.  i.  4,5)  that  "he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  (that  is,  in  Christ), 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
that  we  should  be  holy  and  without 
blame  before  him  in  love,  having  pre- 
destinated us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  to  himself  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  will."  t  Shall 
come  to  7ne.  This  is  an  expression  de- 
noting that  they  would  believe  on  him. 
To  come  to  one  implies  our  need  of 
help,  our  confidence  that  |ie  can  aid 
us,  and  our  readiness  to  trust  to  him. 
The  sinner  comes  to  J esus  feeling  that 
he  is  poor,  and  needy,  and  wretched, 
and  casts  himself  on  his  mercy,  be- 
lieving that  he  alone  can  save  him. 
This  expression  also  proves  that  men 
are  not  compelled  to  believe  on  Christ. 
Though  they  who  believe  are  given  to 


en,  not  to  do  mine  own  will,  but 
the  will  of  him  that  sent  me. 

39  And  this  is  the  Father's  will 
^  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all 
which  he  hath  given  me  I  should 

c  Psa.  40.  7,8.   c.  5.  30. 

cf  Matt.  18. 14.  c.  10.  28;  17.12;  18.9.  2  Tim.  2. 19. 


him,  and  though  his  Spirit  works  in 
them  faith  and  repentance,  yet  they 
are  made  willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power.  Psa.  ex.  3.  No  man  is  com- 
pelled to  go  to  heaven  against  his 
will,  and  no  man  is  compelled  to  go  to 
hell  against  his  will.  The  Spirit  of 
God  inclines  the  will  of  one,  and  he 
comes  freely  as  a  moral  agent.  The 
other  chooses  the  way  to  death ;  and, 
though  God  is  constantly  using  means 
to  save  him,  yet  he  prefers  the  path 
that  leads  down  to  woe.  ^  Him  that 
Cometh.  Every  one  that  comes — that 
is,  every  one  that  comes  in  a  xDroper 
manner,  feeling  that  he  is  a  lost  and 
ruined  sinner.  This  invitation  is  wide, 
and  full,  and  free.  It  shows  the  un- 
bounded mercy  of  God ;  and  it  shows, 
also,  that  the  reason,  and  the  only  rea- 
son, why  men  are  not  saved,  is  that 
they  will  not  come  to  Christ.  Of  any 
sinner  it  may  be  said  that  if  he  had 
been  willing  to  come  to  Christ  he 
migJit  have  come  and  been  saved.  As 
he  chooses  7iot  to  come,  he  can  not 
blame  God  because  he  saves  others 
who  are  willing,  no  matter  from  what 
cause,  and  who  thus  are  made  par- 
takers of  everlasting  life.  T|  In  no 
ivise.  In  no  manner,  or  at  no  time. 
The  original  is  simply,  "I  will  not 
cast  out."  1[  Cast  out.  Keject,  or  re- 
fuse to  save.  This  expression  does 
not  refer  to  the  doctrine  of  persever- 
ance of  the  saints,  but  to  the  fact  that 
Jesus  will  not  reject  or  refuse  any  sin- 
ner who  comes  to  him. 

38.  For  I  came  down^  etc.  This  verse 
shows  that  he  came  for  a  specific  pur- 
pose, which  he  states  in  the  next  verse, 
and  means  that,  as  he  came  to  do  his 
Father's  will,  he  would  be  faithful  to 
the  trust.  Though  his  hearers  should 
reject  him,  yet  the  will  of  God  would 
be  accomplished  in  the  salvation  of 
some  who  should  come  to  him. 
^  Mine  own  will.  See  Notes  on  John 
V.  30. 

39.  Father'^ s  will.  His  purpose;  de- 
sire ;  intention.  As  this  is  the  Fa- 
ther's will,  and  Jesus  came  to  exe- 
cute his  will,  we  have  the  highest  se- 


272 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  31. 


lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it 
up  again  at  the  last  day. 

40  And  this  is  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me,  that  every  one 
which  seeth  the  Son,  and  believ- 
eth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting 
life ;  and  I  will  ^  raise  him  up  at 
the  last  day. 

41  The  Jews  then  murmured  at 
him  because  he  said  I  am  the 
bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven. 

aver.  47,  54.    c.  3. 15,16.  6  c.  11.  25. 

curity  that  it  will  be  done.  God's 
will  is  always  right,  and  he  has  power 
to  execute  it.  Jesus  was  always  faith- 
ful, and  all  power  was  given  to  him 
in  heaven  and  on  earth,  and  he  will 
therefore  most  certainly  accomplish 
the  will  of  God.  ^  Of  all  lohich.  That 
is,  of  every  one  who  believes  on  him, 
or  of  all  who  become  Christians.  See 
verse  37.  H  I  should  lose  nothing.  Lit- 
erally, "I  should  not  destroy y  He  af- 
firms here  that  he  will  keep  it  to  life 
eternal;  that,  though  the  Christian 
will  die,  and  his  body  return  to  cor- 
ruption, yet  he  will  not  be  destroijed. 
The  Redeemer  will  watch  over  him, 
though  in  his  grave,  and  keep  him  to 
the  resurrection  of  the  just.  This  is 
affirmed  of  all  who  are  given  to  him 
by  the  Father ;  or,  as  in  the  next 
verse,  ^^Evenj  one  that  believeth  on 
him  shall  have  everlasting  life."  ^  At 
the  last  day.  At  the  day  of  judgment. 
The.  Jews  supposed  that  the  righteous 
would  be  raised  up  at  the  appearing 
of  the  Messiah.  See  Lightfoot.  Jesus 
directs  them  to  future  resurrection, 
and  declares  to  them  that  they  will  be 
raised  at  the  last  day — the  day  of  judg- 
ment. It  is  also  supposed  and  affirm- 
ed by  some  Jewish  writers  that  they 
did  not  believe  that  the  wicked  would 
be  raised.  Hence,  to  speak  of  being 
raised  up  in  the  last  day  was  the  same 
as  to  say  that  one  was  righteous,  or  it 
was  spoken  of  as  the  peculiar  privilege 
of  the  righteous.  In  accordance  with 
this,  Paul  says,  "If  by  any  means  I 
might  attain  unto  the  resun^ection  of 
the  dead.''   Phil.  iii.  11. 

40.  Every  one  which  seeth  the  So7i^  and 
believeth  on  him.  It  was  not  sufficient 
to  sec  him  and  hear  him,  but  it  was 
necessary,  also,  to  believe  on  him.  Many 
of  the  Jews  had  seen  him,  but  few  be- 
lieved on  him.    Jesus  had  said  in  the 


42  And  they  said,  Is  not  this 
Jesus,  the  son  of  Joseph,  whose 
father  and  mother  we  know  ?  How 
is  it,  then,  that  he  saith  I  came 
down  from  heaven  ? 

43  Jesus  therefore  answered  and 
said  unto  them,  Murmur  not  among 
yourselves. 

44  No  man  can  come  to  me  ex- 
cept the  Father,  which  hath  sent 
me,  draw  him ;  and  I  will  raise 
him  up  at  the  last  day. 

c  Matt.  13.55.  Mar.  6. 3.  Lu.4.22.  Cant.  1.4. 

previous  verse  that  all  that  the  Fa- 
ther had  given  him  should  be  saved. 
But  he  never  left  a  doctrine  so  that 
men  must  misunderstand  it.  Lest  it 
should  be  supposed  that  if  a  man  was 
give^i  to  him  this  was  all  that  was 
needful,  and  lest  any  one  should  say, 
"If  I  am  to  be  saved  I  shall  be,  and 
my  efforts  will  be  useless,"  he  states 
here  that  it  is  necessary  that  a  man 
should  believe  on  him.  This  would  be 
the  evidence  that  he  was  given  to  God, 
and  this  would  be  evidence  conclusive 
that  he  would  be  saved.  If  this  ex- 
planation of  the  Saviour  had  always 
been  attended  to,  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion would  not  have  been  abused  as 
it  has  been.  Sinners  would  not  sit 
down  in  unconcern,  saying  that  if 
they  are  given  to  Christ  all  will  be 
well.  They  would  have  arisen  like  the 
prodigal,  and  would  have  gone  to 
God ;  and,  having  believed  on  the  Sa- 
viour, they  would  the7i  have  had  evi- 
dence that  they  were  given  to  him — 
the  evidence  resulting  from  an  hum- 
ble, penitent,  believing  heart  —  and 
then  they  might  rejoice  in  the  assur- 
ance that  Jesus  would  lose  none  that 
were  given  to  him,  but  would  raise  it 
up  at  the  last  day.  All  the  doctrines 
of  Jesus,  as  he  preached  them,  are 
safe,  and  pure,  and  consistent;  as 
men  preach  them,  they  are,  unhappi- 
ly, often  inconsistent  and  open  to  ob- 
jection, and  are  either  fitted  to  pro- 
duce despair  on  the  one  hand,  or  pre- 
sumptuous self-confidence  on  the  oth- 
er. •  Jesu^  teaches  men  to  strive  to 
enter  heaven,  as  if  they  could  do  the 
work  themselves;  and  yet  to  depend 
on  the  help  of  God,  and  give  the  glory 
to  him,  as  if  he  had  done  it  all. 

44.  No  man  can  come  to  me.  This 
was  spoken  by  Jesus  to  reprove  their 
murmurings — "Murmur  not  among 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI. 


273 


45  It  is  written  « in  tlie  propliets, 
And  they  shall  be  all  taught  of 
God.   Every  man,  *  therefore,  that 

a  Isa.  54. 13.    Jer.  31 .  34.    Mic.  4.  2. 

yourselves."  They  objected  to  his 
doctrine,  or  murmured  against  it,  be- 
cause he  claimed  to  be  greater  than 
Moses,  and  because  they  supposed 
him  to  be  a  mere  man,  and  that  what 
he  said  was  impossible.  Jesus  does 
not  deny  that  these  things  appeared 
difficult,  and  hence  he  said  that  if  any 
man  believed,  it  was  proof  that  God 
had  inclined  him.  It  was  not  to  be 
expected  that  of  themselves  they  would 
embrace  the  doctrine.  Jf  any  man 
believed,  it  would  be  because  he  had 
been  influenced  by  God.  When  we 
"inquire  what  the  reasons  were  why 
they  did  not  believe,  thej^  appear  to 
liave  been,  1st.  Their  improper  regard 
for  Moses,  as  if  no  one  could  be  supe- 
rior to  him.  2d.  Their  unwillingness 
to  believe  that  Jesus,  whom  they 
knew  to  be  the  reputed  son  of  a  car- 
penter, should  be  superior  to  Moses, 
od.  The  difficulty  was  explained  by  Je- 
sus (John  V.  40)  as  consisting  in  the 
opposition  of  their  will ;  and  (John  v. 
44)  when  he  said  that  their  love  of 
honor  prevented  their  believing  on 
him.  The  difficulty  in  the  case  was 
not,  therefore,  a  want  of  natural  fac- 
ulties, or  of  power  to  do  their  dut}^, 
but  erroneous  opinions,  pride,  obsti- 
nacy, self-conceit,  and  a  deep-felt  con- 
tempt for  Jesus.  The  words  can 
noV^  are  often  used  to  denote  a  strong 
and  violent  opposition  of  the  will. 
Thus  we  say  a  man  is  so  great  a  liar 
that  Jie  can  not  speak  the  truth,  or  he 
is  so  profane  that  he  can  not  but 
swear.  We  mean  by  it  that  he  is  so 
wicked  that  while  he  has  that  dispo- 
sition the  other  effects  will  follow, 
but  we  do  not  mean  to  say  that  he 
could  not  break  off  from  the  habit. 
Thus  it  is  said  (Gen.  xxxvii.  4)  of  the 
brethren  of  Joseph  that  they  hated 
hwiy  and  coidd  not  S2)eak  peaceably  to 
him.  Thus  (Matt.  xii.  34),  "How  can 
ye,  being  evil,  speak  good  things?" 
Sec  Luke  xiv.  33.    1  Samuel  xvi.  2. 

Come  to  me.  The  same  as  believe 
on  me.  ^  Draio  him.  This  word  is 
used  here,  evidently,  to  denote  such 
an  influence  from  God  as  to  secure 
the  result,  or  as  to  incline  the  mind 
to  believe ;  yet  the  manner  in  which 
this  is  done  is  nof  determined  by  the 
use  of  the  word.  It  is  used  in  the 
M  2 


hath  heard,  and  hath  learned  of 
the  Father,  cometh  unto  me. 
46  Not  ^  that  any  man  hath  seen 

ft  Matt.  11.27.  cc.5.37. 

New  Testament  six  times.  Once  it  is 
applied  to  a  compulsory  drawing  of 
Paul  and  Silas  to  the  market-place. 
Acts  xvi.  19.  Twice  it  is  used  to  de- 
note the  drawing  of  a  net.  John  xxi. 
6, 11.  Once  to  the  drawing  of  a  sword 
(John  xviii.  10) ;  and  once  in  a  sense 
similar  to  its  use  here  (John  xii.  32) : 
"And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the 
earth,  will  drav)  all  men  unto  me." 
What  is  its  meaning  here  must  be  de- 
termined by  the  facts  about  the  sin- 
ner's conversion.  See  Notes  on  verse 
40.  In  the  conversion  of  the  sinner 
God  enlightens  the  mind  (verse  45), 
he  inclines  the  will  (Psa.  ex.  3),  and 
he  influences  the  soul  by  motives,  b}^ 
just  views  of  his  law,  by  his  love,  his 
commands,  and  his  threatenings ;  by 
a  desire  of  happiness  and  a  conscious- 
ness of  danger;  by  the  Holy  Spirit  ap- 
plying trutwto  the  mind,  and  urging 
him  to  yield  himself  to  the  Saviour. 
So  that,  while  God  inclines  him,  and 
will  have  all  the  glory,  man  yields 
without  compulsion  ;  the  obstacles 
are  removed,  and  he  becomes  a  will- 
ing servant  of  God. 

45.  In  the  prophets.  Isa.  liv.  13.  A 
similar  sentiment  is  found  in  Micah 
iv.  1-4,  and  Jer.  xxxi.  34 ;  but  by  the 
prophets^  here,  is  meant  the  hook  of  the 
prophets^  and  it  is  probable  that  Jesus 
had  reference  only  to  the  place  in  Isa- 
iah, as  this  was  the  usual  way  of  quot- 
ing the  prophets.  ^  Shall  he  all  taught 
of  God.  This  explains  the  preceding 
vdrse.  It  is  by  the  teaching  of  his 
Word  and  Spirit  that  men  are  drawn, 
to  God.  This  shows  that  it  is  not 
compidsory^  and  that  there  is  no  ob- 
stacle in  the  way  but  a  strong  volun- 
tary ignorance  and  unwillingness. 

46.  Not  that  any  man  hath  see?i  the 
Father.  Jesus  added  this,  evidently, 
to  guard  against  mistake.  He  had 
said  that  all  who  came  to  him  were 
taught  of  God.  The  teacher  was  com- 
monly seen  and  heard  by  the  pupil; 
but,  lest  it  should  be  supposed  that 
he  meant  to  say  that  a  man  to  come 
to  him  must  see  and  hear  God,  visibly 
and  audibly,  he  adds  that  he  did  not 
intend  to  affirm  this.  It  was  still  true 
that  no  man  had  seen  God  at  any  timft. 
They  were  not,  therefore,  to  expect  to 
see  God,  and  his  words  were  not  to 


274 


JOHN. 


[A.D.31. 


the  Father,  save  he  which  is  of 
God ; he  hath  seen  the  Father. 

47  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
*  He  that  believeth  on  me  hath 
everlasting  life. 

48  I  ^  am  that  bread  of  life. 

49  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna 
in  the  wilderness,  and  ^  are  dead. 

50  This  is  the  bread  which  com- 
eth  down  from  heaven,  that  a  man 
may  eat  thereof  and  ^  not  die. 

51  I  am  the  living  bread  which 
came  down  from  heaven.  If  any 
man  eat  of  this  bread  he  shall  live 

a  Lu.  10.  22.  h  ver.  40.  c  ver.  33, 35, 51 . 

d  Zech.  1.  5.  e  ver.  58.         /  Heb.  10.  5  10, 20. 


be  perverted  as  if  he  meant  to  teach 
that.  1[  Save  he  which  is  of  God.  Je- 
sus here  evidently  refers  to  himself 
as  the  Son  of  God.  He  had  just  said 
that  no  mail  had  seen  the  Father. 
When  he  affirms  that  he  has  seen  the 
Father,  it  implies  that  h^b  more  than 
man.  He  is  the  only-begotten  Son 
who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father 
(John  i.  18) ;  the  brightness  of  his  glo- 
ry, and  the  express  image  of  his  person 
(Heb.  i.  3) ;  God  over  all,  blessed  for- 
ever. Rom.  ix.  5.  By  his  being  of 
God  is  meant  that  he  is  the  only-be- 
gotten Son  of  God,  and  sent  as  the 
Messiah  into  the  world.  H  HatJi  seen. 
Hath  intimately  known  or  perceived 
him.  He  knows  his  nature,  charac- 
ter, plans.  This  is  a  claim  to  knowl- 
edge superior  to  what  man  possesses, 
and  it  can  not  be  understood  except 
by  supposing  that  Jesus  is  equal  with 
God. 

48.  I  am  that  bread  of  life.  My  doc- 
trines and  the  benefits  of  my  media- 
tion are  that  real  support  of  spiritual 
life  of  which  the  manna  in  the  wilder- 
ness was  the  faint  emblem.  See  verses 
32,  33. 

49.  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna. 
There  was  a  real  miracle  wrought  in 
their  behalf;  there  was  a  peri^etual  in- 
terposition of  God  which  showed  that 
they  were  liis  chosen  people.  T[  And 
are  dead.  The  bread  which  they  ate 
could  not  save  them  from  death. 
Thouuh  (4od  interfered  in  their  be- 
Jialf,  yet  they  died.  We  may  learn, 
1st.  That  that  is  not  the  most  valuable 
of  God's  gifts  whicli  merely  satisfies 
the  temporal  wants.  2d.  That  the 
most  distinguished  temporal  blessings 


forever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will 
give  is  my  flesh,  f  which  I  will  give 
for  the  itfe  3  of  the  world. 

52  The  Jews  therefore  strove 
among  themselves,  saying.  How'* 
can  this  man  give  us  Ms  flesh  to 
eat? 

53  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Ex- 
cept '  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of 
man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have 
no  life  in  you. 

54  Whoso  j  eateth  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal 

OC.3. 16.    ljno.2.  2.  Ac.  3. 9. 

i  Matt.  26.  26,  28.  j  ver.  40. 


will  not  save  from  death.  Wealth, 
friends,  food,  raiment,  will  not  pre- 
serve life.  3d.  There  is  need  of  some- 
thing better  than  mere  earthly  bless- 
ings ;  there  is  need  of  that  bread 
wiiicii  Cometh  down  from  heaven, 
and  which  giveth  life  to  the  world. 

51.  The  bread  that  I  ivill  give  is  my 
flesh.  That  is,  his  body  would  be  of- 
fered as  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  agreeably 
to  his  declaration  when  he  instituted 
the  Supper :  "  This  is  my  body  which  is 
broken  for  you."  1  Cor.  xi.  24.  If  Life 
of  the  world.  That  sinners  might,  by  his 
atoning  sacrifice,  be  recovered  from 
spiritual  death,  and  be  brought  to 
eternal  life.  The  use  of  the  word 
world  here  shows  that  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  was  full,  free,  ample,  and  de- 
signed for  all  men,  as  it  is  said  in 
1  John  ii.  2,  "He  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only, 
but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world."  In  this  verse  Jesus  intro- 
duces the  subject  of  his  death  and 
atonement.  It  ma}^  be  remarked  that 
in  the  language  which  he  used  the 
transition  from  bread  to  his  flesh 
would  appear  more  easy  than  it  does 
in  our  language.  The  same  word 
which  in  Hebrew  means  bread.,  in  the 
Syriac  and  Arabic  means  also  flesh. 

53-55.  In  these  verses  Jesus  repeats 
what  he  had  in  substance  said  before. 
H  Except  ye  cat  the  flesh.,  etc.  He  did 
not  mean  that  this  should  be  under- 
stood literally^  for  it  was  never  done, 
and  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  it  was 
intended  to  be  so  understood.  Noth- 
ing can  2^ossibly  be  more  absurd  than 
to  suppose  tliat  wlien  he  instituted 
the  Supper,  and  gave  the  bread  and 


A.D.  31.] 


GHAPTER  VI. 


275 


life,  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the 
last  day. 

55  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed, 
^  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed. 

56  He  that  eateth  *  my  flesh,  and 
drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in 
me,  and  I  in  him. 

57  As  the  living  Father  hath  sent 
me,  and  I  live  by  the  Father,  so  ^ 
he  that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall 
live  by  me. 

58  This  is  that  bread  which  came 

a  Psa.  4.  7.  b  Lam.  3.  24. 

c  c.  15.4.    lJno.3.  24;  4.15,16. 

wine  to  his  disciples,  they  literally 
ate  his  flesh  and  drank  his  blood. 
Who  can  believe  this?  There  he 
stood,  a  living  man  — his  body  yet 
alive,  his  blood  flowing  in  his  veins ; 
and  how  can  it  be  believed  that  this 
body  was  eaten  and  this  blood  drunk  ? 
Yet  this  absurdity  must  be  held  by 
those  who  hold  that  the  bread  and 
wine  at  the  communion  are  "  changed 
into  the  body,  blood,  smd  divinity  of 
our  Lord."  So  it  is  taught  in  the  de- 
crees of  the  Council  of  Trent ;  and  to 
such  absurdities  are  men  driven  when 
they  depart  from  the  simple  meaning 
of  the  Scriptures  and  from  common 
sense.  It  may  be  added  that  if  the 
bread  and  wine  used  in  the  Lord's 
Supper  were  not  changed  into  his  lit- 
eral body  and  blood  when  it  was  first 
instituted,  they  have  never  been  since. 
The  Lord  Jesus  would  institute  it  just 
as  he  meant  it  should  be  observed,  and 
there  is  nothing  7iow  in  that  ordinance 
which  there  was  not  when  the  Saviour 
first  appointed  it.  His  body  w^as  of- 
fered on  the  cross,  and  was  raised  up 
from  the  dead  and  received  into  heav- 
en. Besides,  there  is  no  evidence  that 
he  had  any  reference  in  this  passage 
to  the  Lord's  Supper.  That  was  not 
yet  instituted,  and  in  that  there  was 
no  literal  eating  of  his  flesh  and  drink- 
ing of  his  blood.  The  plain  meaning 
of  the  passage  is,  that  by  his  bloody 
death— his  body  and  his  blood  off'ered 
in  sacriflce  for  sin — he  would  i^rocure 
pardon  and  life  for  man  ;  that  they 
who  partook  of  that,  or  had  an  inter- 
est in  that,  should  obtain  eternal  life. 
He  uses  the  figure  of  eating  and  drink- 
ing because  that  was  the  subject  of 
discourse ;  because  the  Jews  prided 
themselves  much  on  the  fact  that  their 
fathers  had  eaten  manna;  and  because. 


down  from  heaven  :  not  as  your 
fathers  ^  did  eat  manna,  and  are 
dead :  he  that  eateth  of  this  bread 
shall  live  forever. 

59  These  things  said  he  in  the 
synagogue,  as  he  taught  in  Caper- 
naum. 

6Q  Many,  therefore,  of  his  disci- 
ples, when  they  had  heard  this, 
said.  This  is  a  hard  saying ;  who 
can  hear  it  ? 

61  When  Jesus  knew  in  himself 

d  1  Cor.  15.22. 
e  ver.  49-51. 


as  he  had  said  that  he  was  the  b^-ead 
of  life,  it  was  natural  and  easy,  espe- 
cially in  the  language  which  he  used, 
to  carry  out  the  figure,  and  say  that 
bread  must  be  eaten  in  order  to  be 
of  any  avail  in  supporting  and  saving 
men.  To  eat  and  to  drink,  among  the 
Jews,  was  also  expressive  of  sharing 
in  or  partaking  of  the  privileges  of 
friendship.  The  happiness  of  heaven 
and  all  spiritual  blessings  are  often 
represented  under  this  image.  Matt, 
viii.  11 ;  xxvi.  29.  Luke  xiv.  15,  etc. 

55.  Is  meat  indeed.  Is  truly  food. 
My  doctrine  is  truly  that  which  will 
give  life  to  the  soul. 

56.  Dwelleth  in  me.  Is  truly  and  inti- 
mately connected  with  me.  To  dwell 
or  abide  in  him  is  to  remain  in  the  be- 
lief of  his  doctrine,  and  in  the  partici- 
pation of  the  benefits  of  his  death. 
Comp.  John  xv.  1-6 ;  xvii.  21-23.  f  / 
in  him.  Jesus  dwells  in  believers  by 
his  Spirit  and  doctrine.  When  his 
Spirit  is  given  them  to  sanctify  them ; 
when  his  temper,  his  meekness,  his 
humility,  and  his  love  pervade  their 
hearts;  when  his  doctrine  is  received 
by  them  and  influences  their  life,  and 
when  VciQy  are  supported  by  the  con- 
solations of  the  Gospel,  it  may  be  said 
that  he  abides  or  dwells  in  them. 

57.  I  live  by  the  Father.  See  Notes 
on  John  v.  26. 

58.  This  is  that  bread,  etc.  This  is 
the  true  bread  that  came  down.  The 
word  "that"  should  not  be  in  the 
translation.  ^  Shall  live  forever.  Not 
on  the  earth,  but  in  the  enjoyments 
of  a  better  world. 

60.  Many  of  his  disciples.  The  word 
disciple  means  learner.  It  was  applied 
to  the  followers  of  Christ  because 
they  were  taught  by  him.  It  does 
not  imply,  of  necessity,  that  those  to 


276 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  31. 


that  his  disciples  murmured  at  it, 
he  said  unto  them,  Doth  this  of- 
fend you  ? 

62  What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the 
Son  of  man  ascend  ^  up  where  he 
was  before  ? 

63  It  ^  is  the  Spirit  that  quicken- 
eth ;  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing : 

ac.3.13.  Mar.  16. 19.  Eph,  4,  8-10.         5  2  Cor.  3.  6. 

whom  it  was  given  were  real  Chris- 
tians, but  simply  that  they  were  un- 
der his  teaching^  and  were  professed 
learners  in  his  school.  See  Matt.  xvii. 
16.  Mark  ii.  18.  John  ix.  38.  Matt.  x. 
24.  It  is  doubtless  used  in  this  sense 
here.  It  is,  however,  often  applied 
to  those  who  are  real  Christians. 
*1[  This  is  a  hard  saying.  The  word 
hard  here  means  offensive^  disagreeable 
— that  whicli  they  could  nol  bear. 
Some  have  understood  it  to  mean 
"difficult  to  be  understood,"  but  this 
meanino^  does  not  suit  the  connec- 
tion. The  doctrine  whicli  he  deliver- 
ed was  opposed  to  their  prejudices  ;  it 
seemed  to  be  absurd,  and  they  there- 
fore rejected  it.  1[  Saying.  Rather 
doctrine  or  speech  —  Greek,' Zo^os.  It 
does  not  refer  to  any  particular  part  of 
the  discourse,  but  includes  the  Avhole. 
\  Who  can  hear  it?  That  is,  who  can 
hear  it  patiently — who  can  stay  and 
listen  to  such  doctrine  or  believe  it. 
The  effect  of  this  is  stated  in  verse  66. 
The  doctrhies  which  Jesus  taught 
that  were  so  offensive  appear  to  have 
been,  1st.  That  he  was  superior  to 
Moses.  2d.  That  God  would  save  all 
that  he  had  chosen,  and  those  only. 
3d.  That  he  said  he  was  the  bread  that 
came  from  heaven.  4th.  That  it  was 
necessary  to  partake  of  that;  or  that 
it  was  necessary  that  an  atonement 
should  be  made,  and  that  they  should 
be  saved  by  that.  These  doctrines 
liave  always  been  among  the  most 
offensive  that  men  have  been  called 
on  to  believe,  and  many,  rather  than 
trust  in  them,  have  chosen  to  draw 
back  to  perdition. 

62.  What  and  if^  etc.  Jesus  docs 
not  say  that  those  who  were  then 
present  would  see  him  ascend,  but  he 
implies  that  he  would  ascend.  They 
had  taken  offence  because  he  said  he 
ciiine  down  from  licaven.  Instead  of 
cxphiinini!,-  tliat  away,  he  proceeds  to 
state  another  doctrine  quite  as  offen- 
sive to  them — tliatlie  would  reascend. 


the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you, 
they  are  spirit  and  they  are  life. 

64  But  there  are  some  of  you 
that  believe  not.   For  Jesus  knew 

from  the  beginning  who  they  were 
that  believed  not,  and  who  should 
betray  him. 

65  And  he  said,  Therefore  said  I 

c  Rom.  8.  29.    2  Tim.  2. 19. 


to  heaven.  The  apostles  only  were 
present  at  his  ascension.  Acts  i.  9. 
As  Jesus  was  to  ascend  to  heaven,  it 
was  clear  that  he  could  not  have  in- 
tended literally  that  they  should  eat 
his  flesh. 

63.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth. 
These  words  have  been  understood  in 
different  ways?  The  word  "Spirit," 
here,  evidently  does  not  refer  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  for  he  adds,  "  The  words 
that  I  speak  unto  you,  they  are  spirit.'''' 
He  refers  here,  probably,  to  the  doc- 
trine which  he  had  been  te'aching  in 
opposition  to  their  notions  and  de- 
sires. "Jii/  doctrine  is  spiritual;  it  is 
fitted  to  quicken  and  nourish  the  soul. 
It  is  from  heaven.  Your  doctrine  or 
your  views  are  earthly^  and  may  be 
called  flcsJi^  or  fleshly,  as  pertaining 
only  to  the  support  of  the  body.  You 
place  a  great  value  on  the  doctrine 
that  Moses  fed  the  body  ;  yet  that  did 
not  permanently  p?'(>/i^,  for  your  fa- 
thers are  dead.  You  seek  also  food 
from  me,  but  your  views  and  desires 
are  gross  and  earthly."  H  Quickeneth. 
Gives  life.  See  Notes  on  chap.  v.  21. 
^  The  flesh.  Your  carnal  views  and 
desires,  and  the  literal  understanding 
of  my  doctrine.  By  this  Jesus  shows 
them  that  he  did  not  intend  that  his 
words  should  be  taken  literally. 
^  Profiteth  nothing.  Would  not  avail 
to  the  real  wants  of  man.  The  brc;a(l 
that  Moses  gave,  the  food  which  you 
seek,  would  not  be  of  real  value  to 
man's  highest  wants.  \  They  are  sp)ir- 
it.  They  are  spiritual.  They  arc  not 
to  be  understood  literally,  as  if  you 
were  really  to  eat  my  flesh,  but  they 
are  to  be  understood  as  denoting  the 
need  of  that  provision  for  the  soul 
which  God  has  made  by  my  coming 
into  the  world.  ^  Are  life.  Are  fitted 
to  produce  or  give  life  to  the  soul 
dead  in  sins. 

64.  Jesus  knew  from  the  beginning, 
etc.  As  this  implied  a  knowledge  of 
the  heart,  and  of  the  secret  principles 


A.D.  31.] 


CHAPTER  VI, 


277 


"unto  you,  that  no  man  can  come 
unto  me  except  it  were  given  unto 
him  of  my  Father. 

66  From  that  many  of  his 
disciples  went  back,  *  and  walked 
no  more  with  him. 

67  Then  said  Jesus  unto  the 
twelve.  Will  ye  also  go  away  ? 

a  ver.  44, 45. 

6Zeph.l.6.    Lu.9.62.  Heb.10.38. 


and  motives  of  men,  it  shows  that  he 
must  have  been  omniscient. 

66.  Many  of  his  disciples.  Many  who 
had  followed  him  professedly  as  his 
disciples,  and  as  desirous  of  learning 
of  him.  See  Notes  on  verse  60.- 
^  Went  hack.  Turned  away  from  him 
and  left  him.  From  this  we  may 
learn,  1st.  Not  to  wonder  at  the  apos- 
tasy of  many  who  profess  to  be  follow- 
ers" of  Christ.  Many  are  induced  to 
become  his  professed  followers  by  the 
prospect  of  some  temporal  benefit,  or 
under  some  public  excitement,  as 
these  were ;  and  when  that  temporal 
benefit  is  not  obtained,  or  that  excite- 
ment is  over,  they  fall  away.  2d. 
Many  may  be  expected  to  be  offended 
by  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  Hav- 
ing no  spirituality  of  mind,  and  really 
understanding  nothing  of  the  Gospel, 
they  may  be  expected  to  take  offence 
and  turn  back.  The  best  way  to  un- 
derstand the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  is 
to  be  a  sincere  Christian,  and  aim  to 
do  the  will  of  God.  John  vii.  17.  3d. 
We  should  examine  ourselves.  We 
should  honestly  inquire  whether  we 
have  been  led  to  make  a  i:)rofession  of 
religion  by  the  hope  of  any  temporal 
advantage,  by  any  selfish  principle,  or 
by  mere  excited  animal  feeling.  If 
we  have  it  will  profit  us  nothing,  and 
we  shall  either/a?^  awa^j  of  ourselves, 
or  be  cast  away  in  the  great  day  of 
judgment. 

67.  The  twelve.  The  twelve  apostles. 

Will  ye  also  go  away?  Many  aposta- 
tized, and  it  was  natural  now  for  Je- 
sus to  submit  the  question  to  the 
twelve.  "Will  you^  whom  I  have  cho- 
sen, on  whom  I  have  bestowed  the 
apostleship,  and  who  have  seen  the 
evidence  of  my  Messiahship,  will  you 
nov/  also  leave  me?"  This  was  the 
time  to  try  them ;  and  it  is  always  a 
time  to  try  real  Christians  when  many 
professed  disciples  become  cold  and 
turn  back ;  and  then  we  may  suppose 


68  Then  Simon  Peter  answered 
him,  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ? 
thou  hast  the  ^  words  of  eternal 
life. 

69  And  ^  we  believe  and  are  sure 
that  thou  art  that  Christ,  the  Son 
of  the  living  God. 

70  Jesus  answered  them,  Have 

e  Acts  5.20;  7.38. 

d  Matt.  16.  6.   c.  1.29;  11.27. 


Jesus  addressing  us^  and  saying,  Will 
ye  ALSO  go  away  ?  Observe  here,  it 
was  submitted  to  their  choice.  God 
compels  none  to  remain  with  him 
against  their  will,  and  the  question 
in  such  trying  times  is  submitted  to 
every  man  whether  he  will  or  will  not 
go  awaj^ 

68.  Simon  Peter  answered  Mm.  With 
characteristic  ardor  and  promptness. 
Peter  was  probably  one  of  the  oldest 
of  the  apostles,  and  it  was  his  charac- 
ter to  be  first  and  most  ardent  in  his 
professions.  ^  To  whom  shall  we  go? 
This  implied  their  firm  conviction 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and  that 
he  alone  was  able  to  save  them.  It  is 
one  of  Peter's  noble  confessions  — 
the  instinctive  promptings  of  a  pious 
heart  and  of  ardent  love.  There  was 
no  one  else  who  could  teach  them. 
The  Pharisees,  the  Sadducees,  and  the 
scribes  were  corrupt,  and  unable  to 
guide  them  aright ;  and,  though  the 
doctrines  of  Jesus  were  mysterious, 
yet  they  were  the  only  doctrines  that 
could  instruct  and  save  them.  1[  Thou 
hast^  etc.  The  meaning  of  this  is,  thou 
teachest  the  doctrines  which  lead  to  eter- 
nal life.  And  from  this  we  may  learn, 
1st.  That  we  are  to  expect  that  some 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  will  be 
my§terious.  2d.  That,  though  they 
are  difficult  to  be  understood,  yet  we 
should  not  therefore  reject  them.  3d. 
That  nothing  would  be  gained  by  re- 
jecting them.  The  atheist,  the 'infi- 
del—  nay,  the  philosopher,  believes 
or  professes  to  believe,  propositions 
quite  as  mysterious  as  any  in  the  Bi- 
ble. 4th.  That  poor,  lost,  sinful  man 
has  nowhere  else  to  go  but  to  Jesus. 
He  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life, 
and  if  the  sinner  betakes  himself  to 
any  other  way  he  will  wander  and  die. 
5th.  We  should  therefore,  on  no  ac- 
count, forsake  the  teachings  of  the 
Son  of  God.  The  words  that  he  speaks 
are  spirit  and  are  life. 


278 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  31. 


not  I  chosen  you  twelve,  and  one 
of  you  is  a  *  devil  ? 

71  He  spake  of  Judas  Iscariot, 

a  c.  13.  27. 


69.  We  are  sure^  etc.  See  a  similar 
confession  of  Peter  in  Matt.  xvi.  16, 
and  the  Notes  on  that  place.  Peter 
says  we  are  sure,  in  the  name  of  the 
whole  of  the  apostles.  Jesus  imme- 
diately cautions  him,  as  he  did  on  oth- 
er occasions,  not  to  be  too  confident, 
for  one  of  them  actually  had  no  such 
feelings,  but  was  a  traitor. 

70.  Have  not  I  chosen  you  tivelve? 
There  is  much  em^Dhasis  in  these 
words.  Have  not  /—I,  the  Saviour, 
the  Messiah,  chosen  you  in  mercy  and 
in  love,  and  therefore  it  will  be  a  great- 
er sin  to  betray  me  ?  Chosen.  Chosen 
to  the  apostolic  office  ;  conferred  on 
you  marks  of  peculiar  favor,  and  trea- 
son is  therefore  the  greater  sin.  You 
twelve.  So  small  a  number.  Out  of 
such  a  multitude  as  follow  for  the 
loaves  and  fishes,  it  is  to  be  expected 
there  should  be  apostates;  but  when 
the  number  is  so  small,  chosen  in  such 
a  manner,  then  it  becomes  every  one, 
however  confident  he  may  be,  to  be 
on  his  guard  and  examine  his  heart. 
If  Is  a  devil.  Has  the  spirit,  the  envy, 
the  malice,  and  the  treasonable  de- 
signs of  a  devil.  The  word  devil  here 
is  used  in  the  sense  of  an  enemy^  or 
one  hostile  to  him. 

71.  He  spake  of  Judas^  etc.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  Jesus  designated 
Judas  so  that  the  disciples  then  un- 
derstood that  it  was  he.  It  does  not 
appear  that  the  apostles  even  suspect- 
ed Judas,  as  they  continued  to  treat 
him  afterward  with  the  same  confi- 
dence, for  he  carried  the  bag,  or  .the 
purse  containing  their  little  proper- 
ty (John  xii.  6  ;  xiii.  29) ;  and  at  the 
table,  when  Jesus  said  that  one  of 
them  would  betray  him,  the  rest  did 
not  suspect  Judas  until  Jesus  pointed 
him  out  particularly.  John  xiii.  26. 
Jesus  spoke  of  one,  to  put  them  on 
their  guard,  to  check  their  confidence, 
and  to  lead  them  to  self-examination. 
So  in  every  Church,  or  company  of 
professing  Christians,  we  may  know 
that  it  is  probable  that  there  may  be 
some  one  or  more  deceived ;  but  we 
may  not  know  who  it  may  be,  and 
should  therefore  inquire  prayerfully 
and  honestly,  "Lord,  is  it  /.^"  II  Should 
betray.   Would  betray.    If  it  be  asked 


the  -^on  of  Simoif ;  for  lie  it  was 
that  should  betray  him,  being  one 
of  the  twelve. 


why  Jesus  called  a  man  to  be  an  apos- 
tle who  he  knew  had  no  love  for  him, 
who  would  betray  him,  and  who  had 
from  the  beginning  the  spirit  of  a 
"devil,"  we  may  reply,  1st.  It  was 
that  Judas  might  be  an  important 
witness  for  the  innocence  of  Jesus, 
and  for  the  fact  that  he  was  not  an 
impostor.  Judas  was  with  hind  more 
than  three  years.  He  was  treated  with 
the  same  confidence  as  the  others,  and 
in  some  respects  even  with  superior 
confidence,  as  he  had  "  the  bag"  (John 
xii.  6),  or  was  the  treasurer.  He  saw 
the  Saviour  in  public  and  in  private, 
heard  his  public  discourses  and  his 
private  conversation,  and  he  would 
have  been  just  the  witness  which  the 
high-priests  and  Pharisees  would  have 
desired,  if  he  had  known  any  reason 
why  he  should  be  condemned.  Yet  he 
alleged  nothing  against  him.  Though 
he  betrayed  him,  yet  he  afterward  said 
that  he  was  innocent,  and,  under  tlie 
convictions  of  conscience,  committed 
suicide.  If  Judas  had  known  any  thing 
against  the  Saviour  he  would  have  al- 
leged it.  If  he  had  known  that  he 
was  an  impostor,  and  had  alleged  it, 
he  would  have  saved  his  own  life  and 
been  rewarded.  If  Jesus  was  an  im- 
postor, he  ougJit  to  have  made  it 
known,  and  to  have  been  rewarded 
for  it.  2d.  It  may  have  been,  also,  with 
a  foresight  of  the  necessity  of  having 
such  a  man  among  his  disciples,  in 
order  that  his  own  death  might  be 
brought  about  in  the  manner  in  which 
it  was  predicted.  There  were  several 
prophecies  which  would  have«been 
unfulfilled  had  there  been  no  such 
man  among  the  apostles.  8d.  It  show- 
ed the  knowledge  which  the  Saviour 
had  of  the  human  heart,  that  he  could 
thus  discern  character  before  it  was 
developed,  and  was  able  so  distinctly 
to  predict  that  he  would  betray  him. 
4th.  We  may  add,  what  benevolence 
did  the  Saviour  evince — what  patience 
and  forbearance  —  that  he  had  with 
him  for  more  than  three  years  a  man 
who  he  knew  hated  him  at  heart,  and 
who  would  yet  betray  him  to  be  put 
to  death  on  a  cross,  and  that  during 
all  that  time  he  treated  him  with  the 
utmost  kindness ! 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


279 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AFTER  these  things  Jesus 
walked  in  Galilee;  for  he 
would  not  walk  in  Jewry,  because 
the  Jews  sought  to  kill  him. 

2  Now  the  Jews'  feast «  of  taber- 
nacles was  at  hand. 

3  His  brethren  therefore  said 
unto  him,  Depart  hence,  and  go 
into  Judea,  that  thy  disciples  also 

a  Lev.  23.  34. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

1.  After  these  tJmigs.  After  the  trans- 
actions which  are  recorded  in  the  last 
chapters  had  taken  place,  and  after 
the  offence  he  had  given  the  Jews. 
See  chap.  v.  18.  ^  Jesus  walked.  Or 
Jesus  livedo  or  taught.  He  traveled 
around  Galilee  teaching.  ^  In  Jewry. 
In  Judea,  the  southern  division  of 
Palestine.  Compare  Notes  on  chap, 
iv.  3.  T[  The  Jews  sought.  That  is,  the 
rulers  of  the  J ews.  It  does  not  appear 
that  the  common  people  ever  attempt- 
ed to  take  his  life. 

2.  The  Jews'  feast  of  tabernacles.  Or 
the  feast  of  tents.  This  feast  was  cel- 
ebrated on  the  fifteenth  daj^  of  the 
month  Tisri^  answering  to  the  last 
half  of  our  month  September  and  the 
first  half  of  October.  Num.  xxix.  12. 
Deut.  xvi.  13-15.  It  was  so  called  from 
the  tents  or  tabernacles  which  on  that 
occasion  were  erected  in  and  about 
Jerusalem,  and  was  designed  to  com- 
memorate their  dwelling  in  tents  in  the 
wilderness.  Neh.  viii.  16-18.  During 
the  continuance  of  this  feast  they 
dwelt  in  booths  or  tents,  as  their  fa- 
thers did  in  the  wilderness.  Lev. 
xxiii.  42,  43.  The  feast  w^as  contin- 
ued eight  days,  and  the  eighth  or  last 
day  was  the  most  distinguished,  and 
was  called  the  gi-eat  day  of  the  feast. 
Verse  37.  Nurn.  xxix.  35.  The  Jews 
on  this  occasion  not  only  dwelt  in 
booths,  but  they  carried  about  the 
branches  of  palms,  willows,  and  oth- 
er trees  which  bore  a  thick  foliage, 
and  also  branches  of  the  olive-tree, 
myrtle,  etc.  Neh.  viii.  15.  Many  sac- 
rifices were  offered  on  this  occasion 
(Num.  xxix.  12-39.  Deut.  xvi.  14-16), 
and  it  was  a  time  of  general  joy.  It 
is  called  by  Josephus  and  Philo  the 
greatest  feast,  and  was  one  of  the  three 
feasts  which  every  male  among  the 
Jews  was  obliged  to  attend. 

3.  His  brethren.  Sec  Notes  on  Matt. 


may  see  the  works  that  thou  do- 
est. 

4  For  there  is  no  man  that  cloeth 
any  thing  in  secret,  and  he  him- 
self seeketh  to  be  known  openly. 
If  thou  do  these  things,  show  thy- 
self to  the  world. 

5  For  neither  did  his  brethren* 
believe  in  him. 

6  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 

h  Mar.  3.  21. 


xii.  47.  H  Thy  disciples.  The  disci- 
ples which  he  had  made  when  he  was 
before  in  Judea.  John  iv.  1-3.  T?ie 
works.    The  miracles. 

4,  5.  For  there  is  no  man,  etc.  The 
brethren  of  Jesus  supposed  that  he 
was  influenced  as  others  are.  As  it  is 
a  common  thing  among  men  to  seek 
popularity,  so  they  supposed  that  he 
would  also  seek  it ;  and  as  a  great 
multitude  would  be  assembled  at  Je- 
rusalem at  this  feast,  they  supposed 
it  would  be  a  favorable  time  to  make 
himself  known.  What  follows  shows 
that  this  was  said,  probably,  not  in 
sincerity,  but  in  derision ;  and  to  the 
other  sufferings  of  our  Lord  was  to  be 
added,  what  is  so  common  to  Chris- 
tians, derision  from  his  relatives  and 
friends  on  account  of  his  pretensions. 
If  our  Saviour  was  derided,  we  also 
may  expect  to  be  by  our  relatives ; 
and,  having  his  example,  we  should 
be  content  to  bear  it.  ^  If  thou  do, 
etc.  It  appears  from  this  that  ihey 
did  not  really  believe  that  he  wrought 
miracles  ;  or,  if  they  did  believe  it, 
they  did  not  suppose  that  he  was  the 
Christ.  Yet  it  seems  hardly  credible 
that  they  could  suppose  that  his  mir- 
acles were  real,  and  yet  not  admit  that 
he  was  the  Messiah.  Besides,  there  is 
no  evidence  that  these  relatives  had 
been  present  at  any  of  his  miracles, 
and  all  that  they  knew  of  them  might 
have  been  from  report.  See  Notes  on 
Mark  iii.  21.  On  the  word  brethren  in 
verse  5,  see  Notes  on  Matt.  xiii.  55, 
and  Gal.  i.  19. 

6.  My  time,  etc.  The  proper  time 
for  my  going  up  to  the  feast.  We 
know  not  why  it  was  not  yet  a  prop- 
er time  for  him  to  go.  It  might  be 
because  if  he  went  then,  in  their  com- 
pany, while  multitudes  were  going,  it 
would  have  too  muclx  the  appearance 
of  parade  and  ostentation  ;  it  might 
excite  too  much  notice,  and  be  more 


280 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


My  "  time  is  not  yet  come ;  but 
your  time  is  always  ready. 

7  The  ^  world  can  not  hate  you ; 
but  me  it  hateth,  because  I  testify 
of  it,  that  the  works  thereof  are 
evil. 

8  Go  ye  up  unto  this  feast.  I  go 
not  up  yet  unto  this  feast ;  for  my 
time  is  not  yet  full  come. 

9  When  he  had  said  these  words 
unto  them  he  abode  still  in  Galilee. 

10  But  when  his  brethren  were 
gone  uj),  then  went  he  also  up 
unto  the  feast,  not  openly,  but  as 
it  were  in  secret. 

a  c.  2,4;  8.20.  ver.  8,30. 

6  c.  15. 19.  cc.  11.56. 


likely  to  expose  him  to  the  envy  and 
opposition  of  the  rulers.  T[  Yoicr  time, 
etc.  It  makes  no  difference  to  you 
when  you  go  up.  Your  going  will 
excite  no  tumult  or  opposition  ;  it 
will  not  attract  attention,  and  will  not 
endanger  your  lives.  Jesus  therefore 
chose  to  go  up  more  privatel}^,  and  to 
remain  until  the  multitude  had  gone. 
They  commonly  traveled  to  those 
feasts  in  large  companies,  made  up  of 
most  of  the  families  in  the  neighbor- 
hood.   See  Notes  on  Luke  ii.  44. 

7.  The  world  can  not  hate  you.  You 
profess  no  principles  in  opposition  to 
the  world.  You  do  not  excite  its 
envy,  or  rouse  against  you  the  civil 
rulers.  As  you  possess  the  same  spir- 
it and  principles  with  the  men  of  the 
world,  they  can  not  be  expected  to 
hate  you.  H  I  testify  of  it.  I  bear  wit- 
ness against  it.  This  was  the  main 
cause  of  the  opposition  which  was 
made  to  him.  He  proclaimed  that 
men  were  depraved,  and  the  result 
was  that  they  hated  him.  We  may 
expect  that  all  who  preach  faithfully 
against  the  wickedness  of  men  will  ex- 
cite opposition.  Yet  this  is  not  to 
deter  us  from  doing  our  duty,  and, 
after  the  example  of  Jesus,  from  pro- 
claiming to  men  their  sins,  whatever 
may  be  the  result. 

8.  /  go  not  np  yet.  Jesus  remained 
until  about  tlic  middle  of  the  feast. 
Verse  14.  That  is,  he  remained  about 
four  days  after  his  brethren  had  dc- 
])arted,  or  until  the  mass  of  the  peo- 
ple had  gone  up,  sa  that  his  going 
might  excite  no  attention,  and  that  it 
might  not  be  said  he  chose  such  a 


11  Then  ^  the  Jews  sought  him 
at  the  feast,  and  said,  Where  is  he  ? 

12  And  ^  there  was  much  mur- 
muring among  the  people  con- 
cerning him ;  for  some  said.  He 
is  a  good  man ;  others  said,  Nay, 
but  he  deceiyeth  the  people. 

13  Howbeit,  no  man  spake  open- 
ly of  him,  for  fear  of  the  Jews. 

14  Now  about  the  midst  of  the 
feast,  Jesus  went  up  into  the  tem- 
ple and  taught. 

15  And  ^  the  Jews  marvelled,  say- 
ing. How  knoweth  this  man  ^  let- 
ters, having  never  learned  ? 

d  c.9.16.  e  Matt.  13.54. 

1  or,  learning. 


time  to  excite  a  tumult.  We  have 
here  a  signal  instance  of  our  Lord's 
prudence  and  opposition  to  parade. 
Though  it  would  have  been  lawful  for 
him  to  go  up  at  that  time,  and  though 
it  would  have  been  a  favorable  period 
to  make  himself  known,  yet  he  chose 
to  forego  these  advantages  rather  than 
to  afford  an  occasion  of  envy  and  jeal- 
ousy to  the  rulers,  or  to  appear  even 
to  excite  a  tumult  among  the  people. 

12.  Murmuring.  Contention,  disput- 
ing. TI  He  deceiveth  the  people.  That 
is,  he  is  deluding  them,  or  drawing 
them  away  by  pretending  to  be  the 
Messiah. 

13.  Spake  openly  of  him.  The  word 
translated  openly,  here,  is  commonly 
rendered  boldly.  This  refers,  doubt- 
less, to  those  who  really  believed  on 
him.  His  enemies  were  not  silent; 
but  his  friends  had  not  confidence  to . 
speak  of  him  openly  or  boldly — that  is, 
to  speak  what  they  really  thought. 
Many  supposed  that  he  was  the  liles- 
siah,  yet  even  this  they  did  not  dare 
to  profess.  All  that  they  could  say 
in  his  favor  was  that  he  was  a  good 
man.  There  are  always  many  such 
friends  of  Jesus  in  the  world  who  are 
desirous  of  saying  something  good 
about  him,  but  who,  from  fear  or 
shame,  refuse  to  make  a  full  acknowl- 
edgment of  him.  Many  will  praise 
his  morals,  his  precepts,  and  his  holy 
life,  while  they  are  ashamed  to  speak 
of  his  divinity  or  his  atonement,  and 
still  more  to  acknowledge  that  they 
are  dei)cndent  on  him  for  salvation. 

14.  About  the  ?nidst.  Or  about  the 
middle  of  the  feast.    It  continued 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  yil. 


281 


16  Jesus  answered  them  and  said, 
My  doctrine  is  not  mine,  but  his 
that  sent  me. 

17  If  ^  any  man  will  do  his  will, 

a  c.8.28;  12.49.  b  c.8.43. 


eight  days.  ^  The  Temple.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  xxi.  12.  T[  And  taught.  Great 
multitudes  were  assembled  in  and 
around  the  Temple,  and  it  was  a  fa- 
vorable time  and  place  to  make  known 
his  doctrine. 

15.  Knoweth  this  man  letters.  The 
Jewish  letters  or  science  consisted  in 
the  knowledge  of  their  Scriptures  and 
traditions.  Jesus  exhibited  in  his  dis- 
courses such  a  profound  acquaintance 
with  the  Old  Testament  as  to  excite 
their  amazement  and  admiration. 
H  Having  never  learned.  The  Jews 
taught  their  law  and  tradition  in  cel- 
ebrated schools.  As  Jesus  had  not 
been  instructed  in  those  schools,  they 
were  amazed  at  his  learning.  What 
early  human  teaching  the  Saviour  had 
we  have  no  means  of  ascertaining,  far- 
ther than  that  it  was  customary  for 
the  Jews  to  teach  their  children  to 
read  the  Scriptures.  2  Tim.  iii.  15  : 
"From  a  child  thou  (Timothy)  hast* 
known  the  holy  Scriptures." 

16.  My  doctrine.  My  teaching^  or 
what  I  teach.  This  is  the  proper 
meaning  of  the  word  doctrine.  It  is 
what  is  taught  us,  and,  as  applied  to 
religion,  it  is  what  is  taught  us  by 
God  in  the  holy  Scriptures.  •[[  Is  not 
mine.  It  is  not  originated  by  me. 
Though  I  have  not  learned  in  your 
schools,  3'et  you  are  not  to  infer  that 
the  doctrine  which  I  teach  is  devised 
or  invented  by  me.  I  teach  nothing 
that  is  contrary  to  the  will  of  God, 
and  which  he  has  not  appointed  me 
to  teach.  ^  His  that  sent  me.  God's. 
It  is  such  as  he  approves,  and  such  as 
he  has  commissioned  me  to  teach. 
The  doctrine  is  divine  in  its  origin 
and  in  its  nature. 

17.  If  any  man  will  do  his  will.  Lit- 
erally, if  any  man  wills  or  is  willing  to 
do  the  will  of  God.  If  there  is  a  dis- 
position in  any  one  to  do  that  will, 
though  he  should  not  be  able  perfect- 
ly to  keep  his  commandments.  To  do 
the  will  of  God  is  to  obey  his  com- 
mandments ;  to  yield  our  hearts  and 
lives  to  his  requirements.  A  dispo- 
sition to  do  his  will  is  a  readiness  to 
yield  our  intellects,  our  feelings,  and 
all  that  we  have  entirely  to  him,  to  be 


he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine 
whether  it  be  of  God,  or  wTietlier 
I  speak  of  myself 
18  He  that  speaketh  of  himself 

c  C.8.  50. 


overned  according  to  his  pleasure. 
He  shall  know.  He  shall  have  evi- 
dence^ in  the  very  attempt  to  do  the 
will  of  God,  of  the  truth  of  the  doc- 
trine. This  evidence  is  internal^  and 
to  the  individual  it  is  satisfactory  and 
conclusive.  It  is  of  two  kinds.  1st. 
He  will  find  that  the  doctrines  which 
Jesus  taught  are  such  as  commend 
themselves  to  his  reason  and  con- 
science, and  such  as  are  consistent 
with  all  that  we  know  of  the  perfec- 
tions of  God.  His  doctrines  com- 
mend themselves  to  us  as  fitted  to 
make  us  pure  and  happy,  and  of  course 
they  are  such  as  must  be  from  God. 
2d.  An  honest  desire  to  obey  God  will 
lead  a  man  to  embrace  the  great  doc- 
trines of  the  Bible.  He  will  find  that 
his  heart  is  depraved  and  inclined  to 
evil,  and  he  will  see  and  feel  the  truth 
of  the  doctrine  of  depravity ;  he  will 
find  that  he  is  a  sinner  and  needs  to 
be  horn  again;  he  will  leai-n  his  own 
weakness,  and  see  his  need  of  a  Sa- 
viour^ of  an  atonement,  and  of  pardon- 
ing mercy ;  he  will  feel  that  he  is  pol- 
luted, and  needs  the  purifying  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  we 
may  learn,  1st.  That  an  honest  effort 
to  obey  God  Isl  the  easiest  way  to  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  doctrines 
of  the  Bible.  2d.  Those  who  make 
such  an  efi*ort  will  not  cavil  at  any  of 
the  doctrines  of  the  Scriptures.  3d. 
This  is  evidence  of  the  truth  of  reve- 
lation which  every  man  can  apply  to 
his  own  case.  4th.  It  is  such  evidence 
as  to  lead  to  certainty.  No  man  who 
has  ever  made  an  honest  effort  to  live 
a  pious  life,  and  to  do  all  the  will  of 
God,  has  ever  had  any  doubt  of  the 
truth  of  the  Saviour's  doctrines,  or 
any  doubt  that  his  religion  is  true,  and 
is  fitted  to  the  nature  of  man.  They 
only  doubt  the  truth  of  religion  who 
wish  to  live  in  sin.  5th.  We  see  the 
goodness  of  God  in  giving  us  evidence 
of  his  truth  that  may  be  within  ev- 
ery man's  reach.  It  does  not  require 
great  learning  to  be  a  Christian,  and 
to  be  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the 
Bible.  It  requires  an  honest  heart,  and 
a  willingness  to  obey  God.  ^  Wheth- 
er it  he  of  God.    Whether  it  be  divine. 


282 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


seeketh  his  own  glory;  but  he  that 
seeketh  his  glory  that  sent  him, 
the  same  is  true,  and  no  unright- 
eousness is  in  him. 

19  Did  not  Moses  *  give  you  the 
law,  and  yet  none  of  you  keepeth 
the  law  ?  Why  go  ye  about  to  kill 
^me? 

a  Prov.  25.  27."  6Jno.l.l7.  Gal.  3. 19. 

c  Rom.  3. 10-19. 


^  Or  whether  I  speak  of  myself.  Of  my- 
self without  being  commissioned  or 
directed  by  God. 

18.  That  speaketh  of  himself  This 
does  not  mean  about  or  concerning 
himself,  but  he  that  speaks  by  his  own 
autho7nty^  without  being  sent  by  God, 
as  mere  human  teachers  do.  If  Seek- 
eth his  ovm  glory.  His  own  praise^  or 
seeks  for  reputation  and  applause. 
This  is  the  case  with  mere  human 
teachers,  and  as  Jesus  in  his  discour- 
ses manifestly  sought  to  honor  God, 
they  ought  to  have  supposed  that  he 
was  sent  by  him.  ^  No  unrighteous- 
ness. This  word  here  means,  evident- 
ly, there  is  no  falsehood,  no  deception 
in  him.  He  is  not  an  impostor.  It 
is  used  in  the  same  sense  in  2  Thess. 
ii.  10-12.  It  is  true  that  there  was  no 
unrighteousness,  no  sin  in  Jesus  Christ, 
but  that  is  not  the  truth  taught  here. 
It  is  that  he  was  not  an  impostor,  and 
the  evidence  of  this  was  that  he  sought 
not  his  own  glory,  but  the  honor  of 
God.  This  evidence  was  furnished, 
1st.  In  his  retiring,  unobtrusive  dis- 
position; in  his  not  seeking  the  ap- 
plause of  men.  2d.  In  his  teaching 
such  doctrines  as  tended  to  exalt  God 
and  humble  man.  3d.  In  his  ascribing 
all  glory  and  praise  to  God. 

19.  Did  not  Moses  give  you  the  law? 
This  they  admitted,  and  on  this  they 
prided  themselves.  Every  violation 
of  that  law  they  considered  as  deserv- 
ing of  death.  They  had  accused  Je- 
sus of  violating  it  because  he  had  heal- 
ed a  man  on  the  Sabbath,  and  for  that 
they  had  sought  his  life.  Chap.  v.  10- 
16.  He  here  recalls  that  charge  to 
their  recollection,  and  shows  them 
that,  though  they  pretended  great  rev- 
erence for" that  law,  yet  they  were  re- 
ally its  violators  in  having  sought  his 
life.  T[  None  of  you,  etc.  None  of  you 
Jews.  They  had  sought  to  kill  him. 
This  was  a  pointed  and  severe  charge, 
and  shows  the  great  faithfulness  with 
wliich  he  was  accustomed  to  proclaim 


20  The  people  answered  and  said, 
'  Thou  hast  a  devil ;  who  goeth 
about  to  kill  thee  ? 

21  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
them,  I  have  done  one  work,  and 
ye  all  marvel. 

22  Moses  f  therefore  gave  unto 
you  circumcision ;  not  because  it 

Matt.  12. 14.  c.  5. 16,18.  cc.8.48. 
/  Lev.  12.3. 


the  truth.  T[  Why  go  ye  about  to  kill 
me  ?  Why  do  ye  seek  to  kill  me  ?  See 
chap.  V.  16. 

20.  The  people.  Perhaps  some  of  the 
people  who  were  not  aware  of  the  de- 
signs of  the  rulers.  T[  Thou  hast  a 
devil.  Thou  art  deranged  or  mad.  See 
chap.  X.  20.  As  they  saw  no  effort  to 
kill  him,  and  as  they  were  ignorant  of 
the  designs  of  the  rulers,  they  sup- 
posed that  this  was  the  effect  of  de- 
rangement. 

21.  One  work.  The  healing  of  the 
man  on  the  Sabbath.  John  v.  ^  Ye  all 
marvel.  You  all  wonder  or  are  amazed, 
and  particularly  that  it  was  done  on 
the  Sabbath.  This  was  the  ^^ar^ic*?^- 
lar  ground  of  astonishment,  that  he 
should  dare  to  do  what  they  esteemed 
a  violation  of  the  Sabbath. 

22.  Moses  therefore  gave  unto  you  cir- 
cumcision. Moses  commanded  you  to 
circumcise  your  children.  Lev.  xii.  3. 
The  word  "therefore,"  in  this  place — 
literally  "o?i  account  of  ^/m" — means, 
"Moses  071  this  account  gave  you  cir- 
cumcision, not  because  it  is  of  Mo- 
ses, but  of  the  fathers;"  that  is,  the 
reason  was  not  that  he  himself  ap- 
pointed it  as  a  new  institution,  but  he 
found  it  already  in  existence,  and  in- 
corporated it  in  his  institutions  and 
laws.  *[|  Not  because,  etc.  Not  that  it 
is  of  Moses.  Though  Jesus  spoke  in 
accordance  with  the  custom  of  the 
Jews,  who  ascribed  the  appointment 
of  circumcision  to  Moses,  yet  he  is 
careful  to  remind  them  that  it  was  in 
observance  long  before  Moses.  So, 
also,  the  Sabbath  was  kept  before  Mo- 
ses, and  alike  in  the  one  case  and  the 
other  they  ought  to  keep  in  mind  the 
design  of  the  appointment.  H  Of  the 
fathers.  Of  the  patriarchs,  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Gen.  xvii.  10.  Ye 
on  the  Sabbath  day,  etc.  The  law  re- 
quired that  the  cliild  should  be  cir- 
cumcised on  the  eighth  day.  If  that 
day  happened  to  be  the  Sabbath,  yet 
they  held  that  he  was  to  be  cir- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIL 


283 


is  of  Moses,  but  «  of  the  fathers ; 
and  ye  on  the  sabbath  day  circum- 
cise a  man. 

23  If  a  man  on  the  sabbath  day 
receive  circumcision,  ^  that  the  law 
of  Moses  should  not  be  broken, 
are  ye  angry  at  me  because  ^  I 
have  made  a  man  every  whit 
whole  on  the  sabbath  day  ? 

24  Judge  "  not  according  to  the 

a  Gen.  17.10. 

1  or,  ivithout  breaMng  the  law  of  Moses. 


cumcised,  as  there  was  a  positive  law 
to  that  effect;  and  as  this  was  com- 
manded^ they  did  not  consider  it  a 
breach  of  the  Sabbath.  *^Aman.  Not 
an  adult  man,  but  a  man-child.  See 
John  xvi.  21:  "She  remembereth  no 
more  the  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man 
is  born  into  the  world." 

23.  That  the  law  of  Moses  should  not 
he  broken.  In  order  that  the  law  re- 
quiring it  to  be  done  at  a  specified 
time,  though  that  might  occur  on  the 
Sabbath,  should  be  kept.  Are  ye 
anjgry^  etc.  The  argument  of  Jesus 
is  this:  "You  yourselves,  in  inter- 
preting the  law  about  the  Sabbath, 
allow  a  work  of  necessity  to  be  done. 
You  do  that  which  is  necessary  as  an 
ordinance  of  religion  denoting  separa- 
tion from  other  nations,  or  external 
purity.  As  you  allow  this,  ycTu  ought 
also,  for  the  same  reason,  to  allow 
that  a  man  should  be  completely  re- 
stored to  health — that  a  work  of  much 
more  importance  should  be  done." 
We  may  learn  here  that  it  would  be 
happy  for  all  if  they  would  not  con- 
demn others  in  that  thing  which  they 
allow.  Men  often  accuse  others  of 
doing  things  which  they  themselves 
do  in  other  ways.  1[  Every  whit  whole. 
Literally,  "I  have  restored  the  whole 
man  to  health,"  implying  that  the 
man's  whole  body  was  diseased,  and 
that  he  had  been  entirely  restored  to 
health. 

24.  Judge  not  according  to  the  appear- 
ance. Not  as  a  thing  first  offers  itself 
to  you,  without  reflection  or  candor. 
In  appearance^  to  circumcise  a  child  on 
the  Sabbath  might  be  a  violation  of 
the  law ;  yet  you  do  it,  and  it  is  right. 
So,  to  appearance^  it  might  be  a  viola- 
tion of  the  Sabbath  to  heal  a  man,  yet 
it  is  right  to  do  works  of  necessity 
and  mercy.  H  Judge  righteous  judg- 
ment.   Candidly ;  looking  at  the  law. 


appearance,  but  judge  righteous 
judgment. 

25  Then  said  some  of  them  of 
Jerusalem,  Is  not  this  he  whom 
they  seek  to  kill  ? 

26  But,  lo,  he  speaketh  boldly, 
and  they  say  nothing  unto  him. 
Do  ^  the  rulers  know  indeed  that 
this  is  the  very  Christ  ? 

27  Howbeit  ^  we  know  this  man, 

SJno.5.8.  c  Deut.1.16, 17. 

d  ver.  48.  e  Matt.  13.  55. 


and  inquiring  what  its  spirit  really  re- 
quires. 

26.  Do  the  rulers  know  indeed y  etc. 
It  seems  from  this  that  they  supposed 
that  the  rulers  had  been  convinced 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  but  that 
from  some  cause  they  were  not  will- 
ing yet  to  make  it  known  to  the  peo- 
ple. The  reasons  of  this  opinion  were 
these :  1st.  They  knew  that  they  had 
attempted  to  kill  him.  2d.  They  now 
saw  him  speaking  boldly  to  the  peo- 
X3le  without  interruption  from  the  rul- 
ers. They  concluded,  therefore,  that 
some  change  had  taken  place  in  the 
sentiments  of  the  rulers  in  regard  to 
him,  though  they  had  not  yet  made  it 
public.  11  The  ruley^s.  The  members 
of  the  Sanhedrim^  or  great  council  of 
the  nation,  who  had  charge  of  relig- 
ious affairs.  H  Indeed.  Truly ;  cer- 
tainly. Have  they  certain  evidence, 
as  would  appear  from  their  suffering 
him  to  speak  without  interruption. 
H  The  very  Christ.  Is  truly  or  really 
the  Messiah. 

27.  Howbeit.  But.  They  proceeded 
to  state  a  reason  why  they  supposed 
that  he  could  not  be  the  Messiah, 
whatever  the  ruley^s  might  think. 
If  We  know  this  man.,  wherice  he  is.  We 
know  the  place  of  his  birth  and  resi- 
dence. H  iVb  man  knoweth  whence  he  is. 
From  Matthew  ii.  5,  it  appears  that 
the  common  expectation  of  the  Jews 
was  that  the  Messiah  would  be  born  at 
Bethlehem ;  but  they  had  also  feign- 
ed that  after  his  birth  he  would  be 
hidden  or  taken  away  in  some  myste- 
rious manner,  and  appear  again  from 
some  unexpected  quarter.  We  find 
allusions  to  this  expectation  in  the 
New  Testament,  where  our  Saviour 
corrects  their  common  notions.  Matt, 
xxiv.  23:  "Then  if  any  man  shall  say 
unto  you,  Lo,  here  is  Christ,  or  there, 
believe  it  not."  And  again  (verse  26), 


284 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32, 


whence  he  is;  but  when  Christ 
Cometh,  no  man  knoweth  whence 
he  is. 

28  Then  cried  Jesus  in  the  tem- 
ple as  he  taught,  saying.  Ye  both 
know  me,  and  ye  know  whence  I 
am ;  and  «  I  am  not  come  of  my- 
self, but  he  that  sent  me  *  is  true, 
whom  ^  ye  know  not. 

29  But  I  know  him ;  for  I  am 
from  him,  and  he  hath  sent  me. 

30  Then  '  they  sought  to  take 
him,  but  no  man  laid  hands  on 
him,  because  his  hour  was  not  yet 
come. 

ac.5.43.  &  Rom.  3. 4. 

c  c.  1. 18  ;  8.55.  Matt.  11.  27.  c.  10. 15. 


"If  they  shall  say  unto  you,  Behblcl, 
he  is  in  the  desert,  go  not  forth ;  be- 
hold, he  is  in  the  secret  chambers,  be- 
lieve it  not."  The  following  extracts 
from  Jewish  writings  sliow  that  this 
was  the  common  expectation:  "The 
Kedeemer  shall  manifest  himself,  and 
afterward  be  hid.  So  it  was  in  the  re- 
demption from  Egypt.  Moses  show- 
ed himself,  and  then  was  hidden."  So 
on  the  passage.  Cant.  ii.  9 — "My  be- 
loved is  like  a  roe  or  a  young  hart" — 
they  say :  "  A  roe  appears  and  then  is 
hid;  so  the  Redeemer  shall  first  ap- 
pear and  then  be  concealed,  and  then 
again  be  concealed  and  then  again  ap- 
pear." "So  the  Redeemer  shall  first 
appear  and  then  be  hid,  and  then,  at 
the  end  of  forty-five  days,  shall  reap- 
pear, and  cause  manna  to  descend." 
See  Lightfoot.  Whatever  may  have 
been  the  source  of  this  opinion,  it  ex- 
plains this  passage,  and  shows  that 
the  writer  of  this  gospel  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  opinions  of  the 
Jews,  however  improbable  those  opin- 
ions were. 

28.  Ye  know  whence  lam.  You  have 
suflBicient  evidence  of  my  divine  mis- 
sion, and  that  I  am  the  Messiah.  TI  Is 
true.  Is  worthy  to  be  believed.  He 
lias  given  evidence  that  I  came  from 
him,  and  he  is  worthy  to  be  believed. 
Many  read  this  as  a  question — Do  ye 
know  me,  and  know  whence  I  am  '? 
I  am  not  come  of  myself,  etc. 

30.  TJicn  ihcy  sought  to  take  him.  The 
rulers  and  their  friends.  They  did  this, 
1st.  Because,  ol'  liis  reproof;  and,  2d. 
For  prolessing  to  be  the  Messiah. 
D  His  ?iour.    The  proper  and  the  ap- 


31  And  many  /  of  the  people 
believed  on  him,  and  said,  When 
Christ  Cometh,  will  he  do  more 
miracles  than  these  which  this 
man  hath  done  ? 

32  The  Pharisees  heard  that  the 
people  murmured  such  things  con- 
cerning him ;  and  the  Pharisees 
and  the  chief  priests  sent  officers 
to  take  him. 

33  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them, 
Yet  -9  a  little  while  am  I  with  you, 
and  then  I  go  unto  him  that  sent 
me. 

34  Ye  ^  shall  seek  me,  and  shall 

c  Mar.  11.18.  Lu.  20. 19.  c.8.37.  /c.4.39. 
fire.  13.33;  16. 16.  A  Hos.  5.  6,  c.8.  21. 


pointed  time  for  his  death.  See  Matt, 
xxi.  46. 

31.  Will  he  do  more  miracles?  It  was 
a  common  expectation  that  the  Mes- 
siah would  work  many  miracles.  This 
opinion  was  founded  on  such  passages 
as  Isa.  XXV.  5, 6,  etc. :  "Then  the  eyes 
of  the  blind  shall  be  opened,  and  the 
ears  of  the  deaf  shall  be  unstopped ; 
then  shall  the  lame  man  leap  as  a 
hart,"  etc.  Jesus  had  given  abun- 
dant evidence  of  his  power  to  work 
such  miracles,  and  they  therefore  be- 
lieved that  he  was  the  Messiah. 

32.  The  loeople  murmured  such  things. 
That  is,  that  the  question  was  agitated 
whether  he  was  the  Messiah  ;  that  it 
excited  debate  and  contention;  and 
that  the  consequence  was,  he  made 
many  friends.  Thej^  chose,  therefore, 
if  possible,  to  remove  him  from  them. 

*33.  Yet  a  little  lohile  am  I  loith  you. 
It  will  not  be  long  before  my  death. 
This  is  supposed  to  have  been  about 
six  months  before  his  death.  This 
speech  of  Jesus  is  full  of  tenderness. 
They  were  seeking  his  life.  He  tells 
them  that  he  is  fully  aware  of  it;  that 
he  will  not  be  long  with  them ;  and 
implies  that  they  should  be  diligent 
to  seek  him  while  he  was  yet  with 
them.  He  was  about  to  die,  but  thc}^ 
might  now  seek  his  favor  and  find  it. 
When  we  remember  that  this  was  said 
to  his  persecutors  and  murderers ;  that 
it  was  said  even  while  they  were  seek- 
ing his  life,  we  see  the  peculiar  ten- 
derness of  his  love.  Enmity,  and  hate, 
aiul  persecution  did  not  prevent  his 
offering  salvatioji  to  them.  1  /  (]o 
unto  him  that  sent  me.    This  is  one  of 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


285 


not  find  me;  and  where  I  am, 
thither  ye  can  hot  come. 

35  Then  said  the  Jews  among 
themselves,  Whither  will  he  go, 
that  we  shall  not  find  him  ?  Will 
he  go  unto  the  dispersed among 
the  1  Gentiles,  and  teach  the  Gen- 
tiles ? 

a  Isa.  11. 12.  Jas.  1.1.   1  Pet.  1. 1.         1  or,  Greeks. 

the  intimations  that  he  gave  that  he 
would  ascend  to  God.  Compare  chap, 
vi.  62. 

34.  Ye  shall  seek  me.  This  probably 
means  simply,  Ye  shall  seek  the  Mes- 
siah. Such  will  be  your  troubles,  such 
the  calamities  that  will  come  on  the 
nation,  that  you  will  earnestly  desire 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  You  will 
seek  for  a  deliverer,  and  will  look  for 
him.  that  he  may  bring  deliverance. 
This  does  not  mean  that  they  would 
seek  for  Jesics  and  not  be  able  to  find 
him,  but  that  they  would  desire  the 
aid  and  comfort  of  the  Messiah^  and 
would  be  disappointed.  Jesus  speaks 
of  himself  as  the  Messiah,  and  his  own 
name  as  synonymous  with  the  Mes- 
siah. See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxiii.  39. 
^  Shall  not  find  me.  Shall  not  find  the 
Messiah.  He  will  not  come,  accord- 
ing to  your  expectations,  to  aid  you. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  ^  Where  I 
am.  This  whole  clause  is  to  be  un- 
derstood as  future,  though  the  words 
"am"  and  "can  not"  are  both  in  the 
present  tense.  The  meaning  is. 
Where  I  shall  be  you  will  not  be  able 
to  come.  That  is,  he,  the  Messiah, 
would  be  in  heaven ;  and  though  they 
would  earnestly  desire  his  presence 
and  aid  to  save  the  city  and  nation 
from  the  Romans,  yet  they  would  not 
be  able  to  obtain  it — represented  here 
by  their  not  being  able  to  come  to  him. 
This  does  not  refer  to  their  individual 
salvation,  but  to  the  deliverance  of 
their  nation.  It  is  not  true  of  indi- 
vidual sinners  that  they  seek  Christ 
in  a  proper  manner  and  are  not  able 
to  find  him ;  but  it  was  true  of  the 
Jewish  nation  that  they  looked  for  the 
Messiah,  and  sought  his  coming  to  de- 
liver them,  but  he  did  not  do  it. 

35.  The  dispei^sed  among  the  Gentiles. 
To  the  Jews  scattered  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, or  living  in  distant  parts  of  the 
earth.  It  is  well  known  that  at  that 
time  there  were  Jews  dwelling  in  al- 
most every  land.  There  were  mul- 
titudes in  Egypt,  in  Asia  Minor,  in 


36  What  manner  of  saying  is  this 
that  he  said.  Ye  shall  seek  me, 
and  shall  not  find  me;  and  where 
I  am,  thither  ye  can  not  come  ? 

37  In  the  last  *  day,  that  great 
day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and 
cried,  saying,  If  ^  any  man  thirst, 
let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink. 

b  Lev.  23.  36.  c  Isa.  55. 1.   Rev.  22.  17. 

Greece,  in  Rome,  etc.,  and  in  all  these, 
places  they  had  synagogues.  The 
question  which  they  asked  was 
whether  he  would  leave  an  ungrate- 
ful country,  and  go  into  those  dis- 
tant nations  and  teach  them.  ^  Gen- 
tiles. In  the  original,  Greeks.  All 
those  who  were  not  Jews  were  called 
Greeks^  because  they  were  chiefly  ac- 
quainted with  those  heathens  only 
who  spake  the  Greek  language.  It 
is  remarkable  that  Jesus  returned  no 
answer  to  these  inquiries.  He  rather 
chose  to  turn  off  their  minds  from  a 
speculation  about  the  place  to  which 
he  was  going,  to  the  great  affairs  of 
their  own  personal  salvation. 

37.  In  the  last  daij.  The  eighth  day 
of  the  festival.  ^  That  great  day.  The 
day  of  the  holy  convocation  or  solemn 
assembly.  Lev.  xxiii.  36.  This  seems 
to  have  been  called  the  great  day,  1st. 
Because  of  the  solemn  assembly,  and 
because  it  was  the  closing  scene.  2d. 
Because,  according  to  their  traditions, 
on  the  previous  days  they  offered  sac- 
rifices for  the  heathen  nations  as  well 
as  for  themselves,  but  on  this  day  for 
the  Jews  only. — Lightfoot.  3d.  Be- 
cause on  this  day  they  abstained  from 
all  servile  labor  (Lev.  xxiii.  39),  and 
regarded  it  as  a  holy  day.  4th.  On  this 
day  they  finished  the  reading  of  the 
law,  which  they  commenced  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  feast.  5th.  Because  on 
this  day  probably  occurred  the  cer- 
emony of  drawing  water  from  the  pool 
of  Siloam.  On  the  last  day  of  the 
feast  it  was  customary  to  perform  a 
solemn  ceremony  in  this  manner: 
The  priest  filled  a  golden  vial  with 
water  from  the  fount  of  Siloam  (see 
Notes  on  John  ix.  7),  which  was  borne 
with  great  solemnity,  attended  with 
the  clangor  of  trumpets,  through  the 
gate  of  the  Temple,  and,  being  mixed 
with  wine,  was  poured  on  the  sacri- 
fice on  the  altar.  What  was  the  ori- 
gin of  this  custom  is  unknown.  Some 
suppose,  and  not  improbably,  that  it 
arose  from  an  improper  understand- 


286 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


38  He  that  believeth  on  me,  as 
the  scripture  hath  said,  out  *  of 
his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living 
water. 

aProv.18.4.   Isa.58. 11.  c.4.14. 


ing  of  the  passage  in  Isa.  xii.  3 :  "With 
joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out  of  the 
wells  of  salvation."  It  is  certain  that 
no  such  ceremony  is  commanded  by 
Moses.  It  is  supposed  to  be  proba- 
ble that  Jesus  stood  and  cried  while 
they  were  performing  this  ceremony, 
that  he  might,  1st,  illustrate  tlie  nature 
of  his  doctrine  by  this  ;  and,  2d,  call 
olf  their  attention  from  a  rite  that 
was  uncommanded,  and  that  could 
not  confer  eternal  life.  ^  Jesus  stood. 
In  the  Temple,  in  the  midst  of  thou- 
sands of  the  people.  H  If  any  man 
thirst.  Spiritually.  If  any  man  feels 
his  need  of  salvation.  See  John  iv. 
13,14.  Matt.  V.  6.  Rev.  xxii.  17.  The 
invitation  is  full  and  free  to  all.  ^  Let 
him  come  unto  me,  etc.  Instead  of  de- 
pending on  tJiis  ceremony  of  drawing 
water,  let  him  come  to  me,  the  Mes- 
siah, and  he  shall  find  an  ever-abun- 
dant supply  for  all  the  wants  of  his 
soul. 

38.  ITe  that  believeth  on  me.  He  that 
acknowledges  me  as  the  Messiah,  and 
trusts  in  me  for  salvation.  *[]  As  the 
Scripture  hath  said.  This  is  a  diflacult 
expression,  from  the  fact  that  no  such 
expression  as  follows  is  to  be  found 
literally  in  the  Old  Testament.  Some 
have  proposed  to  connect  it  with  what 
precedes — "He  that  believeth  on  me, 
as  the  Old  Testament  has  commanded 
or  required" — but  to  this  there  are 
many  objections.  The  natural  and  ob- 
vious meaning  here  is,  doubtless,  the 
true  one ;  and  Jesus  probably  intend- 
ed to  say,  not  that  there  was  any  par- 
ticular place  in  the  Old  Testament  that 
affirmed  this  in  so  many  words,  but 
that  this  was  the  substance  of  what  the 
Scriptures  taught,  or  this  was  the 
spirit  of  their  declarations.  Hence  the 
iSyriac  translates  it  in  the  plural — the 
Scriptures.  Probably  there  is  a  refer- 
ence more  particularly  to  Isaiah  Iviii. 
11,  than  to  any  other  single  passage : 
"Thou  slialt  be  like  a  watered  gar- 
den, and  like  a  spring  of  water  whose 
waters  fail  not."  See  also  Isa.  xliv. 
3,  4.  Joel  iii.  18.  *[\  Out  of  his  belly. 
Out  of  his  midst,  or  out  of  his  heart. 
The  word  belly  is  often  put  for  the 
midst  of  a  thing,  the  centre,  and  the 


39  But  this  he  spake  of  the  ^ 
Spirit,  which  they  that  believe 
on  him  should  receive ;  for  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given^  be- 

6  Isa.  44. 3.  Joel  2.  28.  c.  16.7.  Acts  2.17,33. 

heart.  Matt.  xii.  40*.  It  means  here 
that  from  the  man  shall  flow ;  that  is, 
his  piety  shall  be  of  such  a  nature 
that  it  will  extend  its  blessings  to 
others.  It  shall  be  like  a  running 
fountain — perhaps  in  allusion  to  stat- 
ues or  ornamented  reservoirs  in  gar- 
dens, in  which  pipes  were  placed  from 
which  water  was  continually  flowing. 
The  Jews  used  the  same  figure :  "  His 
two  reins  are  like  fountains  of  water, 
from  which  the  law  flows."  And 
again:  "When  a  man  turns  himself 
to  the  Lord,  he  shall  be  as  a  fountain 
filled  with  living  water,  and  his  streams 
shall  flow  to  all  the  nations  and  tribes 
of  men." — Kuinoel.  H  Mivers.  This 
word  is  used  to  express  abunda^ice^  or 
a  full  supply.  It  means  here  that 
those  who  are  Christians  shall  diff'use 
large,  and  liberal,  and  constant  bless- 
ings on  their  fellow-men ;  or,  as  Je- 
sus immediately  explains  it,  that  they 
shall  be  the  i7istruments  by  which  the 
Holy  Spirit  shall  be  poured  down  on 
the  world.  ^  Living  loater.  Fount- 
ains, ever-flowing  streams.  That  is, 
the  Gospel  shall  be  constant  and  life- 
giving  in  its  blessings.  We  learn  here, 
1st.  That  it  is  the  nature  of  Christian 
piety  to  be  diffusive.  2d.  That  no  man 
can  believe  on  Jesus  who  does  not  de- 
sire that  others  should  also,  and  who 
will  not  seek  it.  3d.  That  the  desire 
is  large  and  liberal — that  the  Christian 
desires  the  salvation  of  all  the  world. 
4th.  That  faith  of  the  believer  is  to 
be  connected  with  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  m  that  way  Christians 
are  to  be  like  rivers  of  living  water. 

39.  Of  the  Spirit.  Of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
that  should  be  sent  down  to  attend 
their  preaching  and  to  convert  sin- 
ners. JP^or  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not 
yet  given.  Was  not  given  in  such  full 
and  large  measures  as  should  be  after 
Jesus  had  ascended  to  heaven.  Cer- 
tain measures  of  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit  had  been  always  given  in  the 
conversion  and  sanctiflcation  of  the 
ancient  saints  and  prophets;  but  that 
abundafd  and  full  clfusion  which  the 
apostles  were  permitted  afterward  to 
behold  had  not  yet  been  given.  See 
Acts  ii. ;  x.  44,,45.    ^  Jesus  was  not  yd 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 


287 


cause  that  Jesus  was  not  yet  glo- 
rified. 

40  Many  of  the  people,  therefore, 
when  they  heard  this  saying,  said, 
Of  a  truth  this  is  the  Prophet.« 

41  Others  said.  This  is  the  ^ 
Christ.  But  some  said.  Shall  ^ 
Christ  come  out  of  Galilee  ? 

42  Hath  not  the  scripture  said, 
That  Christ  ^  cometh  of  the  seed 
of  David,  and  out  of  the  town  of 
Bethlehem,  ^  where  David  f  was  ? 

43  So  there  was  a  division  among 
the  people  because  of  him. 

'  a  Deut.  18. 15,18.  c.  6. 14.  6  c.  4.  42  ;  6.  69. 

c  c.  1.46;  ver.  52.  Psa.  132. 11.   Jer.  23.  5. 

glorified.  Jesus  had  not  yet  ascended 
to  heaven — to  the  glory  and  honor 
that  awaited  him  there.  It  was  a  part 
of  the  arrangement  in  the  work  of  re- 
demption that  the  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  should  descend  chiefly 
after  the  death  of  Jesus,  as  that  death 
was  the  procuring  cause  of  this  great 
blessing.  Hence  he  said  (John  xvi.  7), 
"It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go 
away ;  for  if  I  go  not  away  the  Com- 
forter will  not  come  unto  you ;  but  if 
I  depart  I  will  send  him  unto  you." 
See  also  verses  8-12,  and  chap.  xiv.  15, 
16,  26.   Compare  Eph.  iv.  8,  9, 10, 11. 

40.  The  Prophet.  That  is,  the  Proph- 
et whom  they  expected  to  precede  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah — either  Elijah 
or  Jeremiah.    See  Matt.  xvi.  14. 

41,  42.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii.  4-6. 
T[  Where  David  was.  1  Sam.  xvi.  1-4. 

45,  46.  The  officers.  Those  who  had 
been  appointed  (verse  32)  to  take  him. 
It  seems  that  Jesus  was  in  the  midst 
of  the  people  addressing  them,  and 
that  they  happened  to  come  at  the 
very  time  when  he  was  speaking. 
They  were  so  impressed  and  awed 
with  what  he  said  that  thc}^  dared 
not  take  him.  There  have  been  few 
instances  of  eloquence  like  this.  His 
speaking  had  so  much  evidence  of 
truth,  so  much  proof  that  he  was  from 
God,  and  was  so  impressive  and  per- 
suasive, that  they  were  convinced  of 
his  innocence,  and  they  dared  not 
touch  him  to  execute  their  commis- 
sion. We  have  here,  1st.  A  remarka- 
ble testimony  to  the  commanding 
eloquence  of  Jesus.  2d.  Wicked  men 
may  be  awed  and  restrained  by  the 
presence  of  a  good  man,  and  by  the 
evidence  that  he  speaks  that  which  is 


44  And  some  of  them  would  have 
taken  him,  but  no  man  laid  hands 
on  him. 

45  Then  came  the  officers  to  the 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees  ;  and 
they  said  unto  them.  Why  have 
ye  not  brought  him  ? 

46  The  olScers  answered,  Never 
9  man  spake  like  this  man. 

47  Then  answered  them  the  Phar- 
isees, Are  ye  also  deceived  ? 

48  Have  any  of  the  rulers  ^  or 
of  the  Pharisees  believed  on 
him? 

eMic.5.2.  Lu.2.4.  /  1  Sam.  16. 1,  5. 

^Lu.4.22.  A  Jer.  5.4,5.  c.  12.42.   1  Cor.  1.26. 

true.  3d.  God  can  i^reserve  his  friends. 
Here  were  men  sent  for  a  particular 
purpose.  They  were  armed  with  pow- 
er. They  were  commissioned  by  the 
highest  authority  of  the  nation.  On 
the  other  hand,  Jesus  w^as  without 
arms  or  armies,  and  without  exter- 
nal protection.  Yet,  in  a  manner 
which  the  ofl[icers  and  the  high-priests 
would  have  little  expected,  he  was 
preserved.  So,  in  ways  which  we  lit- 
tle expect,  God  will  defend  and  deliv- 
er us  when  in  the  midst  of  danger. 
4th.  No  prophet,  apostle,  or  minister 
has  ever  spoken  the  truth  with  as 
much  power,  grace,  and  beauty  as  Je- 
sus. It  should  be  ours^  therefore,  to 
listen  to  his  words,  and  to  sit  at  his 
feet  and  learn  heavenly  wisdom. 

47.  Are  ye  also  deceived?  They  set 
down  the  claims  of  Jesus  as  of  course 
an  imposture.  They  did  not  examine, 
but  were,  like  thousands,  determined 
to  believe  that  he  was  a  deceiver. 
Hence  they  did  not  ask  them  whether 
they  were  convinced^  or  had  seen  evi- 
dence that  he  was  the  Messiah ;  but, 
with  mingled,  contempt,  envy,  and  an- 
ger, they  asked  if  they  were  also  de- 
luded. Thus  many  assume  religion  to 
be  an  imposture;  and  when  one  be- 
comes a  Christian,  they  assume  at  once 
that  he  is  deceived,  that  he  is  the  vic- 
tim of  foolish  credulity  or  supersti- 
tion, and  treat  him  with  ridicule  or 
scorn.  Candor  would  require  them 
to  inquire  whether  such  changes  were 
not  proof  of  the  power  and  truth  of  the 
Gospel,  as  candor  in  the  case  of  the 
rulers  required  them  to  inquire  wheth- 
er J esus  had  not  given  them  evidence 
that  he  was  from  God. 

48.  The  rulers.    The  members  of 


288 


[A.D.  32. 


49  But  this  people,  wlio  knowetli 
not  the  law,  are  cursed. 

50  Nicodemus  saith  unto  them 

a  c.  3.  2.  1  to  him. 


the  Sanhedrim,  who  were  supposed  to 
have  control  over  the  religious  rites 
and  doctrines  o-f  the  nation.  ^  The 
Pharisees.  The  sect  possessing  wealtli, 
and  office,  and  power.  Tlie  name 
Pharisees  sometimes  denotes  tliose 
wlio  were  high  in  honor  and  authori- 
ty. H  Believed  07i  him.  Is  there  any 
instance  in  wliicli  tliose  who  are  high 
in  rank  or  in  office  have  embraced 
him  as  tlie  Messiali?  This  shows  the 
rule  by  which  t?iey  judged  of  religion. 
1st.  They  claimed  the  right  of  regu- 
lating the  doctrines  and  rites  of  relig- 
ion. 2d.  Tliey  repressed  the  liberty 
of  private  judgment,  stifled  investi- 
gation, assumed  that  a  new  doctrine 
must  be  heresy,  and  labored  to  keep 
the  people  in  inglorious  bondage.  3d. 
The}^  treated  the  new  doctrine  of  Je- 
sus with  contempt.^  and  thus  attempted 
to  put  it  down,  not  b}^  argument,  but 
by  contempt.^  and  especially  because  it 
was  embraced  by  the  common  people. 
This  is  the  way  in  which  doctrines 
contrary  to  the  truth  of  God  have 
been  uniformly  supported  in  the 
world;  this  is  the  way  in  which  new 
views  of  truth  are  met ;  and  this  the 
way  in  which  those  in  ecclesiastical 
power  often  attempt  to  lord  it  over 
God^s  heritage,  and  to  repress  the  in- 
vestigation of  the  Bible. 

49.  This  people.  The  word  here  trans- 
lated people  is  the  one  commonly  ren- 
dered the  multitude.  It  is  a  word  ex- 
pressive of  contempt,  or,  as  we  would 
say,  the  rabble.  It  denotes  the  scorn 
which  they  felt  that  tlie  people  should 
presume  to  judge  for  themselves  in  a 
case  pertaining  to  their  own  salvation. 
^  Who  knoweth  not  the  law.  Who  have 
not  been  instructed  in  the  schools  of 
the  Pharisees,  and  been  taught  to  in- 
terpret the  Old  Testament  as  they  had. 
They  supposed  that  any  who  believed 
on  the  humble  and  despised  Jesus 
must  be,  of  course^  ignorant  of  the 
true  doctrines  of  the  Old  Testament, 
as  they  held  that  a  very  differ e7it  Mes- 
siah from  him  was  foretold.  Many  in- 
stances are  preserved  in  the  writings 
of  the  Jews  of  the  great  contempt  in 
which  the  Pharisees  lield  tlie  common 
people.  It  may  here  be  remarked 
that  Christianity  is  the  only  system 
of  religion  ever  presented  to  man  that 


(*  he  that  came  ^  to  Jesus  by  night, 
being  one  of  them), 
51  Doth  ^  our  law  judge  any  man 

b  Deut.  17.  8.    Prov.  18.  13. 


in  a  proper  manner  regards  the  poor, 
the  ignorant,  and  the  need5\  Philoso- 
phers and  Pharisees,  in  all  ages,  have 
looked  on  them  with  contempt.  TI  Are 
cursed.  Are  execrable;  are  of  no  ac- 
count ;  are  worthy  only  of  contempt 
and  perdition.  Some  suppose  that 
there  is  reference  here  to  their  being 
worthy  to  be  cut  off  from  the  peoiDlc 
for  believing  on  him,  or  worthy  to  be 
put  out  of  the  synagogue  (see  chap, 
ix.  22) ;  but  it  seems  to  be  an  expres- 
sion only  of  contempt ;  a  declaration 
that  they  were  a  rabble,  ignorant,  un- 
worthy of  notice,  and  going  to  ruin. 
Observe,  however,  1st.  That  of  this 
despised  people  were  chosen  most  of 
those  who  became  Christians.  2d. 
That  if  the  people  were  ignorant,  it 
was  the  fault  of  the  Pharisees  and  rul- 
ers. It  was  their  business  to  see  that 
they  were  taught.  3d.  There  is  no 
way  so  common  of  attempting  to  op- 
pose Christianity  as  by  ridiculing  its 
friends  as  poor,  and  ignorant,  and 
weak,  and  credulous.  As  well  might 
food,  and  raiment,  and  friendship,  and 
patriotism  be  held  in  contempt  be- 
cause the  poor  need  the  one  or  pos- 
sess the  other. 

50.  Nicodemus.  See  ch.  iii.  1.  ^  One 
of  them.  That  is,  one  of  the  great 
council  or  Sanhedrim.  God  often 
places  one  or  more  pious  men  in  leg- 
islative assemblies  to  vindicate  his 
honor  and  his  law  ;  and  he  often  gives 
a  man  grace  on  such  occasions  boldly 
to  defend  his  cause ;  to  put  men  iq^ou 
their  proof  and  to  confound  the  proud 
and  the  domineering.  We  see  in  this 
case,  also,  that  a  man,  at  one  time 
timid  and  fearful  (comp.  chap.  iii.  1), 
may  on  other  occasions  be  bold,  and 
fearlessly  defend  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus.  This  example  should  lead  ev- 
ery man  intrusted  with  authority  or 
office  fearlessly  to  defend  the  trutli 
of  God,  and,  when  the  rich  and  the 
mighty  are  pouring  contempt  on  Je- 
sus and  his  cause,  to  stand  forth  as 
its  fearless  defender. 

51.  Both  our  law^  etc.  The  law  yq- 
qwiYQ.^  justice  to  be  done,  and  gave  ev- 
ery man  the  right  to  claim  a  "fair  and 
impartial  trial.  Lev.  xix.  15, 16.  Exod. 
xxiii.  1,  2.  Deut.  xix.  15, 18.  Their 
condemnation  of  Jesus  was  a  viola- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


289 


before  it  hearlnim,  and  know  what 
he  doeth  ? 

52  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Art  thou  also  of  Galilee  ? 
Search  and  look ;  for  out  of  Gali- 
lee *  ariseth  no  prophet. 

53  And  every  man  went  unto  his 
own  house. 

CENTER  YIII. 

JESUS  went  unto  the  Mount  of 
Olives. 

2  And  early  in  the  morning  he 
came  again  into  the  temple,  and 

a  Isa.  9. 1,2. 

tion  of  every  rule  of  right.  He  was 
not  arraigned ;  he  was  not  heard  in 
self-defence,  and  not  a  single  witness 
was  adduced.  Nicodemus  demanded 
that  jtistice  should  be  done,  and  that 
he  should  not  be  condemned  until  he 
had  had  a  fair  trial.  Every  man  should 
be  presumed  to  be  innocent  until  he  is 
proved  to  be  guilty.  This  is  a  maxim 
of  law,  and  a  most  just  and  proper  pre- 
cept in  our  judgments  in  private  life. 

53.  A7^t  thou  also  of  Galilee^  Here 
is  another  expression  of  contempt. 
To  be  a  Galilean  was  a  term  of  the 
highest  reproach.  Th^y  knew  well 
that  he  was  not  of  Galilee,,  but  they 
meant  to  ask  whether  he  also  had  be- 
come a  follower  of  the  despised  Gali- 
lean. Ridicule  is  not  argument,  and 
there  is  no  demonstration  in  a  jibe ; 
but,  unhappily,  this  is  the  only  weajD- 
on  whicli  the  proud  and  haughty  oft- 
en use  in  opposing  religion.  Ariseth 
no  prophet.  That  is,  tliere  is  no  pre- 
diction that  any  prophet  should  come 
out  of  Galilee,  and  especially  no  proph- 
et that  was  to  attend  or  precede  the 
Messiah.  Compare  John  i.  46.  The}^ 
assumed,  therefore,  that  Jesus  could 
not  be  tlie  Christ. 

53.  And  every  man  went  unto  his  own 
house.  There  is  every  mark  of  confu- 
sion and  disorder  in  this  breaking  up 
of  the  Sanhedrim.  It  is  possible  tiiat 
some  of  the  Sadducees  might  have 
joined  Nicodemus  in  opposing  the 
Pharisees,  and  tlius  increased  the  dis- 
order. It  is  a  most  instructive  and 
melancholy  exhibition  of  the  influ- 
ence of  pride,  envy,  contempt,  and 
anger,  when  brought  to  bear  on  an 
inquiry,  and  when  they  are  manifest- 
ly opposed  to  candor,  to  argument, 
IL— N 


all  the  people  came  unto  him ;  and 
he  sat  down  and  tatight  them. 

3  And  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
brought  unto  him  a  woman  taken 
in  adultery ;  and  when  they  had 
set  her  in  the  midst, 

4  They  say  unto  him,  Master, 
this  woman  was  taken  in  adul- 
tery, in  the  very  act. 

5  Now  *  Moses  in  the  law  com- 
manded us  that  such  should  be 
stoned ;  but  what  sayest  thou  ?  * 

6  This  they  said,  tempting  him, 
that  they  might  have  to  accuse 

h  Lev. 20. 10. 


and  to  truth.  So  wild  and  furious  are 
the  passions  of  men  when  they  oppose 
the  person  and  claims  of  the  Son  of 
God !  It  is  remarkable,  too,  how  God 
accomplishes  his  purposes.  They 
wished  to  destroy  Jesus.  God  suffer- 
ed their  passions  to  be  excited,  a  tu- 
mult to  ensue,  the  assembly  thus  to 
break  up  in  disorder,  and  Jesus  to  be 
safe,  for  his  time  had  not  yet  come. 
"The  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee; 
the  remainder  of  wrath  shalt  thou  re- 
strain."  Psalm  Ixxvi.  10. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

1.  Mount  of  Olives.  The  mountain 
about  a  mile  directly  east  of  Jerusa- 
lem. See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1.  This 
was  the  place  in  which  he  probably 
often  passed  the  night  when  attend- 
ing the  feasts  at  Jerusalem.  The  Gar- 
den of  Gethsemane,  to  which  he  was 
accustomed  to  resort  (chap,  xviii.  2), 
was  on  the  western  side  of  that  mount- 
ain, and  Bethany,  the  abode  of  Martha 
and  Mary,  on  its  east  side.  Chap.  xi.  1. 

5.  Moses  in  the  law^  etc.  The  pun- 
ishment of  adultery  commanded  by 
Moses  was  death.  Lev.  xx.  10.  Deut. 
xxii.  22.  The  particular  manner  of 
the  death  was  not  specified  in  the 
law.  The  Jews  had  themselves,  in 
the  time  of  Christ,  determined  that 
it  should  be  by  stoning.  See  this  de- 
scribed in  the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  35, 
44.  The  punishment  for  adultery  va- 
ried. In  some  cases  it  was  strangling. 
In  the  time  of  Ezekiel  (chap.  xvi.  38- 
40)  it  was  stoning  and  being  thrust 
through  with  a  sword.  If  the  adul- 
teress was  the  daughter  of  a  priest, 
the  punishment  was  being  burned  to 
death. 


290 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


him.  But  Jesus  stooped  down, 
and  with  his  finger  wrote  on  the 
ground,  as  though  he  heard  them 
not. 

7  So  when  they  continued  ask- 
ing him,  he  lifted  up  himself,  and 
said  unto  them,  He  that  is  with- 
out sin  among  you, let  him  first 
cast  a  stone  at  her. 

a  Deut.  17.7.    Rom.  2. 1,22. 

•  6.  Temptmg  him.  Trying  him,  or 
laying  a  plan  that  they  might  have 
occasion  to  accuse  him.  If  he  decided 
the  case,  they  expected  to  be  able  to 
bring  an  accusation  against  him ;  for 
if  he  decided  that  she  ought  to  die, 
they  miglit  accuse  him  of  claiming 
power  wliich  belonged  to  the  Romans 
— tlie  power  of  life  and  death.  Tliey 
might  allege  that  it  was  not  the  giv- 
ing an  opinion  about  an  abstract  case, 
but  that  she  was  formally  before  him, 
that  he  decided  her  ca^se  judicially^  and 
that  without  authorit}^  or  form  of 
trial.  If  he  decided  otherwise,  they 
would  have  alleged  tliat  he  denied  tlie 
authority  of  the  law,  and  that  it  was 
his  intention  to  abrogate  it.  They 
had  had  a  controversy  with  him  about 
the  authority  of  the  Sabbath,  and  they 
perliaps  supposed  that  lie  would  de- 
cide this  case  as  he  did  that — against 
them.  It  may  be  farther  added  that 
they  knew  that  Jesus  admitted  pub- 
licans and  sinners  to  eat  with  him ; 
that  one  of  their  charges  was  that  he 
was  friendly  to  sinners  (see  Luke  xv. 
2);  and  they  wished,  doubtless,  to 
make  it  appear  that  he  was  glutton- 
ous^ and  a  wine-hibher^  and  a  friejid  of 
sirmers^  and  disposed  to  relax  all  the 
laws  of  morality,  even  in  the  case  of 
adultery.  Seldom  was  there  a  plan 
more  artfully  laid,  and  neve?'  was  more 
wisdom  and  knowledge  (3f  human  na- 
ture displayed  than  in  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  met.  ^  Wrote  on  the 
ground.  This  took  place  in  the  Tem- 
ple. The  "ground,"  here,  means  the 
pavement^  or  the  dust  on  the  pave- 
ment. By  this  Jesus  showed  them 
clearly  that  he  was  not  solicitous  to 
pronounce  an  opinion  in  the  case,  and 
that  it  was  not  his  wish  or  intention 
to  intermeddle  with  the  civil  affairs 
of  the  nation.  T[  As  though  he  heard 
them.  oiot.  This  is  added  by  the  trans- 
lators. It  is  not  in  the  original,  and 
should  not  have  been  added.    There  j 


8  And  again  he  stooped  down 
and  wrote  on  the  ground. 

9  And  they  which  heard  it^  be- 
ing convicted  by  their  own  con- 
science, went  out  one  by  one,  be- 
ginning at  the  eldest,  even  unto 
the  last ;  and  Jesus  was  left  alone, 
and  the  woman  standing  in  the 
midst. 


is  no  intimation  in  the  original,  as  it 
seems  to  be  implied  by  this  addition 
that  the  object  was  to  convey  the  im- 
pression that  he  did  not  hear  them. 
What  was  his  object  is  unknown,  and 
conjecture  is  useless.  The  most  prob- 
able reason  seems  to  be  that  he  did 
not  wish  to  intermeddle ;  that  he  de- 
signed to  show  no  solicitude  to  de- 
cide the  case ;  and  that  he  did  not 
mean  to  decide  it  unless  he  was  con- 
strained  to. 

7.  They  continued  asking  him.  They 
pressed  the  question  upon  him.  They 
were  determined  to  extort  an  answer 
from  him,  and  showed  a  perseverance 
in  evil  which  has  been  unhappily  oft- 
en imitated.  1[  Is  without  si7i.  That 
is,  without  this  particular  sin ;  he  who 
has  not  himself  been  guilty  of  this 
very  crime — fflr  in  this  place  the  con- 
nection evidently  demands  this  mean- 
ing. ^  Let  him  first  cast  a  stone  at  her. 
In  the  punishment  by  death,  one  of 
the  witnesses  threw  the  culprit  from 
the  scaffold,  and  the  other  threw  the 
first  stone,  or  rolled  down  a  stone  to 
crush  him.  See  Deut.  xvii.  6,  7.  This 
was  in  order  that  the  witness  might 
feel  his  responsibility  in  giving  evi- 
dence, as  he  was  also  to  be  the  execu- 
tioner. Jesus  therefore  put  them  to 
the  test.  Without  pronouncing  on 
her  case,  he  directed  them,  if  any  of 
them  were  innocent,  to  perform  the 
ofiice  of  executioner.  This  was  said, 
evidently,  well  knowing  their  guilt, 
and  well  knowing  that  no  one  would 
dare  to  do  it. 

9.  Beginni7ig  at  the  eldest.  As  being 
conscious  of  more  sins,  and,  therefore, 
being  desirous  to  leave  the  Lord  Je- 
sus. The  word  eldest  here  probably 
refers  not  to  age.,  but  to  honor — from 
those  who  were  in  highest  reputation 
to  the  lowest  in  rank.  This  conscious- 
ness of  crime  showed  that  the  state 
of  the  public  morals  was  exceedingly 
corrupt,  and  justified  the  declaration 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


291 


10  When  Jesus  had  lifted  up 
himself,  and  saw  none  but  the 
woman,  he  said  unto  her.  Woman, 
where  are  those  thine  accusers? 
Hath  no  man  condemned  thee  ? 

11  She  said,  No  man.  Lord.  And 
Jesus  said  unto  her.  Neither  do  I 
condemn  "  thee  ;  go,  and  *  sin  no 
more. 

12  Then  spake  Jesus  again  unto 

ac.3. 17.  6  c.  5. 14. 


of  Jesus  that  it  was  an  adulterous  and 
toicked  generatio7i.  Matt.  xvi.  4.  %  Alone. 
Jesus  only  was  left  with  the  woman, 
etc.  1  In  the  midst.  Her  accusers  had 
gone  out,  and  left  Jesus  and  the  wom- 
an ;  but  it  is  by  no  means  probable 
that  the  people  had  left  them ;  and,  as 
this  was  in  the  Temple  on  a  i^ublic  oc- 
casion, they  were  doubtless  surround- 
ed still  by  many.  This  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  Jesus  immediate- 
ly (verse  12)  addressed  a  discourse  to 
the  people  present. 

10.  Hath  no  man  condemned  thee? 
Jesus  had  directed  them,  if  innocent, 
to  cast  a  stone,  thus  to  cotidemn  her^ 
or  to  use  the  power  which  he  gave 
them  to  condemn  her.  No  one  of 
them  had  done  that.  They  had  ac- 
cused her,  but  they  had  not  proceed- 
ed to  the  act  expressive  of  judicial 
co7idemnation. 

11.  Neither  do  I  condemn  thee.  This 
is  evidently  to  be  taken  in  the  sense 
of  judicial  condemnation,  or  of  pass- 
ing sentence  as  a  magistrate^  for  this 
was  what  they  had  arraigned  her  for. 
It  was  not  to  obtain  his  opi7iion  about 
adultery,  but  to  obtain  the  condemna- 
tion of  the  woman.  As  he  claimed  no 
civil  authority,  he  said  that  he  did  not 
exercise  it,  and  should  not  condemn 
her  to  die.  In  this  sense  the  word  is 
used  in  the  previous  verse,  and  this  is 
the  only  sense  which  the  passage  de- 
mands. Besides,  what  follows  shows 
that  this  was  his  meaning,  t  Go,  and 
sin  no  more.  You  have  sinned.  You 
have  been  detected  and  accused.  The 
sin  is  great.  But  I  do  not  claim  pow- 
er to  condemn  yow  to  die,  and,  as 
your  accusers  have  left  you,  my  direc- 
tion to  you  is  that  you  sin  no  more. 
This  passage  therefore  teaches  us,  1st. 
That  Jesus  claimed  no  civil  authority. 
2d.  That  he  regarded  the  action  of 
which  they  accused  her  as  sin.  3d. 
That  he  knew  the  hearts  and  lives  of 


them,  saying,  I  am  the  light  of 
the  world.  He  that  ^  foUoweth 
me  shall  not  walk  in  darkness, 
but  shall  have  the  light  of  life. 

13  The  Pharisees  therefore  said 
unto  him,  Thou  ^  bearest  record  of 
thyself ;  thy  record  is  not  true. 

14  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
them.  Though  I  bear  record  of  my- 
self, yet  my  record  is  true;  for  I 

cel.  4;  9.5.  c.  12.35,46.  ec.5.31. 


men.  4th.  That  men  are  often  very 
zealous  in  accusing  others  of  that  of 
which  they  themselves  are  guilty. 
And,  5th.  That  Jesus  was  endowed 
witli  wonderful  wisdom  in  meeting 
the  devices  of  his  enemies,  and  elud- 
ing their  deep-laid  plans  to  involve  % 
him  in  ruin. 

It  should  be  added  that  this  pas- 
sage, together  with  the  last  verse  of 
the  preceding  chapter,  has  been  by 
many  critics  thought  to  be  spurious. 
It  is  wanting  in  many  of  the  ancient 
manuscripts  and  versions,  and  has 
been  rejected  by  Erasmus,  Calvin, 
Beza,  Grotius,  Wetstein,  Tittman, 
Knapp,  and  many  others.  It  is  not 
easy  to  decide  the  question  whether 
it  be  a  genuine  part  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament or  not.  Some  have  supposed 
that  it  was  not  ivritten  by  tlie  evangel- 
ists, but  was  often  related  by  them, 
and  that  after  a  time  it  was  recorded 
and  introduced  by  Papias  into  the 
sacred  text. 

12.  /  am  the  light  of  the  world.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  i.  4, 9. 

13.  Thou-hearest  record  of  thyself. 
Thou  art  a  witness  for  thyself,  or  in 
i\iy  own  case.  See  chap.  v.  31.  The 
law  required  two  witnesses  in  a  crim- 
inal case,  and  they  alleged  that  as  the 
only  evidence  which  Jesus  had  was 
his  own  assertion,  it  could  not  be  en- 
titled to  belief.  i[  Is  not  true.  Is  not 
worthy  of  belief,  or  is  not  substanti- 
ated by  sufficient  evidence. 

14.  Jesus  answered,  etc.  To  this  ob- 
jection Jesus  replied  by  saying,  first, 
that  the  case  was  such  that  his  testi- 
mony alone  ought  to  be  received ;  and, 
secondly,  that  he  had  the  evidence 
given  him  by  his  Father.  Though,  in 
common  life,  in  courts,  and  in  mere 
human  transactions,  it  was  true  that 
a  man  ought  not  to  give  evidence  in 
his  own  case,  yet  in  this  instance, 
such  was  the  nature  of  the  case  that 


292 


JOHK 


[A.D.  32. 


know  whence  I  came,  and  wliither 
I  go ;  but  *  ye  can  not  tell  whence 
I  come,  and  whither  I  go. 

15  Ye  judge  after  the  flesh; 
jucl^e  no  man. 

16  And  yet,  if  I  judge,  my  judg- 

ffl  c.  7.  28;  9.29,30. 
b  c.  3. 17;  12.47. 


his  word  was  worthy  to  be  believed. 
U  My  record.  My  evidence,  my  testi- 
mony, t  Is  true.  Is  worthy  to  be  be- 
lieved. U  For  I  knoio  whence  I  came — 
hut  etc.  I  know  by  what  authori- 
ty I  act ;  I  know  by  wliom  I  am  sent, 
and  what  commands  were  given  me; 
but  you  can  not  determine  this,  for 
you  do  not  know  these  unless  /  bear 
witness  of  them  to  you.  We  are  to 
remember  that  Jesus  came  not  of 
himself  (chai).  vi.  38) ;  that  he  came 
not  to  do  his  own  will,  but  the  will 
of  his  Father.  He  came  as  a  witness 
of  those  things  which  he  had  seen 
and  known  (chap.  iii.  11),  and  no  man 
could  judge  of  those  things,  for  no  man 
had  seen  them.  As  he  came  from 
heaven;  as  he  knew  his  Father's  will; 
as  he  had  seen  the  eternal  world,  and 
known  the  counsels  of  his  Father,  so 
his  testimon}^  was  worthy  of  confi- 
dence. As  they  had  not  seen  and 
known  these  things,  they  were  not 
qualified  to  judge.  An  ambassador 
from  a  foreign  court  knows  the  will 
and  purposes  of  the  sovereign  who 
sent  him,  and  is  competent  to  bear 
witness  of  it.  The  court  to  which 
he  is  sent  has  no  way  of  judging  but 
by  his  testimony,  and  he  is  therefore 
competent  to  testify  in  the  case.  All 
that  can  be  demanded  is  that  he  give 
his  credentials  that  he  is  appointed, 
and  this  Jesus  had  done  both  by  the 
nature  of  his  doctrine  and  his  miracles. 

15.  After  the  Jlesh.  According  to  ap- 
pearance ;  according  to  your  carnal 
and  corrupt  mode ;  not  according  to 
the  spiritual  nature  of  the  doctrines. 
By  your  preconceived  opinions  and 
prejudices  you  are  determined  not  to 
believe  that  I  am  the  Messiah.  1[  / 
judge  no  man.  Jesus  came  not  to 
condemn  the  world.  Ch.  iii.  17.  They 
were  in  the  habit  of  judging  rashly 
and  harshly  of  all ;  but  this  was  not 
tlic  ])ur])()sc  or  disposition  of  the  Sa- 
vioui-.  This  expression  is  to  be  un- 
derstood :is  niciniing  tliat  he  judged 
no  one  after  their  manner ;  he  did  not 
come  to  censure  and  condemn  men 


ment  is  true ;  for  ^  I  am  not  alone, 
but  I  and  the  Father  that  sent  me. 

17  It  is  also  written « in  your  law 
that  the  testimony  of  two  men  is 
true. 

18  I  am  one  that  bear  witness  of 

c  1  Sam.  16.  7.   Psa.  45.  6,  7  ;  72.  2. 

rfver.  29.  c.  16.  32.  e  Deut.  17.  6  ;  19. 15. 


after  the  appearance,  or  in  a  harsh,  bi- 
ased, and  unkind  manner. 

16.  Ayid  yet,  if  I  judge.  If  I  should 
express  my  judgment  of  men  or  things. 
He  was  not  limited,  nor  forbidden  to 
do  it,  nor  restrained  by  any  fear  that 
liis  judgment  would  be  erroneous. 
II  My  judgment  is  true.  Is  worthy  to 
be  regarded.  1  For  I  am  not  alone. 
I  concur  with  the  Father  who  hath 
sent  me.  His  judgment  you  admit 
would  be  right,  and  my  judgment 
would  accord'with  his.  He  was  com- 
missioned by  his  Father,  and  his  judg- 
ment would  coincide  with  all  that 
God  had  purposed  or  revealed.  This 
was  shown  by  the  evidence  that  God 
gave  that  he  had  sent  him  into  the 
world. 

17.  In  your  law.  Deut.  xvii.  6 ;  xix. 
15.  Compare  Matt,  xviii.  16.  This  re- 
lated to  cases  in  which  the  life  of  an 
individual  was  involved.  Jesus  says 
that  if,  in  such  a  case,  the  testimony 
of  two  men  were  suflftcient  to  establish 
a  fact,  his  own  testimony  and  that  of 
his  Father  ought  to  be  esteemed  am- 
ple evidence  in  the  case  of  religious 
doctrine.  H  Tico  men.  If  two  me7i 
could  confirm  a  case,  the  evidence  of 
Jesus  and  of  God  ought  not  to  be 
deemed  insuflScient.  If  Is  true.  In 
Deuteronomy,  established.''^  This 
means  the  same  thing.  It  is  confirm- 
ed ;  is  worthy  of  belief. 

18.  /  am  one  that  bear  witness  of  my- 
self In  human  courts  a  man  is  not 
allowed  to  bear  witness  of  himself, 
because  he  has  a  personal  interest  in 
the  case,  and  the  court  could  have  no 
proof  of  the  impartiality  of  the  evi- 
dence ;  but  in  the  case  of  Jesus  it 
was  otherwise.  When  one  has  no 
party  ends  to  serve ;  when  he  is  will- 
ing to  deny  himself;  when  he  makes 
great  sacrifices ;  and  when,  by  his  life, 
he  gives  every  evidence  of  sincerity, 
his  own  testimony  may  be  admitted 
in  evidence  of  his  motives  and  de- 
signs. This  was  tlie  case  with  Jesus 
and  his  apostles.  And  though  in  a 
legal  or  criminal  case  sucli  testimony 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


293 


myself,  and  the  Father  «  that  sent 
me  beareth  witness  of  me. 

19  Then  said  they  unto  him, 
Where  is  thy  Father  ?  Jesus  an- 
swered. Ye  ^  neither  know  me,  nor 
my  Father.  If*'  ye  had  known  me 
ye  should  have  known  my  Father 
also. 

20  These  words  spake  Jesus  in 
the  treasury,  ^  as  he  taught  in  the 

a  c.  5.37.  &ver.  55.  c.  16.  3  ;  17.  25. 

cc.  14. 10.  Mar.  12.41. 


would  not  be  admitted,  yet,  in  an  ar- 
gument on  moral  subjects,  about  the 
will  and  purpose  of  him  who  sent 
him,  it  would  not  be  right  to  reject 
the  testimony  of  one  who  gave  so 
many  proofs  that  he  came  from  God. 
^  The  Father — heareth  witness  of  me. 
By  the  voice  from  heaven  at  his  baj)- 
tism  (Matt.  iii.  17),  and  by  the  mira- 
cles which  Jesus  wrought,  as  well  as 
by  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. We  may  here  remark,  1st.  That 
there  is  a  distinction  between  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son.  They  are  both  rep- 
resented as  bearing  testimony;  yet, 
2d.  They  are  not  divided.  They  are 
not  different  beings.  They  bear  tes- 
timony to  the  same  thing,  and  are 
one  in  counsel,  in  plan,  in  essence, 
and  in  glory. 

19.  Where  is  thy  Father^  This  ques- 
tion was  asked,  doubtless,  in  derision. 
Jesus  had  often  given  them  to  under- 
stand that  by  his  Father  he  meant 
God.  Chap,  v.,  vi.  They  pj^ofessecl  to 
be  ignorant  of  this,  and  probably 
looked  round  in  contempt  for  his  Fa- 
ther, that  he  might  adduce  him  as  a 
witness  in  the  case.  ^  Jf  ye  had  k^iown 
me,  etc.  If  you  had  listened  to  my 
instructions,  and  had  received  me  as 
the  Messiah,  you  would  also,  at  the 
same  time,  have  been  acquainted  with 
God.  We  may  here  observe,  1st.  The 
manner  in  which  Jesus  answered  them. 
He  gave  no  heed  to  their  cavil ;  he 
was  not  irritated  bj'  their  contempt ; 
he  preserved  his  dignity^  and  gave 
them  an  answer  worthy  of  the  Son 
of  God.  2d.  We  should  meet  the  cav- 
ils and  sneers  of  sinners  in  the  same 
manner.  We  should  not  render  rail- 
ing for  railmg,  but  "in  meekness  in- 
struct those  that  oppose  themselves, 
if  God  peradventure  will  give  them 
repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of 
the  truth."  2  Tim.  ii.  25.  3d.  The  way 


temple ;  and  no  man  laid  hands  on 
him,  for  ^  his  hour  was  n ot  yet  come. 

21  Then  said  Jesus  again  unto 
them,  I  go  my  way,  and  ye  ^  shall 
seek  me,  and  ^  shall  die  in  your 
sins :  whither  I  go  ye  ^  can  not 
come. 

22  Then  said  the  Jews,  Will  he 
kill  himself?  Because  he  saith. 
Whither  I  go  ye  can  not  come. 

ec.7.30.  /c.7.34.  .9  Job  20. 11.  Psa.73.  18- 
20.  Prov.  14.32.  Isa.  65.  20.  Eph.2.  1.      ^Lu.  16.26. 


to  know  God  is  to  know  Jesus  Christ. 
"No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time. 
The  only-begotten  Son  which  is  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared 
him."  John  i.  18.  No  sinner  can  have 
iust  views  of  God  but  in  Jesus  Christ. 
2  Cor.  iv.  6. 

20.  The  treasury.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxi.  12.  ^  His  hour  was  not  yet  come. 
The  time  for  him  to  die  had  not  yet 
arrived,  and  God  restrained  them  and 
kept  his  life.  This  proves  that  God 
has  power  over  wicked  men  to  con- 
trol them,  and  to  make  them  accom- 
plish his  own  purposes. 

21.  I  go  my  way.  See  Notes  on  chap, 
vii.  33.  ^  Ye  shall  die  in  your  sins. 
That  is,  you  will  seek  the  Messiah ;  you 
will  desire  his  coming,  but  the  Mes- 
siah that  you  expect  will  not  come ; 
and,  as  you  have  rejected  me,  and 
there  is  no  other  Saviour,  you  must 
die  in  your  sins.  You  will  die  un- 
pardoned, and  as  you  did  not  seek 
me  where  you  might  find  me,  you  can 
not  come  where  I  shall  be.  Observe, 
1st.  All  those  who  reject  the  Lord  Je- 
sus must  die  unforgiven.  There  is  no 
way  of  pardon  but  by  him.  See  Notes 
on  Acts  iv.  12.  2d.  There  will  be  a  time 
when  sinners  will  seek  for  a  Saviour, 
but  will  find  none.  Often  this  is  done 
too  late,  in  a  dying  moment,  and  in 
the  future  world  they  may  seek  a  de- 
liverer, but  not  be  able  to  find  one. 
3d.  Those  who  reject  the  Lord  Jesus 
miist  perish.  Where  he  is  they  can 
not  come.  Where  he  is  is  heaven. 
Where  he  is  not,  with  his  favor  and 
mercy,  there  is  hell ;  and  the  sinner 
that  has  no  Saviour  must  be  wretched 
forever. 

22.  Will  he  kill  himself.^  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  know  whether  this  question 
was  asked  from  ignorance  or  malice. 
Self-murder  was  esteemed  then,  as  it 
is  now,  as  one  of  the  greatest  crimes ; 


294 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


23  And  he  said  unto  them,  Ye 
are  from  beneath,  I  am  from  above ; 
ye  are  of  this  world,  I  am  not  of 
this  world. 

24  I  said  therefore  unto  you, 
that  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins ;  for* 
if  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  Jie^  ye 
shall  die  in  your  sins. 

25  Then  said  they  unto  him. 
Who  art  thou?    And  Jesus  saith 

aver.  21.  6  Mar.  16. 16. 


and  it  is  not  improbable  that  they 
jisked  this  question  with  mingled  ha- 
tred and  contempt.  "  He  is  a  deceiver  ; 
he  has  broken  the  law  of  Moses ;  he 
is  mad,  and  it  is  probable  he  will  go 
on  and  kill  himself."  If  this  was 
their  meaning,  we  see  the  wonderful 
patience  of  Jesus  in  enduring  the  con- 
tradiction of  sinners ;  and  as  he  bore 
contempt  without  rendering  railing 
for  railing,  so  should  we. 

23.  Ye  are  from  heneath.  The  ex- 
pression/r(wi  beneath^  here,  is  opposed 
to  tli.e  phrase  from  above.  It  means. 
You  are  of  the  earthy  or  are  influenced 
by  earthly,  sensual,  and  corrupt  pas- 
sions. You  are  governed  by  the  low- 
est and  vilest  views  and  feelings,  such 
as  are  ojjposed  to  heaven,  and  such  as 
have  their  origin  in  earth  or  in  hell. 
T[  /  am  from  above.  From  heaven. 
My  views  are  heavenly,  and  my  words 
should  have  been  so  intcrprejted. 
T[  Ye  are  of  this  world.  You  think  and 
act  like  the  corrupt  men  of  this  world. 
1 1  am  not  of  this  world.  My  views  are 
above  these  earthly  and  corrupt  no- 
tions. The  meaning  of  the  verse  is  : 
"Your  reference  to  self-murder  shows 
that  you  are  earthly  and  corrupt  in 
your  views.  You  are  governed  by  the 
mad  passions  of  men,  and  can  think 
only  of  these."  We  see  here  how  dif- 
ficult it  is  to  excite  wicked  men  to 
the  contemplation  of  heavenly  things. 
They  interpret  all  things  in  a  low  and 
corrupt  sense,  and  suppose  all  others 
to  be  governed  as  they  are  themselves. 

24.  That  1  am  he.  That  I  am  the 
Messiah. 

25.  Who  art  thou?  As  Jesus  did  not 
expressly  say  in  the  previous  verse  that 
he  was  the  Messiah,  they  professed 
still  not  to  understand  him.  In  great 
contempt,  therefore,  they  asked  him 
who  he  was.  As  if  they  had  said, 
"Who  art  thou  that  undertakest  to 
threaten  us  in  this  manner?"  When 


unto  them.  Even  the  same  that  I 
said  unto  you  from  the  begin- 
ning. 

26  I  have  many  things  to  say 
and  to  judge  of  you ;  but "  he  that 
sent  me  is  true,  and  I  speak  to  the 
world  those  things  which  I  have 
heard  of  him. 

27  They  understood  not  that  he 
spake  to  them  of  the  Father. 

c  c.  7.  28. 


we  remember  that  they  regarded  him 
as  a  mere  pretender  from  Galilee; 
that  he  was  poor  and  without  friends ; 
and  that  he  was  persecuted  by  those 
in  authority,  we  can  not  but  admire 
the  patience  with  which  all  this  was 
borne,  and  the  coolness  with  which 
he  answered  them.  ^  JEven  the  same, 
etc.  What  he  had  professed  to  them 
was  that  he  was  the  light  of  the  world ; 
that  he  was  the  bread  that  came  down 
from  heaven  ;  that  he  was  sent  by  his 
Father,  etc.  From  all  this  they  might 
easily  gather  that  he  claimed  to  be  the 
Messiah.  He  assumed  no  new  charac- 
ter ;  he  made  no  change  in  his  profes- 
sions ;  he  is  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
day, and  forever;  and  as  he  had  once 
professed  to  be  the  light  of  the  world, 
so,  in  the  face  of  contempt,  persecu- 
tion, and  death,  he  adhered  to  the 
profession.  1[  IVie  beginning.  From 
his  first  discourse  with  them,  or  uni- 
formly. 

26.  I  have  many  things  to  say.  There 
are  many  things  which  I  might  say  to 
reprove  and  expose  your  pride  and 
hypocrisy.  By  this  he  implied  that  he 
understood  well  their  character,  and 
that  he  was  able  to  expose  it.  This, 
indeed,  he  had  shown  them  in  his  con- 
versations with  them.  T[  And  to  judge 
of  you.  To  reprove  in  you.  There 
are  many  things  in  you  which  I  might 
condemn.  ^  But  he  that  sent  me  is  true. 
Is  worthy  to  be  believed,  and  his  dec- 
larations about  men  are  to  be  credit- 
ed. The  meaning  of  this  verse  may 
be  thus  expressed:  "I  have  indeed 
many  things  to  say  blaming  or  con- 
demning you.  I  have  already  said 
many  such  things,  and  there  are  many 
more  that  I  might  say;  but  I  speak 
only  those  things  which  God  has  com- 
manded. I  speak  not  of  myself.  I 
come  to  execute  his  commissioTi,  and 
he  is  worthy  to  be  heard  and  feared. 
Let  it  not  be  thought,  therefore,  that 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


295 


28  Then  said  Jesus  unto  tliem, 
When  ye  have  lifted  up  the  Son 
of  man,  then  shall  ye  know  that  I 
am  he^  and  that  I  do  nothing  of 
myself;  but  as  my  Father  hath 
taught  me,  I  speak  these  things. 

29  And  he  that  sent  me  is  with 
me :  the  Father  hath  not  left  me 
alone,  for  I  do  always  those  things 
that  please  him.  * 

a  C.3. 14;  12.32.  b  c.  10.42. 

c  Rom.  2.  7.  Col.  1.  23.  Heb.  10.  38, 39. 


my  judgment  is  rash  or  harsh.  It  is 
such  as'is  commanded  by  God." 

27.  They  understood  not.  They  knew 
not,  or  they  were  unwilling  to  receive 
him  as  a  messenger  from  God.  They 
doubtless  understood  that  he  meant 
to  speak"  of  God,  but  they  were  un- 
willing to  acknowledge  that  he  really 
came  from  God. 

28.  When  ye  have  lifted  up.  When  you 
have  crucified.*  See  Notes  on  chap.  iii. 
14 ;  also  chap.  xii.  32.  ^  The  Son  of 
wan.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  viii.  19,  20. 
1"  Then  shall  ye  know.  Then  shall  you 
have  evidence  or  proof.  H  That  I  am  he. 
Am  the  Messiah,  which  I  have  pro- 
fessed to  be.  1[  And  that  I  do  nothhig 
of  myself.  That  is,  you  shall  have 
proof  that  God  has  sent  me ;  that  I 
am  the  Messiah ;  and  that  God  con- 
curs with  me  and  approves  my  doc- 
trine. This  proof  was  furnished  by 
the  miracles  that  attended  the  death 
of  Jesus — the  earthquake  and  dark- 
ness ;  but  chiefly  by  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  which  proved,  beyond 
a  doubt,  that  he  was  what  he  affirmed 
he  was — the  Messiah. 

29.  Is  vnth  me.  In  working  miracles, 
etc.  1[  Hath  not  left  me  alone.  Though 
men  had  forsaken  and  rejected  him, 
5^et  God  attended  him.  t  Those  thiyigs 
that  please  him.  See  Matt.  iii.  17 :  "This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased."  Phil.ii.8.  Isa.  liii.  10, 11, 12. 
2  Pet.  i.  17.  Luke  iii.  22.  Matt,  xvii,  5. 
His  undertaking  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion was  pleasing  to  God,  and  he  had 
the  consciousness  that  in  executing  it 
lie  did  those  things  which  God  ap- 
proved. It  is  a  small  matter  to  have 
men  opposed  to  us,  if  we  have  a  con- 
science void  of  offence,  and  evidence 
that  we  please  God,  Compare  Heb. 
xi.  5:  "Enoch — before  Ir's  translation 
had  this  testimony  that  he  pleased 
God."  See  also  1  Cor.  iv.  3. 


30  As  he  spake  these  words  many 
*  believed  on  him. 

31  Then  said  Jesus  to  those  Jews 
which  believed  on  him,  If  ye  con- 
tinue in  my  word,  then  are  ye  my 
disciples  indeed ; 

32  And  ye  shall  know  ^  the  truth, 
and  the  truth  shall  make  you 
free.^ 

33  They  answered  him.  We  be 

d  Hos.  6.  3.  e  Psa.  119. 45.  c.  17. 17.  Rom. 

6.14,18,22.  Ja8.1.25;  2.12. 


30.  Many  believed  on  him.  Such  was 
the  convincing  nature  and  force  of  the 
truths  which  he  presented,  that  they 
believed  he  was  the  Messiah  and  re- 
ceived his  doctrine.  While  there  were 
many  that  became  more  obstinate  and 
hardened  under  his  preaching,  there 
were  many,  also,  wtto  by  the  same 
truth  were  made  penitent  and  believ- 
ing. "The  same  sun  that  hardens  the 
clay,  softens  the  wax." — Clarke. 

31.  If  ye  continue  in  my  woy^d.  If  you 
continue  to  obey  my  commandments 
and  to  receive  my  doctrines.  1[  The7i 
are  ye^  etc.  This  is  the  true  test  of 
Christian  character.  John  xiv.  21: 
"He  that  hath  my  commandments 
and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth 
me."  See  1  John  ii.  4;  iii.  24.  2  John 
6.  In  this  place  Jesus  cautions  them 
against  too  much  confidence  from  their 
present  feelings.  They  were  just  con- 
verted— converted  under  a  single  ser- 
mon. They  had  had  no  time  to  test 
their  faith.  Jesus  assures  them  that 
if  their  faith  should  abide  the  test,  if 
it  should  produce  obedience  to  his 
commandments  and  a  holy  life,  it 
would  be  proof  that  their  faith  was 
genuine,  for  the  tree  is  known  by  its 
fruit.  So  we  may  say  to  all  new  con- 
verts. Do  not  repress  your  love  or 
your  joy,  but  do  not  be  too  confident. 
Your  faith  has  not  yet  been  tried,  and 
if  it  does  not  produce  a  holy  life  it  is 
vain.   James  ii.  17-26. 

32.  Shall  know  the  truth.  See  Notes 
on  ch.  vii.  17.  T[  The  truth  shall  make 
you  free.  The  truth  here  means  the 
Christian  religion.  Compare  Gal.  iii. 
1.  Col.  i.  6.  The  doctrines  of  the  true 
religion  shall  make  you  free — that  is, 
it  will  free  you  from  the  slavery  of 
evil  passions,  corrupt  propensities, 
and  groveling  views.  The  condition 
of  a  sinner  is  that  of  a  captive  or  a  slave 
to  sin.    He  is  one  who  serves  and 


296 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


Abraham's  seed,  and  were  never  in 
bondage  to  any  man ;  liow  say  est 

thou,  Ye  shall  be  made  free  ? 
34  Jesus  answered  them,  Yerily, 

verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever 

a  Lev.  25. 42. 


obeys  the  dictates  of  an  evil  heart 
and  the  promptings  of  an  evil  nature. 
Rom.  vi.  16, 17:  "Ye  were  the  sey^vants 
of  sin." — 19:  "Ye  have  yielded  your 
members  servmits  unto  iniquity." — 20 ; 
vii.6,8,11;  viii.21.  Actsviii.23:  "Tliou 
art  in  the — bond  of  iniquity. ' '  Gal.  iv. 
3,  9.  The  effect  of  the  Gospel  is  to 
break  this  hard  bondage  to  sin  and  to 
set  the  sinner  free.  We  learn  from 
this  that  religion  is  not  slavery  or 
oppression.  It  is  true  freedom. 
"  He  is  the  freemau  whom  the  truth  makes 
free, 

And  all  are  slaveft'beside." — Cowper. 
The  service  of  God  is  freedom  from 
degrading  vices  and  carnal  propensi- 
ties ;  from  the  slavery  of  passion  and 
inordinate  desires.  It  is  a  cheerful 
and  delightful  surrender  of  ourselves 
to  Him  whose  yoke  is  easy  and  whose 
burden  is  light. 

33.  T?iey  answered  him.  Not  those 
who  believed  on  him,  but  some  who 
stood  by  and  heard  him.  H  We  he  Abra- 
ham''s  seed.  We  are  the  children  or 
descendants  of  Abraham.  Abraham 
was  not  a  slave,  and  they  pretended 
that  they  were  his  real  descendants, 
inheriting  his  freedom  as  well  as  his 
spirit.  They  meant  that  they  were 
the  direct  descendants  of  Abraham  by 
Isaac,  his  heir.  Ishmacl,  also  Abra- 
ham's son,  was  the  son  of  a  bond- 
woman (Gal.  iv.  21-23),  but  they  were 
descended  in  a  direct  line  from  the  ac- 
knowledged heir  of  Abraham.  H  Were 
7iever  in  bondage  to  any  man.  This  is 
a  most  remarkable  declaration,  and 
one  evidently  false.  Their  fathers  had 
been  slaves  in  Egypt ;  their  nation  had 
been  enslaved  in  Babylon ;  it  had  re- 
X)eatedly  been  subject  to  the  Assyr- 
ians ;  it  was  enslaved  by  Herod  the 
Great ;  and  was,  at  the  very  time  they 
spoke,  groaning  under  the  grievous 
and  insupportable  bondage  of  the 
Romans.  But  we  see  here,  1st.  That 
Jesus  was  right  when  he  said  (verse 
44),  "Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil ; 
he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  it."  2d. 
Men  will  say  any  thing,  however  false 
or  ridiculous,  to  avoid  and  oppose  the 
truth.   3d.  Men  groaning  under  the 


^  committeth  sin  is  the  servant  of 
sin. 

35  And  the  servant abideth  not 
in  the  house  forever,  Ijut  the  Son 
abideth  ever. 

6  Rom.  6. 16,20.  2  Pet.  2. 19.  c  Gal.  4. 30. 


most  oppressive  bondage  are  often 
unwilling  to  acknowledge  it  in  any 
manner,  and  a^e  indignant  at  being 
charged  with  it.  This  is  the  case 
with  all  sinners.  4th.  Sin,  and  the 
bondage  to  sin,  produces  passion,  ir- 
ritation, and  a  troubled  soul;  and  a 
man  under  the  influence  of  passion 
regards  little  what  he  says,  and  is  oft- 
en a  liar.  5th.  There  is  need  of  the 
Gospel.  That  only  can  make  men 
free,  calm,  collected,  meek,  and  lov- 
ers of  truth ;  and  as  every  man  is  by 
nature  the  servant  of  sin,  lie  should 
without  delay  seek  an  interest  in  that 
Gospel  which  can  alone  make  him 
free. 

34.  Whosoever  commitMJi  sin^  etc.  In 
this  passage  Jesus  shows  them  that  he 
did  not  refer  to  political  bondage,  but 
to  the  slavery  of  the  soul  to  evil  pas- 
sions and  desires.  ^  Is  the  servant.  Is 
the  slave  of  sin.  He  is  bound  to  it  as 
a  slave  is  to  his  master. 

35.  The  serva7it  abideth  not,  etc.  The 
servant  does  not,  of  course,  remain 
forever,  or  till  his  death,  with  his  mas- 
ter. If  he  is  disobedient  and  wick- 
ed, the  master  sells  him  or  turns  liim 
away.  He  is  not  the  heir,  and  may  at 
any  time  be  expelled  from  the  house 
of  his  master."  But  a  son  is  the  heir. 
He  can  not  be  in  this  manner  cast  off 
or  sold.  He  is  privileged  with  the 
right  of  remaining  in  the  family.  This 
takes  place  in  common  life.  So  said 
the  Saviour  to  the  Jews :  "  You,  if  you 
are  disobedient  and  rebellious,  may  at 
any  time  be  rejected  from  being  the 
people  of  God,  and  be  deprived  of 
your  peculiar  privileges  as  a  nation. 
You  are  in  the  condition  of  servants, 
and  unless  you  are  made  free  by  the 
Gospel,  and  become  entitled  to  the 
privilege  of  the  sons  of  God,  you  will 
be  cast  off  like  an  unfaithful  slave." 
Compare  Heb.  iii.  5,  6.  H  Abideth  not. 
Remains  not,  or  has  not  the  legal  right 
to  remain.  He  may  at  any  time  be 
rejected  or  sold.  H  In  the  house.  In 
the  family  of  his  master.  H  Forever. 
During  the  whole  time  of  his  life, 
t  The  son.  The  heir.  He  remnins, 
and  can  not  be  sold  or  cast  olf.  II  Ever, 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


297 


36  If  «  the  Son,  therefore,  shall 
make  you  free,  ye  ^  shall  be  free 
indeed. 

37  I  know  that  ye  are  Abraham's 
seed ;  but  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  be- 
cause my  word  hath  no  place  in 
you. 

38  I  speak  that  which  I  have 
seen  with  my  Father,  and  ye  do 
that  which  ye  have  seen  with  your 
father. 

alsa.  61.1.  6  Rom.  8.  2.  Gal.  5.1. 

cc.  14.10,24.  rf  Matt.  3.  9. 


Continually.  Till  the  day  of  his  death. 
This  is  the  privilege  of  a  son,  to  inher- 
it and  dispose  of  the  property. 

36.  If  the  Son,  etc.  The  Son  of  God 
— heir  of  all  things — who  is  forever 
with  God,  and  who  has  therefore  the 
right  and  power  to  liberate  men  from 
their  thraldom.  If  Shall  make  yoiLfree. 
Shall  deliver  you  from  the  bondage 
and  dominion  of  sin.  T[  Free  indeed. 
Truly  and  really  free.  You  shall  be 
blessed  with  the  most  valuable  free- 
dom ;  not  from  the  chains  and  oppres- 
sions of  earthly  masters  and  mon- 
archs,  but  from  the  bondage  of  sin. 

37.  I  know ^  etc.  I  admit  that  you 
are  the  descendants  of  Abraham.  Je- 
sus did  not  wish  to  call  that  in  ques- 
tion, but  he  endeavored  to  show  them 
that  they  might  be  his  descendants 
and  still  lack  entirely  his  spirit.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  9.  ^  Ye  seek  to  kill 
me.  Chap.  v.  16  ;  vii.  33.  If  Because 
my  word.  My  doctrhie ;  the  principles 
of  my  religion.  You  have  not  the 
spirit  of  my  doctrine ;  you  hate  it, 
and  you  therefore  seek  to  kill  me. 
*II  Hath  no' place.  That  is,  you  do  not 
embrace  my  doctrine,  or  it  exerts  no 
influence  over  you.  The  original  word 
conveys  the  notion  that  there  was  no 
room  for  his  doctrine  in  their  minds. 
It  met  with  obstructions^  and  did  not 
penetrate  into  their  hearts.  They 
were  so  filled  with  pride,  and  preju- 
dice, and  false  hot  ions,  that  they 
would  not  receive  his  truth ;  and  as 
they  had  not  his  truth  or  spirit,  and 
could  not  bear  it,  they  sought  to  kill 
him. 

38.  /  speakj  etc.  John  iii.  11-13. 
T[  My  Fatlier.  God.  H  Your  father. 
The  devil.  See  verse  44.  To  see  here 
means  to  learn  of  They  had  learned 
of  or  been  taught  by  the  devil,  and 
imitated  him. 

N2 


39  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Abraham  ^  is  our  Father.  Je- 
sus saith  unto  them,  If  *  ye  were 
Abraham's  children,  ye  would  do 
the  works  of  Abraham. 

40  But  now  ye  seek  to  kill  me,  a 
man  that  hath  told  you  the  truth, 
which  I  have  heard  of  God :  this-^ 
did  not  Abraham. 

41  Ye  do  the  deeds  of  your  fa- 
ther.   Then  said  they  to  him,  We 

e  Rom.  2.  28,  29  ;  9.  7.  Gal.  3.  7,  29. 
/  Rom.  4. 12. 

39.  Abraham  is  our  father.  We  are 
descended  from  Abraham.  Of  this 
the  Jews  boasted-  much,  as  being  de- 
scended from  such  an  illustrious  m^n. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  iii.  9.  As  Jesus  did 
not  expressly  say  who  he  meant  (verse 
38)  when  he  said  they  did  the  works  of 
their  father,  they  obstinately  persist- 
ed in  pretending  not  to  understand 
him,  as  if  they  had  said,  ''We  acknowl- 
edge no  other  father  but  Abraham,  and 
to  charge  us  with  being  the  offspring 
of  another  is  slander  and  calumny." 
^  If  ye  ivere  Abraham^  s  chiUh^en.  The 
words  sons  and  children  are  often  used 
to  denote  those  who  imitate  another 
or  who  have  his  spirit.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  i.  1.  Here  it  means,  "if  you 
were  worthy  to  be  called  the  children 
of  Abraham,  or  if  you  had  his  spirit," 

40.  Ye  seek  to  kill  me.  See  verse  37. 
1[  Th is  did  not  Abraham.  O r  s^ich  things 
Abraham  did  not  do.  There  are  two 
things  noted  here  in  which  they  differ- 
ed from  Abraham :  1st.  In  seeking  to 
kill  him,  or  in  possessing  a  murderous 
and  bloody  purpose.  2d.  In  rejecting 
the  truth  as  God  revealed  it.  Abra- 
ham was  distinguished  for  love  to  man 
as  well  as  God.  He  liberated  the 
captives  (Gen.  xiv.  14-16) ;  was  distin- 
guished for  hospitality  to  strangers 
(Gen.  xviii.  1-8) ;  and  received  the  rev- 
elations of  God  to  him,  however  mys- 
terious, or  however  trying  their  ob- 
servance. Gen.  xii.  1-4 ;  xv.  4-6 ;  xxii. 
It  was  for  these  things  that  he  is  so 
much  commended  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment (Rom.  iv.  9;  ix.  9.  Gal.  iii.  6); 
and,  as  the  Jews  sought  to  kill  Jesus 
instead  of  treating  him  hospitably  and 
kindly,  they  showed  that  they  had 
none  of  the  spirit  of  Abraham. 

41.  TJie  deeds  of  your  father.  See 
verse  38.  Jesus  repeats  the  charge, 
and  yet  repeats  it  as  if  unwilling  to 


298 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


be  ijot  bom  of  fornication ;  we " 
liave  one  Father,  even  God. 

42  Jesus  said  unto  them,  If  *  God 
were  your  Father,  ye  would  love 
me ;  for  I  proceeded  forth  and 
came  from  God ;  neither  came  I 
of  myself,  but  he  sent  me. 

a  Isa.  63. 16;  64.8.  6  Mai.  1.6.  lJno.5. 1. 

cc.  17.8,25.  Isa.  6.9. 


name  Satan  as  their  father.  He  chose 
that  they  should  infer  v^hom  he  meant, 
rather  than  bring  a  charge  so  direct 
and  repelling.  When  the'Saviour  de- 
livered an  awful  or  an  oifensive  truth, 
he  always  approached  the  mind  so 
that  the  truth  might  make  the  deep- 
est impression.  H  We  he  not  horn  of 
fornication.  The  people  still  profess- 
ed not  to  understand  him ;  and  since 
Jesus  had  denied  that  they  were  the 
children  of  Ahraham^  they  affected  to 
suppose  that  he  meant  they  were  a 
mixed,  spurious  race ;  that  they  had 
no  right  to  the  covenant  privileges 
of  the  Jews ;  that  they  were  not  wor- 
shippers of  the  true  God.  Hence  they 
said,  we  are  not  thus  descended.  We 
have  the  evidence  of  our  genealogy. 
We  are  worshippers  of  the  true  God, 
descended  from  those  who  acknowl- 
edged him,  and  we  acknowledge  no 
other  God  and  Father  than  him.  To 
be  children  of  fornication  is  an  expres- 
sion denoting  in  the  Scriptures  iclola- 
try^  or  the  worship  of  other  gods  than 
the  true  God.  Isa.  i.  21 ;  Ivii.  3.  Hos. 
i.  2;  ii.  4.  This  they  denied.  They 
affirmed  that  they  acknowledged  no 
God  for  their  Father  but  the  true  God. 

42.  If  God  were  your  Father.  If  you 
had  the  spirit  ot  God,  or  love  to  him, 
or  were  worthy  to  be  called  his  chil- 
dren. Ye  woidd  love  me.  Jesus  was 
"the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory 
and  the  express  image  of  his  person." 
Heb.  i.  3.  "Every  one  that  loveth 
him  that  begat,  loveth  him  also  that 
is  begotten  of  him."  1  John  v.  1. 
From  this  we  see,  1st.  That  all  who 
truly  love  God,  love  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ.  2d.  That  men  that  jwetend 
that  they  love  God,  and  reject  his 
Son,  have  no  evidence  that  they  are 
the  friends  of  God.  3d.  That  those 
who  reject  the  Bible  can  not  be  the 
friends  of  God.  If  they  loved  God, 
they  would  love  Him  who  came  from 
him,  and  who  bears  his  image. 

43.  Why  do  ye  not.,  etc.  My  mean- 
ing is  clear,  if  you  were  disposed  to 


43  Why  do  ye  not  understand 
my  speech  ?  even  because  ye  can 
not  hear  my  ^  word. 

44  Ye  ^  are  of  your  father  the 
devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father 
ye  will  do.  He  was  a  murderer 
from  the  beginning,  and  abode 

e  Matt.  13.38.  lJno.3.8. 
/  Jude  6. 


understand  me.  1  Even  hecause  ye  can 
not  hear  my  word.  The  word  "hear"* 
in  this  place  is  to  be  understood  in 
the  sense  of  hear  or  tolerate^  as  in  chap, 
vi.  60.  His  doctrine  was  offensive  to 
them.  They  hated  it,  and  hence  they 
perverted  his  meaning,  and  were  re- 
solved not  to  understand  him.  Their 
pride,  vanity,  and  wickedness  opposed 
it.  The  reason  why  sinners  do  not 
understand  the  Bible  and  its  doc- 
trines is  because  they  can  not  hear 
them.  They  hate  them,  and  their  ha- 
tred produces  want  of  candor,  a  dis- 
position to  cavil  and  to  pervert  the 
truth,  and  an  obstinate  purpose  that 
it  shall  not  be  applied  to  their  case. 
Hence  they  embrace  every  form  of 
false  doctrine,  and  choose  error  rath- 
er than  truth,  and  darkness  rather  than 
light.  A  disposition  to  helieve  God  is 
one  of  the  best  helps  for  unders^tand- 
ing  the  Bible. 

44.  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil. 
That  is,  you  have  the  temper,  dispo- 
sition, or  spirit  of  the  devil.  You  are 
intiuenced  by  him,  you  imitate  him, 
and  ought  therefore  to  be  called  his 
children.  See  also  1  John  iii.  8,  9, 10. 
Acts  xiii.  10:  "Thou  child  of  the  dev- 
il." H  The  devil.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
iv.  1.  T[  The  lusts.  The  desires  or  the 
wishes.    You  do  what  pleases  him. 

Ye  will  do.  The  word  ivill,  here,  is 
not  an  auxiliary  verb.  It  does  not 
simply  express  futurity^  or  that  such 
a  thing  ivill  take  place,  but  it  implies 
an  act  of  volition.  This  you  will  or 
choose  to  do.  The  same  mode  of  speech 
occurs  in  John  v.  40. .  In  what  r^espects 
they  showed  that  they  were  the  chil- 
dren of  the  devil  he  proceeds  to  state : 
1st,  in  their  murderous  disposition; 
2d,  in  rejecting  the  truth ;  3d,  in  be- 
ing favorable  to  falsehood  and  error. 
H  Ife  was  a  murderer  from  the  hegin- 
ning.  That  is,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  world,  or  in  the  first  records  of 
him  he  is  thus  represented.  This  re- 
fers to  the  seduction  of  Adam  and 
Eve.    Death  was  denounced  against 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


299 


not  in  the  truth,  because  there  is 
no  truth  in  him.  When  he  speak- 
eth  a  lie,  he  speaketh  of  his  own ; 
for  he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of 
it. 

45  And  because  «  I  tell  you  the 
truth,  ye  believe  me  not. 

46  Which  of  you  convinceth  ^  me 

a  Gal.  4. 16.    2  Thess.  2. 10. 


sm.  Gen.  ii.  17.  The  devil  deceived 
our  first  parents,  and  they  became 
subject  to  death.  Gen.  iii.  As  he  was 
the  cause  why  death  came  into  the 
world,  he  may  be  said  to  have  been  a 
murderer  in  that  act,  or  from  the  be- 
ginning. We  see  here  that  the  tempt- 
er mentioned  in  Gen.  iii.  was  Satan  or 
the  devil,  who  is  here  declared  to  have 
been  the  murderer.  Compare  Rom. 
V.  12,  and  Rev.  xii.  9:  "And  the  great 
dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent 
called  the  devil,  and  Satan,  which  de- 
ceiveth  the  whole  world."  Besides, 
Satan  has  in  all  ages  deceived  men,  and 
been  the  cause  of  their  spiritual  and 
eternal  death.  His  work  has  been  to 
destroy,  and  in  the  worst  sense  of  the 
word  he  may  be  said  to  have  been  a 
murderer.  It  was  by  his  instigation, 
also,  that  Cain  killed  his  brother.  1 
John  iii.  12:  "Not  as  Cain,  who  was 
of  that  wicked  one,  and  slew  his  broth- 
er." As  the  Jews  endeavored  to  kill 
the  Saviour,  so  they  showed  that  they 
had  the  spirit  of  the  devil.  ^  Abode 
not  in  the  truth.  He  departed  from  the 
truth,  or  was  false  and  a  liar.  If  JSfo 
truth  in  him.  That  is,  he  is  a  liar.  It 
is  his  nature  and  his  work  to  deceive. 
1[  He  speaketh  of  his  own.  The  word 
"own"  is  in  the  plwal  number,  and 
means  of  the  things  that  are  appropriate 
to  him^  or  that  belong  to  his  nature. 
His  speaking  falsehood  is  originated 
by  his  own  propensities  or  disposi- 
tion; he  utters  the  expressions  of  his 
genuine  character.  TI-  He  is  a  liar.  As 
when  he  deceived  Adam,  and  in  his  de- 
ceiving, as  far  as  possible,  the  world, 
and  dragging  man  down  to  perdition. 
T[  The  father  of  it.  The  father  or  on'f/- 
inator  of falsehood.  The  word  "it"  re- 
fers to  lie  or  falsehood  understood. 
From  him  falsehood  first  proceeded, 
and  all  liars  possess  his  spirit  and  are 
under  his  influence.  As  the  Jews  re- 
fused to  hear  the  truth  which  Jesus 
spoke,  so  they  showed  that  they  were 
the  children  of  the  father  of  lies. 


of  sin  ?  A  nd  if  I  say  the  truth,  why 
do  ye  not  believe  me  ? 

47  He  that  is  of  God  heareth 
God's  words ;  ye,  therefore,  hear 
them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of 
God. 

48  Then  answered  the  Jews  and 
said  unto  him.  Say  we  not  well, 

h  Heb.4. 15. 


46.  Which  of  you  convinceth  me  ?  To 
convince^  with  us,  means  to  satisfy  a 
man^s  own  mind  of  the  truth  of  any 
thing;  but  this  is  not  its  meaning 
here.  It  rather  means  to  convict. 
Which  of  you  can  prove  that  I  am 
guilty  of  sin  ?  IF  Of  sin.  The  word 
sin  here  evidently  means  error  ^false- 
hood^ or  impostiire.  It  stands  opposed 
to  truth.  The  argument  of  the  Saviour 
is  this :  A  doctrine  might  be  rejected 
if  it  could  be  proved  that  he  that  de- 
livered it  was  an  impostor ;  but  as  you 
can  not  prove  this  of  me,  you  arc 
bound  to  receive  my  words. 

47.  He  that  is  of  God.  He  that  loves, 
fears,  and  honors  God.  ^  Heareth 
God's  words.  Listens  to,  or  attends  to 
the  doctrines  or  commandments  of 
God  as  a  child  who  loves  his  parent 
will  regard  and  obey  his  command- 
ments. This  is  an  evidence  of  true 
piety.  A  willingness  to  receive  all 
that  God  teaches  us,  and  to  obey  all 
his  commandments,  is  an  undoubted 
proof  that  we  are  his  friends.  John 
xiv.  21.  1  John  ii.  4;  iii.  24.  As  the 
Jews  did  not  show  a  readiness  to  obey 
the  commands  of  God,  it  proved  that 
they  were  not  of  him,  and  to  this 
was  owing  their  rejection  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

48.  Say  we  not  well.  Say  we  not  truly. 
1[  Thou  art  a  Samarita7i.  This  was  a 
term  of  contempt  and  reproach.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  iv.  9.  It  had  the  force 
of  charging  him  with  being  a  heretic 
or  a  schismatic^  because  the  Samaritans 
were  regarded  as  such.  TI  Aoid  hast  a 
devil.  See  chap,  vii.  20.  This  charge 
they  brought  against  him  because  he 
had  said  that  they  were  not  of  God, 
or  were  not  the  friends  of  God.  This 
they  regarded  as  the  same  as  taking 
side  with  the  Samaritans,  for  the  ques- 
tion between  the  Jews  and  Samari- 
tans was,  which  of  them  worshipped 
God  aright.  Chap.  iv.  20.  As  Jesus 
affirmed  that  the  Jews  were  not  of 
God,  and  as  he,  contrary  to  all  their 


300 


JOHN. 


[A.D  32. 


that  thou  art  a  Samaritan,  and 
hast  a  devil  ? 

49  Jesus  answered,  I  have  not  a 
devil;  but  I  honour  my  Father, 
and  ye  do  dishonour  me. 

50  And  I  *  seek  not  mine  own 
glory:  there  is  one  that  seeketh 
and  judgeth. 

5 1  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall 
never  see  death. 

ac.  7.  20.  6  c.  5. 41. 

views,  had  gone  and  preached  to  the 
Samaritans  (chap,  iv.),  they  regarded 
it  as  a  proof  that  he  was  disposed  to 
take  part  with  them.  They  also  regard- 
ed it  as  evidence  that  he  had  a  devil. 
Tlie  devil  was  an  accuser  or  calumnia- 
tor;  and  as  Jesus  charged  them  with 
being  opposed  to  God,  they  consid- 
ered it  as  proof  tliat  he  was  influenced 
by  sucli  an  evil  spirit.  H  Devil.  In 
tlie  original,  demon.  Not  the  prince 
or  chief  of  the  devils,  but  an  evil 
spirit. 

49.  I  have  not  a  devil.  To  the  first 
part  of  the  charge,  that  he  was  a  Sa- 
maritan, he  did  not  reply.  To  the 
other  part  he  replied  by  saying  that 
he  honored  his  Father.  He  taught  the 
doctrines  that  tended  to  exalt  God. 
He  taught  that  he  was  holy  and  true. 
He  sought  that  men  should  love  him 
and  obey  him.  All  his  teaching  proved 
this.  An  evil  spirit  would  not  do  this, 
and  tliis  was  suflScient  proof  that  he 
was  not  influenced  by  such  a  spirit. 

50.  311)16  own  glory.  My  own  praise 
or  honor.  In  all  his  teaching  this  was 
true.  He  did  not  seek  to  exalt  or  to 
vindicate  himself.  He  was  willing  to 
lie  under  reproach  and  to  be  despised. 
He  regarded  little,  therefore,  their 
taunts  and  accusations,  and  even  noiv, 
he  says,  he  would  not  seek  to  viyidi- 
cate  himself.  1|  There  is  one  that  seeketh 
and  j  Lid  get  Ji,  God  will  take  care  of  my 
rei)utation.  He  seeks  my  welfare  and 
honor,  and  I  may  commit  my  cause 
into  his  hands  without  attempting  my 
own  vindication.  From  these  verses 
(46-50)  we  may  learn,  1st.  That  where 
men  have  no  sound  arguments,  they 
attempt  to  overwhelm  their  adversa- 
ries by  calling  odious  and  reproach- 
ful names.  Accusations  of  heresy  and 
schism,  and  the  use  of  reproachful 
terms,  are  commonly  proof  that  men 
are  not  only  under  the  influence  of 


52  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  him, 
Now  we  know  that  thou  hast  a 
devil.  Abraham  is  dead, and  the 
prophets ;  and  thou  sayest,  If  a 
man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall  nev- 
er taste  of  death. 

53  Art  thou  greater  than  our  fa- 
ther Abraham,  which  is  dead  ? 
And  the  prophets  are  dead :  Tvhom 
makest  thou  thyself? 

54  Jesus  answered.  If  ^  I  honour 

cZech.1.5.  rfc.5.31,41. 


unchristian  feeling,  but  that  they  have 
no  sound  reasons  to  support  their 
cause.  2d.  It  is  right  to  vindicate  our- 
selves from  such  charges,  but  it  should 
not  be  done  by  rendering  railing  for 
railing.  "In  meekness  we  should  in- 
struct those  that  oppose  themselves, 
if  God  peradventure  will  give  them  re- 
pentance to  the  acknowledging  of  the 
truth."  2  Tim.  ii.  25.  3d.  We  should 
not  regard  it  as  necessarily  dishonor- 
able if  we  lie  under  reproach.  If  we 
have  a  good  conscience,  if  we  have 
examined  for  ourselves,  if  we  are  con- 
scious that  we  are  seeking  the  glory 
of  God,  we  should  be  willing,  as  Je- 
sus was,  to  bear  reproach,  believing 
that  God  will  in  due  time  avenge  us, 
and  bring  forth  our  righteousness  as 
the  light,  and  our  judgment  as  the 
noonday.   Psalm  xxxvii.  6. 

51.  If  a  man  keep  my  saying.  If  he 
believes  on  me  and  obeys  my  com- 
mandments. He  shall  never  see  death. 
To  see  deaths  or  to  taste  of  deaths  is  the 
same  as  to  die.  Luke  ii.  26.  Matt.  xvi. 
28.  Mark  ix.  1.  The  sense  of  this  pas- 
sage is,  ''He  shall  obtain  eternal  life, 
or  he  shall  be  raised  up  to  that  life 
where  there  shall  be  no  death."  See 
chap.  vi.  49, 50 ;  iii.  36  ;  v.  24 ;  xi.  25,  26. 

52.  Hast  a  devil.  Art  deranged.  Be- 
cause he  afiirmed  a  thing  which  they 
sup[)osed  to  be  contrary  to  all  expe- 
rience, and  to  be  impossible. 

53.  Whom  makest  thou  thyself?  Or, 
who  dost  thou  pretend  to  be?  Al- 
though the  greatest  of  the  prophets 
have  died,  yet  thou — a  Nazarene,  a  Sa- 
maritan, and  a  devil — prctendest  that 
thou  canst  keep  thy  followers  from 
dying  !  It  would  have  been  scarcely 
possible  to  ask  a  question  implying 
more  contempt  and  scorn. 

54.  If  I  honor  myself.  If  I  commend 
or  praise  myself.  If  I  had  no  other 
honor  and  sought  no  other  honor 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


301 


myself,  my  honour  is  nothing :  it 
is  my  Father  « that  honoureth  me, 
of  whom  ye  say  that  he  is  yom^ 
God; 

55  Yet  ye  have  not  known  him ; 
but  I  know  him ;  and  if  I  should 

a  c.  17. 1. 


than  that  which  proceeds  from  a  de- 
sire to  glorify  myself.  If  My  honor  is 
notJmig.  My  commendation  or  praise 
of  myself  would  be  of  no  value.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  v.  31. 

56.  YoxLT  father  Abraham.  The  tes- 
timony of  Abraham  is  adduced  by  Je- 
sus because  the  Jews  considered  it  to 
be  a  signal  honor  to  be  his  descend- 
ants. Verse  39.  As  they  regarded  the 
sayings  and  deeds  of  Abraham  as  pe- 
culiar!}^ illustrious  and  worthy  of  their 
imitation,  so  they  were  bound,  in  con- 
sistency, to  listen  to  what  he  had  said 
of  the  Messiah.  If  Rejoiced.  This 
word  includes  the  notion  of  desire  as 
well  as  rejoicing.  It  denotes  that  act 
when,  impelled  with  strong  desire  for 
an  object,  we  leap  forward  toward  its 
attainment  with  joy ;  and  it  express- 
es, 1st,  the  fact  that  this  was  an  object 
that  filled  the  heart  of  Abraham  with 
jo}^ ;  and,  2d,  that  he  earnestly  desired 
to  see  it.  We  have  no  single  word 
which  expresses  the  meaning  of  the 
original.  In  Matt.  v.  12,  it  is  rendered 
"  be  exceeding  glad."  if  To  see.  Ratli- 
er,  he  earnestly  and  joyfully  desired 
that  he  might  see.  To  see  here  means 
to  have  a  view  or  distinct  c6nce])tion  of. 
It  does  not  imply  that  Abraham  ex- 
pected that  the  Messiah  would  appear 
during  his  life,  but  that  he  might  have 
a  representation  of,  or  a  clear  descrip- 
tion and  foresight  of  the  times  of  the 
Messiah,  t  My  day.  The  day  of  the 
Messiah.  The  word  "day,"  here,  is 
used  to  denote  the  time^  the  appear- 
ance, the  advent,  and  the  manner  of 
life  of  the  Messiah.  Luke  xvii.  26: 
"As  it  was  in  the  days  of  Noah,  so 
shall  it  be  also  in  the  days  of  the  Son 
of  man."  See  John  ix.  4.  Matt.  xi.  12. 
The  day  of  judgment  is  also  called  the 
day  of  the  Son  of  man,  because  it  will 
be  a  remarkable  time  of  his  manifesta- 
tion. Or  perhaps  in  both  those  cases 
it  is  called  nis  day  because  he  will  act 
the  most  conspicuous  part;  his  per- 
son and  work-  will  characterize  the 
times;  as  we  speak  of  the  days  of  Noah, 
etc.,  because  he  was  the  most  conspic- 
uous person  of  the  age.    1  He  saw  it. 


say  I  know  him  not,  I  shall  be  a 
liar  like  unto  you  ;  but  I  know 
him,  and  keep  his  saying. 

56  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced 
to  see  my  day,  and  he  ^  saw  it  and 
was  glad. 

6Heb.  11.13. 

See  Heb.  xi.  13:  "These  all  died  in 
faith,  not  having  received  (obtained 
the  fulfilment  of)  the  promises,  but 
having  see7i  them  afar  ojf^  and  were  per- 
suaded of  them,"  etc.  Though  Abra- 
ham was  not  permitted  to  live  to  see 
the  times  of  the  Messiah,  yet  he  was 
permitted  to  have  a  prophetic  view  of 
him,  and  also  of  the  design  of  his  com- 
ing ;  for,  1st.  God  foretold  his  advent 
clearly  to  him.  Gen.  xii.  3 ;  xviii.  18. 
Compare  Gal.  iii.  16:  "Now  to  Abra- 
ham and  his  seed  were  the  promises 
made.  He  saith  not.  And  to  seeds,  as 
of  many ;  but  as  of  one.  And  to  thy 
seed,  which  is  Christ."  2d.  Abraham 
was  permitted  to  have  a  view  of  the 
death  of  the  Messiah  as  a  sacrifice  for 
sin,  represented  by  the  command  to 
offer  Isaac.  Gen.  xxii.  1-13.  Compare 
Heb.  xi.  19.  The  death  of  the  Messiah 
as  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  men  was 
that  which  characterized  his  work — 
which  distinguished  his  times  and  his 
advent,  and  this  was  represented  to 
Abraham  clearly  by  the  command  to 
offer  his  son.  From  this  arose  the 
proverb  among  the  Jews  (Gen.  xxii. 
14),  "In  the  mount  of  the  Lord  it  shall 
be  seen,"  or  it  shall  be  provided  for; 
a  proverb  evidently  referring  to  the 
offering  of  the  Messiah  on  the  mount 
for  the  sins  of  men.  By  this  event 
Abraham  was  impressively  told  that 
a  parent  would  not  be  required  to  of- 
fer in  sacrifice  his  sons  for  the  sins  of 
his  soul — a  thing  which  has  often  been 
done  by  heathen ;  but  that  God  would 
provide  a  victim,  and  in  due  time  an 
offering  would  be  made  for  the  world. 
^  Was  ^glad.  Was  glad  in  view  of  the 
promise,  and  that  he  was  permitted  so 
distinctly  to  see  it  represented.  If  the 
father  of  the  faithful  rejoiced  so  much 
to  see  him  afar  off,  how  should  we  re- 
joice that  he  has  come;  that  we  are 
not  required  to  look  into  a  distant  fu- 
turit}^,  but  know  that  he  has  appear- 
ed ;  that  we  may  learn  clearly  the  man- 
ner of  his  coming,  his  doctrine,  and 
the  design  of  his  death  !  Well  might 
the  eyes  of  a  patriarch  rejoice  to  be 
permitted  to  look  in  any  manner  on 


302 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


57  Then  said  the  Jews  unto  him, 
Thou  art  not  yet  fifty  years  old, 
and  hast  thou  seen  Abraham  ? 

58  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Yerily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Before  Abra- 
ham was,  I  am. 

tlie  sublime  and  glorious  scene  of  the 
Son  of  God  dying  for  the  sins  of  men. 
And  our  chief  honor  and  happiness  is 
to  contemplate  the  amazing  scene  of 
man's  redemption,  where  the  Saviour 
groaned  and  died  to  save  a  lost  and 
ruined  race. 

57.  Fifty  years  old.  Jesus  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  at  this  time  about 
thirty-three.  It  is  remarkable  tliat 
when  lie  was  so  young  tlie}^  should 
have  mentioned  the  number  fifty,  but 
they  probably  designed  to  prevent  the 
possibility  of  a  reply.  Had  they  said 
forty  they  might  have  apprehended  a 
reply,  or  could  not  be  so  certain  that 
they  were  correct.  1[  Hast  thou  seen 
Abraham?  It  is  remarkable,  also,  that 
they  perverted  his  words.  His  affirm- 
ation was  not  that  he  had  seen  Abra- 
ham, but  that  Abraham  had  seen  his 
day.  The  design  of  Jesus  was  to  show 
that  he  was  greater  than  Abraham. 
Verse  53.  To  do  this,  he  says  that 
Abraham,  great  as  he  was,  earnestly 
desired  to  see  his  time,  thus  acknowl- 
edging his  i7)feriority  to  the  Messiah. 
The  jews  perverted  this,  and  affirm- 
ed that  it  was  impossible  that  he 
and  Abraham  should  have  seen  each 
other.  * 

58.  Verily^  verily.  This  is  an  expres- 
sion used  only  in  John.  It  is  a  strong 
affirmation  denoting  particularly  the 
great  importance  of  what  was  about 
to  be  affirmed.  See  Notes  on  chap, 
iii.  5.  1[  Before  Abraham  was.  Before 
Abraham  lived.  If  /  am.  The  expres- 
sion I  «m,  though  in  the  present  tense, 
is  clearly  designed  to  refer  to  a  past 
time.  Thus,  in  Psalm  xc.  2,  "From 
everlasting  to  everlasting  thou  art 
God."  Applied  to  God,  it  denotes 
continued  existence  without  respect  to 
time,  so  far  as  he  is  concerned.  We  di- 
vide time  into  the  past,  the  present, 
and  the  future.  The  expression,  ap- 
X)licd  to  God,  denotes  that  he  does  not 
measure  his  existence  in  this  manner, 
but  that  the  word  by  which  we. ex- 
press i\\Q  present  denotes  his  continued 
and  unchanging  existence.  Hence  he 
assumes  it  as  his  name,  "I  am,"  and 
"I  AM  THAT  I  AM."  Ex.  iii.  14.  Com- 


59  Then  took  they- up  stones  to 
cast  at  him ;  but  Jesus  hid  himself 
and  Avent  out  of  the  temple,  going 
through  the  midst  of  them,  and  so 
passed  by. 

a  Ex.  3. 14.  Isa.43. 13.  c.  1.1,2.  Col.  1.17.  Rev.  1.8. 


pare  Isa.  xliv.  6 ;  xlvii.  8.  There  is  a 
remarkable  similarity  between  the  ex- 
pression employed  by  Jesus  in  this 
place,  and  that  used  in  Exodus  to  de- 
note the  name  of  God.  The  manner 
in  which  Jesus  used  it  would  striking- 
ly suggest  the  application  of  the  same 
language  to  God.  The  question  here 
was  about  his  pre-existence.  The  ob- 
jection of  the  Jews  was  that  he  was 
not  fifty  years  old,  and  could  not, 
therefore,  have  seen  Abraham.  Jesus 
replied  to  that  that  he  existed  befo7'e 
Abraham.  As  in  his  human  nature  he 
was  not  yet  fifty  years  old,  and  could 
not,  as  a  man,  have  existed  before 
Abraham,  this  declaration  must  be  re- 
ferred to  another  nature ;  and  the  pas- 
sage proves  that,  while  he  was  a  man., 
he  was  also  endowed  with  another  na- 
ture existing  before  Abraham,  and  to 
which  he  applied  the  term  (familiar  to 
the  Jews  as  expressive  of  the  exist- 
ence of  God)  I  AM ;  and  this  declara- 
tion corresponds  to  the  affirmation  of 
John  (chap.  i.  1),  that  he  was  in  the 
beginning  with  God,  and  was  God. 
This  affirmation  of  Jesus  is  one  of  the 
proofs  on  which  John  relies  to  prove 
that  he  was  the  Messiah  (chap.  xx.  31), 
to  establish  which  was  the  design  of 
writing  this  book. 

59.  The7i  took  they  up  stones.  It  seems 
they  understood  him  as  blaspheming, 
and  proceeded,  even  without  a  form 
of  trial,  to  stone  him  as  such,  because 
this  w^as  the  punishment  prescribed  in 
the  law  for  blasphemy.  Lev.  xxiv.  16. 
See  chap.  x.  31.  The  fact  that  the  Jews 
understood  him  in  this  sense  is  sti^ng 
proof  that  his  words  naturally  convey- 
ed the  idea  that  he  was  divine.  This 
was  in  the  Temple.  Herod  the  Great 
had  not  yet  completed  its  repairs,  and 
Dr.  Lightfoot  has  remarked  that  stones 
would  be  lying  around  the  Temple  in 
repairing  it  which  the  people  could 
easily  use  in  their  indignation.  H  Je- 
sus hid  himself.  See  Luke  iv.  30.  That 
is,  he  either  by  a  miracle  rendered 
liimself  invisible,  or  he  so  mixed  with 
the  multitude  that  he  was  concealed 
from  them  and  escaped.  Which  is  the 
meaning  can  not  be  determined. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


303 


CHAPTER  IX. 

AND  as  Jesus  i3assed  by,  he  saw 
a  man  which  was  blind  from 
Ms  birth. 

2  And  his  disciples  asked  him, 
saying.  Master,  who  did  sin,  this 
man,  or  his  parents,  that  he  was 
born  blind  ? 


CHAPTER  IX. 

1.  As  Jesus  passed  by.  As  he  was 
leaving  the  Temple.  Chap.  viii.  59. 
This  man  was  in  the  way  in  which 
Jesus  was  going  to  escape  from  the 
Jews. 

2.  Master^  loho  did  sm?  etc.  It  was 
a  universal  opinion  among  the  Jews 
that  calamities  of  all  kinds  were  the  ef- 
fects of  sin.  See  Notes  on  Lul^e  xiii. 
1-4.  The  case,  however,  of  this  man 
was  that  of  one  that  was  blind  from 
his  hirth^  and  it  was  a  question  whicli 
the  disciples  could  not  determine 
wliether  it  was  his  fault  or  that  of  his 
parents.  Many  of  the  Jews,  as  it  ap- 
pears from  their  writings  (see  Ligiit- 
Ibot),  believed  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
transmifjration  of  souls ;  or  that  the 
soul  of  a  man,  in  consequence  of  sin, 
miglit  be  compelled  to  pass  into  oth- 
er bodies,  and  be  punislied  there. 
Tliey  also  believed  that  an  infant 
might  sin  before  it  was  born  (see 
Lightfoot),  and  that  consequently  this 
blindness  might  liave  come  upon  the 
child  as  a  consequence  of  that.  It 
was  also  a  doctrine  with  many  that 
the  crime  of  tlie  parent  miglit  be  the 
cause  of  deformity  in  the  child,  par- 
ticularly the  violation  of  the  com- 
mand in  Lev.  xx.  18. 

3.  Neither  hath  this  man  sinned^  etc. 
That  is,  his  blindness  is  not  the  effect 
of  his  sin,  or  that  of  his  parents.  Je- 
sus did  not,  evidently,  mean  to  affirm 
that  he  or  his  parents  were  without 
any  sin,  but  that  this  blindness  was 
not  the  effect  of  sin.  This  answer  is 
to  be  interpreted  by  the  nature  of  the 
question  submitted  to  him.  The  sense 
is,  *'his  blindness  is  not  to  be  traced 
to  anyfault  of  his  or  of  his  parents." 
T[  But  that  the  v)orks  of  God.  This  thing 
has  happened  that  it  might  appear 
how  great  and  wonderful  are  the 
works  of  God.  By  the  ivorks  of  God, 
here,  is  evidently  intended  the  mirac- 
idous  power  which  God  would  put 
forth  to  heal  the  man,  or  rather,  per- 
haps, the  whole  that  happened  to  liim 


3  Jesus  answered,  Neither  hath 
this  man  sinned,  nor  his  parents, 
bnt  that "  the  works  of  God  should 
be  made  manifest  in  him. 

4  I  must  work  the  works  of  him 
that  sent  me  while  it  is  day :  the 
night  Cometh,  when  no  man  can 
work. 

a  c.11.4. 

in  the  course  of  divine  providence — 
first  his  blindness,  as  an  act  of  his 
providence,  and  then  his  healing  him, 
as  an  act  of  mercy  and  power.  It  has 
all  happened,  not  by  the  fault  of  his 
parents  or  of  himself,  but  by  the  wise 
arrangement  of  God,  that  it  might  be 
seen  in  what  way  calamities  come,  and 
in  what  way  God  meets  and  relieves 
them.  And  from  this  we  may  learn, 
1st.  To  pity  and  not  to  despise  and 
blame  those  who  are  afflicted  with 
any  natural  deformity  or  calamity. 
While  the  Jews  regarded  it  as  the  ef- 
fect of  sin,  they  looked  upon  it  with- 
out compassion.  Jesus  tells  us  that 
it  is  not  the  fault  of  man,  but  pro- 
ceeds from  the  wise  arrangement  of 
God.  2d.  All  suffering  in  the  world  is 
not  the  effect  of  sin.  In  this  case  it  is 
expressly  so  declared ;  and  there  may 
be  many  modes  of  suffering  that  can 
not  be  traced  to  any  particular  trans- 
gression. We  should  be  cautious, 
therefore,  in  affirming  that  there  can 
be  no  calamity  in  the  universe  but  by 
transgression.  3d.  We  see  the  wise 
and  wonderful  arrangement  of  Divine 
Providence.  It  is  a  part  of  his  great 
plan  to  adapt  his  mercies  to  the  woes 
of  men ;  and  often  calamity,  want, 
poverty,  and  sickness  are  permitted, 
that  he  may  show  the  provisions  of 
his  mercy,  that  he  may  teach  us  to 
prize  his  blessings,  and  that  deep-felt 
gratitude  for  deliverance  may  bind  us 
to  him.  4th.  Those  who  are  affiicted 
with  blindness,  deafness,  or  an}^  de- 
formity, should  be  submissive  to  God. 
It  is  his  appointment,  and  is  right  and 
best.  God  does  no  wrong,  and  the 
universe  will,  when  all  his  Vorks  are 
seen,  feel  and  know  that  he  is  just. 

4.  The  works  of  him,  etc.  The  works 
of  beneficence  and  mercy  which  God 
has  commissioned  me  to  do,  and  which 
are  expressive  of  his  goodness  and 
power.  This  was  on  the  Sabbath-day 
(verse  14);  and  though  Jesus  had  en- 
dangered his  life  (chap.  v.  1-16)  by 
working  a  similar  miracle  on  the  Sab- 


304 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


5  As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world, 
I  ^  am  the  light  of  the  world. 

6  When  he  had  thus  sjDoken,  he 
*  spat  on  the  gromid,  and  made 

a  c.  1. 5, 9  ;  8. 12 ;  12. 35, 46.  b  Mar.  8.  23. 


bath,  yet  he  knew  that  this  was  the 
will  of  God  that  he  should  do  ggod, 
and  that  he  would  take  care  of  his 
life.  ^  While  it  is  day.  The  day  is 
the  proper  time  for  work — night  is 
not.  This  is  the  general,  the  univer- 
sal sentiment.  While  the  day  lasts  it 
is  proper  to  labor.  The  term  day  here 
refers  to  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  to  the 
opportunity  thus  afforded  of  working 
miracles.  His  life  was  drawing  to  a 
close.  It  was  jorobably  but  about  six 
montlis  after  this  when  he  was  put 
to  death.  The  meaning  is,  My  life  is 
near  its  close.  While  it  continues  I 
must  employ  it  in  doing  the  works 
which  God  has  appointed.  H  The  night 
Cometh.  Night  here  represents  death. 
It  was  drawing  near,  and  he  must 
therefore  do  what  he  had  to  do  soon. 
It  is  not  improbable,  also,  that  this 
took  place  near  the  close  of  the  Sab- 
bath, as  the  sun  was  declining,  and  the 
shades  of  CA^ening  about  to  appear. 
This  supposition  will  give  increased 
beauty  to  the  language  which  follows, 
^  No  man  can  tvork.  It  is  literally 
true  that  day  is  the  appropriate  time 
for  toil,  and  that  the  nigJd  of  death  is 
a  time  when  nothing  can  be  done. 
Eccl.  ix.  10:  "There  is  no  work,  nor 
device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom 
in  tlie  grave."  From  this  we  may 
learn,  1st.  Tliat  it  is  our  duty  to  em- 
ploy all  our  time  in  doing  the  v/ill  of 
God.  2d.  That  we  should  seek  for  op- 
portunities of  doing  good,  and  suffer 
none  to  pass  without  improving  it. 
We  go  hid  once  through  the  ivorld^  and 
we  can  not  return  to  correct  errors^  and 
recall  neglected  opportunities  of  doing 
our  duty.  od.  We  should  be  especial- 
ly diligent  in  doing  our  Lord's  work 
from  tlie  fact  that  the  night  of  deatli 
is  coming.  This  apx)lies  to  the  aged, 
for  tliey  mmt  soon  die ;  and  to  the 
3'oung,  for  tliey  may  soon  bo*  called 
away  from  this  world  to  eternity. 

5.  As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world,  etc. 
As  the  sun  is  the  natural  light  of  the 
world,  even  while  it  sinks  away  to  the 
west,  so  am  I,  although  my  days  are 
drawing  to  a  close,  the  light  of  the 
spiritual  world.  What  a  sublime  de- 
scription is  this !    Jesus  occupied  the 


clay  of  the  spittle,  anj^he  ^  anoint- 
ed the  eyes  of  the  blind  man  with 
the  clay, 
7  And  said  unto  him,  Go,  wash 

1  or,  spread  the  day  vjion  the  eyes  of  the  blind  man. 


same  place,  filled  the  same  space,  shed 
his  beams  as  far,  in  the  moral  world, 
as  the  sun  does  on  natural  objects ; 
and  as  all  is  dark  when  that  sun  sinks 
to  the  west,  so  when  he  withdraws 
from  the  souls  of  men  all  is  midnight 
and  gloom.  When  we  look  on  the 
sun  in  the  firmament  or  in  the  west, 
let  us  remember  that  such  is  the  great 
Sun  of  Righteousness  in  regard  to  our 
souls ;  that  his  shining  is  as  necessa- 
ry, and  his  beams  as  mild  and  lovel}^ 
on  the  soul,  as  is  the  shining  of  the 
natural  sun  to  illumine  the  material 
creation.    See  Notes  on  chap.  i.  4. 

6.  And  made  clay^  etc.  Two  reasons 
may  be  assigned  for  making  this  clay, 
and  anointing  the  e3^es  with  it.  One 
is,  that  the  Jews  regarded  spittle  as 
medicinal  to  the  eyes  when  diseased, 
and  that  they  forbade  the  use  of  med- 
icines on  the  Sabbath.  They  regard- 
ed the  Sabbath  so  strictly  that  "they 
considered  the  preparation  and  use 
of  medicines  as  contrary  to  the  law. 
Especiall}^  it  was  particularly  forbid- 
den among  them  to  use  spittle  on 
that  day  to  heal  diseased  eyes.  Sec 
instances  in  Lightfoot.  Jesus,  there- 
fore, by  making  this  spittle,  showed 
them  that  their  manner  of  keeping 
the  day  was  superstitious,  and  that 
he  dared  to  do  a  thing  which  they  es- 
teemed unlawful.  He  showed  that 
tJieir  interpretation  of  the  law  of  the 
Sabbath  was  contrary  to  the  intention 
of  God,  and  that  his  disciples  were 
not  bound  by  tJieir  notions  of  the  sa- 
crcdness  of  that  day.  Another  reason 
may  have  been  that  it  was  common 
for  prophets  to  use  some  symbolical 
or  expressive  action  in  working  mir- 
acles. Thus  Elislia  commanded  his 
staff  to  be  laid  on  the  face  of  the  child 
that  he  was  about  to  restore  to  life. 
2  Kings  iv.  29.  Compare  Notes  on  Isa. 
viii.  18.  In  such  instances  the  jjj'ophet 
showed  that  the  miracle  was  wrought 
by  ])owor  communicated  through  him; 
so,  in  this  case,  Jesus  by  this  act  show- 
ed to  the  blind  man  that  the  power 
of  Jicaling  came  from  him  wlio  anoint- 
ed his  eyes.  He  could  not  see  him, 
and  the  act  of  anointing  convinced 
him  of  what  might  have  been  known 


A.D.  82.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


305 


in  the  pool  of  Siloam, «  which  is, 
by  interpretation,  Sent.  He  *  went 
his  way,  therefore,  and  washed, 
and  came  seeing. 

8  The  neighbours,  therefore,  and 
they  which  before  had  seen  him 
that  he  was  blind,  said.  Is  not  this 
he  that  sat  and  begged  ? 

9  Some  said.  This  is  he ;  others 
sdid^  He  is  like  him;  hut  he  said, 

1  am  lie. 

10  Therefore  said  they  unto  him, 
How  were  thine  eyes  opened  ? 

11  He  answered  and  said,  A  man 
that  is  called  Jesus  made  clay, 

and  anointed  mine  eyes,  and  said 

aNeh.3. 15.  6  2  Kin.  5. 14. 

without  such  an  act,  could  he  have 
see7i  him  —  that  Jesus  had  x^owcr  to 
give  sight  to  the  blind. 

7.  \Vash  in  the  pool.  In  W\Q,  fountain. 
H  Of  Siloam.  See  Notes  on  Luke  xiii. 
4.  If  By  interpretation^  Sent.  Fi'om 
the  Hebrew  verb  to  send — perhaps  be- 
cause it  was  regarded  as  a  blessing 
sent  or  given  by  God.  Why  Jesus  sent 
him  to  wash  there  is  not  known.  It 
is  clear  that  the  waters  had  no  effica- 
cy themselves  ta  open  the  eyes  of  a 
blind  man,  but  it  is  probable  that  he 
directed  him  to  go  there  to  test  his 
obedience^  and  to  see  whether  he  was 
disposed  to  obey  him  in  a  case  where 
he  could  not  see  the  reason  of  it.  An 
instance  somewhat  similar  occurs  in 
the  case  of  Naaman,  the  Syrian  leper. 

2  Kings  V.  10.  The  proud  Syrian  de- 
spised the  direction ;  the  humble  blind 
man  obeyed  and  was  healed.  This 
case  shows  us  that  we  should  obey 
the  commands  of  God,  however  un- 
meaning or  mysterious  they  may  ap- 
pear. God  has  always  a  reason  for  all 
that  he  difects  us  to  do,  and  our  faith 
and  willingness  to  obey  him  are  often 
tried  when  we  can  see  little  of  the  rea- 
son of  his  requirements.  In  the  first 
editions  of  these  Notes  it  was  remark- 
ed that  the  word  Siloam  is  from  the 
same  verb  as  Shiloh  in  Gen.  xlix.  10 : 
"The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from 
Judah — until  Shiloh  (that  is,  the  Sent 
of  God;  the  Messiah)  come,"  and  that 
John  in  this  remark  probably  had  ref- 
erence to  this  prophecy.  This  was  in- 
correct; and  there  is  no  evidence  that 
John  in  this  passage  had  reference  to 
that  prophecy,  or  that  this  fountain 


unto  me.  Go  to  the  pool  of  Siloam 
and  wash ;  and  I  went  and  wash- 
ed, and  I  received  sight. 

12  Then  said  they  unto  him. 
Where  is  he  ?  He  said,  I  know 
not. 

13  They  brought  to  the  Phari- 
sees him  that  aforetime  was  blind. 

14  And  it  was  the  sabbath  day 
when  Jesus  made  the  clay  and 
oiDcned  his  eyes. 

15  Then  again  the  Pharisees  also 
asked  him  how  he  had  received 
his  sight.  He  said  unto  them.  He 
put  clay  upon  mine  eyes,  and  I 
washed,  and  do  see. 

c  ver.  6, 7. 

was  emblematic  of  the  Messiah.  The 
original  words  Siloam  and  Shiloh  are 
from  different  roots  and  mean  dif- 
ferent things.  The  former,  Siloam 
(hbtii),  is  derived  from  i°ibll3  {to  send): 
the  latter,  Shiloh  (hb^^)  means  rest 
or  quiet,  and  was  given  to  the  Mes- 
siah, probably,  because  he  would  bring 
m-^— that  is,  he  would  be  the  "prince 
of  peace."  Compare  Isa.  ix.  6.  The 
cut  on  the  following  page,  by  the  Rev. 
S.  C.  Malan  (Churton  and  Jones),  will 
furnish  a  good  illustration  of  this  pool 
as  it  appears  at  present. 

8.  IVie  neighbors,  etc.  This  man 
seems  to  liavc  been  one  who  attract- 
ed considerable  attention.  The  num- 
ber of  persons  totally  blind  in  any 
community  is  very  small,  and  it  is 
possible  that  this  was  the  only  blind 
beggar  in  Jerusalem.  The  case  was 
one,  therefore,  likely  to  attr.act  atten- 
tion, and  one  where  there  could  be  no 
imposture,  as  he  was  generally  known. 

13.  To  the  Pharisees.  To  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Sanhedrim.  They  did  this, 
doubtless,  to  accuse  Jesus  of  having 
violated  the  Sabbath,  and  not,  as  they 
ought  to  have  done,  to  examine  into 
the  evidence  that  he  was  from  God. 

15.  The  Pharisees  asked  him  how,  etc. 
The  proper  question  to  have  been  ask- 
ed in  the  case  was  whether  he  had  in 
fact  done  it,  and  not  in  lohat  way. 
The  question,  also,  about  a  sinner's 
conversion  is  whether  in  fact  it  has 
been  done,  and  not  about  the  mode  or 
manner  in  which  it  is  effected ;  yet  it 
is  remarkable  that  no  small  part  of 
the  disputes  and  inquiries  among  men 


306 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


16  Therefore  said  some  of  the 
Pharisees,  This  man  is  not  of  God, 


because  he  keepeth  not  the  sab- 
bath day.   Others  said,  How can 


aver.  31.   c.  3.  2. 


POOL  OF  8IL0AM. 


are  about  the  mode  in  which  the  Spir- 
it renews  the  heart,  and  not  about  the 
evidence  that  it  is  done. 

16.  TJds  man  is  7iot  of  God.  Is  not 
se7it  by  God,  or  can  not  be  sifrimd  of 
God.  T[  Because  he  keepdh  not  the  Sah- 
hath  day.  Tliey  assumed  that  their 
views  of  the  Sabbath  were  correct,  and 
by  those  views  they  jud,2:ed  others.  It 
did  not  occur  to  them  to  inquire 


whether  the  interpretation  which 
they  put  on  tlie  hxw  miglit  not  be  er- 
roneous. Men  often  assume  their  own 
interpretations  of  the  Scriptures  to  be 
infallible,  and  then  judij^c  and  con- 
demn all  others  by  those  interpreta- 
tions. ^  A  sinner.  A  deceiver ;  an 
impostor.  They  reasoned  conclusive- 
ly that  God  would  not  give  the  power 
of  working  such  miracles  to  an  impos- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


307 


a  man  that  is  a  sinner  do  such 
miracles  ?  And  "  there  was  a  di- 
vision among  them. 

17  They  say  unto  the  blind  man 
again,  What  sayest  thou  of  him, 
that  he  hath  opened  thine  eyes? 
He  said,  He  is  a  prophet.* 

18  But  the  Jews  did  not  believe 
concerning  him  that  he  had  been 

a  c.  7. 12,43.  6  c.  4. 19. 


tor.  The  miracles  were  such  as  could 
not  be  denied,  nor  did  even  the  ene- 
mies of  Jesus  attempt  to  deny  them 
or  to  explain  them  away.  They  were 
open,  public,  frequent.  And  tliis 
shows  tliat  they  could  not  deny  their 
reality.  Had  it  been  possible,  they 
would  have  done  it ;  but  the  reality 
and  x)ower  of  tliose  miracles  had  al- 
ready made  a  part}^  in  favor  of  Jesus, 
even  in  the  Sanhedrim  (cliap.  vii.  50 ; 
xii.  42),  and  those  opposed  to  them 
could  not  den}^  tlieir  reality.  It  may 
be  added  that  the  early  opponents  of 
Christianity  never  denied  the  reality 
of  the  miracles  performed  by  the  Sa- 
viour and  his  apostles.  Celsus,  Por- 
ph3a'y,  and  Julian — as  acute  foes  of 
the  Gospel  as  perhaios  have  ever  lived 
— never  called  this  in  question.  They 
attempted  to  show  that  it  was  by 
some  evil  influence,  or  to  account  for 
the  miracles  in  some  other  way  than 
by  admitting  the  divine  origin  of  the 
Christian  religion,  but  about  the  facts 
they  had  no  question.  Were  the}^  not 
as  well  qualified  to  judge  about  those 
facts  as  men  are  now  ?  They  lived 
near  the  time ;  had  every  0]Dportunity 
to  examine  the  evidence;  were  skill- 
ful and  talented  disputants ;  and  if 
they  could  have  denied  the  reality  of 
the  miracles  they  would  have  done  it. 
It  is  scarcely  possible  to  conceive  of 
more  conclusive  proof  that  those  mir- 
acles were  really  performed,  and,  if  so, 
then  the  Lord'Jesus  was  sent  by  God. 
T[  A  division.  Greek,  "A  schism.''''  A 
separation  into  two  parties. 

17.  W?iat  sayest  thou  of  him  ?  etc.  The 
translation  here  ^presses  the  sense 
obscurely.  The  meaning  is,  "What 
sayest  thou  of  him  for  giving  thee 
sight  ?"  (Campbell) ;  or,  "  What  opin- 
ion of  him  hath  this  work  of  power 
and  mercy  to  thee  wrought  in  thee?" 
(Hammond.)  ^  He  is  a  prophet.  That 
is,  "I  think  that  the  power  to  work 
such  a  miracle  proves  that  he  is  sent 


blind  and  received  his  sight,  until 
they  called  the  i^arents  of  him  that 
had  received  his.  sight. 

19  And  they  asked  them,  saying. 
Is  this  your  son,  who  ye  say  was 
born  blind  ?  How,  then,  doth  he 
now  see? 

20  His  parents  answered  them 
and  said,  We  know  that  this  is 

c  Isa.  26. 11. 


from  God.  And  though  this  has  been 
done  on  the  Sabbath,  yet  it  proves 
that  he  must  have  been  sent  by  God, 
for  such  a  power  could  never  have 
proceeded  from  man."  We  see  here, 
1st.  A  noble  confession  made  by  the 
man  who  was  healed,  in  the  face  of 
the  rulers  of  the  people,  and  when  he 
doubtless  knew  that  they  were  op- 
posed to  Jesus.  We  should  never  be 
ashamed,  before  any  class  of  men,  to 
acknowledge  the  favors  which  we  have 
received  from  Christ,  and  to  express 
our  belief  of  his  power  and  of  the 
truth  of  his  doctrine.  2d.  The  works 
of  Jesus  were  such  as  to  prove  that 
he  came  from  God,  however  much  he 
may  have  appeared  to  oppose  the  pre- 
vious notions  of  men,  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  law  by  the  Pharisees,  or 
the  deductions  of  reason.  Men  should 
yield  their  own  views  of  religion  to 
the  teachings  of  God,  and  believe  that 
he  that  could  open  the  eyes  of  the 
blind  and  raise  the  dead  was  fitted  to 
declare  his  will. 

18,  19.  Is  this  your  so?i,  etc.  The 
Pharisees  proposed  three  qiiestions  to 
the  parents,  by  which  they  hoped  to 
convict  the  man  of  falsehood.  1st. 
Whether  he  was  their  son  ?  2d.  Wheth- 
er they  w'ould  affirm  that  he  was  ho7'n 
blind?  and,  3d.  Whether  they  knew  by 
what  means  he  now  saw  ?  They  evi- 
dently intended  to  intimidate  the  par- 
ents, so  that  they  might  give  an  an- 
swer to  one  of  these  questions  that 
would  convict  the  man  of  deception. 
We  see  here  the  a7't  to  which  men  will 
resort  rather  than  admit  the  truth. 
Had  they  been  half  as  much  disposed 
to  believe  on  Jesus  as  they  were  to 
disbelieve,  there  would  have  been  no 
dififtculty  in  the  case.  And  so  with 
all  men :  were  they  as  much  inclined 
to  embrace  the  truth  as  tliey  are  to 
reject  it,  there  would  soon  be  an  end 
of  cavils. 

20-22.  His  parents  answered^  etc.  To 


308 


JOHK 


[A.D.  33. 


our  son,  and  that  lie  was  born 
blind ; 

21  But  by  what,  means  he  now 
seeth  we  know  not,  or  who  hath 
opened  his  eyes  we  know  not :  he 
is  of  age,  ask  him ;  he  shall  speak 
for  himself. 

22  These  words  spake  his  par- 
ents because  they  ^  feared  the  Jews; 
for  the  Jews  had  agreed  already 

a  Prov.29,2o.    c.  7. 13  ;  12.42. 

the  first  two  questions  they  answered 
without  hesitation.  They  knew  that 
he  was  their  son,  aud  that  he  was 
born  blind.  The  tliird  question  they 
could  not  positively  answer,  as  they 
had  not  witnessed  the  means  of  the 
cure,  aud  were  afraid  to  express  tlieir 
belief.  It  appears  that  they  had  them- 
selves no  doubt,  but  they  were  not 
eye-witnesses,  and  could  not  be  there- 
fore legal  evidence.  *[[  He  is  of  age. 
He  is  of  sufficient  age  to  give  testi- 
mon3^  Among  the  Jews  this  age  was 
fixed  at  thirteen  years.  1[  If  any  man 
did  coi/fess  that  he  icas  Christ.  Did  ac- 
knowledge that  he  was  the  Messiah. 
They  had  prejudged  the  case,  and 
were  determined  to  put  down  all  free 
inquiry,  and  not  to  be  convinced  by 
a,oiy  means.  ^  Fat  out  of  the  synagogue. 
Tliis  took  place  in  the  Temple^  or  near 
the  Temple.  It  does  not  refer,  there- 
fore, to  any  immediate  and  violent  put- 
ting forth  from  the  place  where  they 
were.  It  refers  to  excommunication 
from  the  synagogue.  Among  the 
Jews  there  were  two  grades  of  ex- 
communicifbion :  the  one  for  lighter 
oircnccs,  of  which  they  mentioned 
twenty -four  causes;  the  other  for 
greater  off'ences.  The  first  excluded 
a  man  for  thirty  days  from  the  privi- 
lege of  entering  a  synagogue,  and 
from  coming  nearer  to  his  wife  or 
friends  than  four  cubits.  The  other 
was  a  solemn  exclusion  forever  from 
the  worship  of  the  synagogue,  attend- 
ed with  awful  maledictions  and  curses, 
and  an  exclusion  from  all  intercourse 
Avith  tlie  people.  This  was  called  the 
nrrse,  aiul  so  thoroughly  excluded  the 
])er,son  from  all  communion  whatever 
with  his  countrymen,  that  they  were 
not  allowed  to  sell  to  him  any  thing, 
even  tlie  necessaries  of  life. — Buxtorf. 
It  is  probable  that  this  latter  punish- 
ment was  what  they  intended  to  in- 
fiict  if  any  one  should  confess  that  Je- 


that  if  any  man  did  confess  that 
he  was  Christ,  he  *  should  be  put 
out  of  the  synagogue. 

23  Therefore  said  his  parents, 
He  is  of  age,  ask  him."* 

24  Then  again  called  they  the 
man  that  was  blind,  and  said  unto 
hijn.  Give  God  ^  the  praise :  we 
know  that  this  man  is  a  sinner. 

25  He  answered  and  said,  Wheth- 

b  ver.  34.  c.  1 6.  2.         c  Josh.  7. 19.  Psa.  50. 14,15. 

sus  was  the  Messiah ;  and  it  Avas  the 
fear  of  this  terrible  punishment  that 
deterred  his  parents  from  expressing 
their  opinion. 

24.  Give  God  the  praise.  This  ex- 
pression seems  to  be  a  form  of  admin- 
istering an  oath.  It  is  used  in  Joshua 
vii.  19,  when  Achan  was  put  on  his 
oath  and  entreated  to  confess  his 
guilt.  Joshua  said,  "M}^  son,  give,  I 
pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel  (in  the  Greek  of  the  Septuagint, 
the  very  expression  used  in  John, 
'  Give  God  the  praise'),  and  make 
confession  unto  him."  It  is  equiva- 
lent to  an  adjuration  in  the  presence 
of  God  to  acknowledge  the  truth  ;  as 
the  truth  would  be  giving  God  praise, 
confessing  the  case  before  him,  and 
trusting  to  his  mercy.  Comp.  1  Sam. 
vi.  5.  The  meaning  here  is  not  "give 
God  raise  for  healing  you,"  for  the}' 
were  not  willing  to  admit  that  he  had 
been  cured  (verse  18),  but  confess  that 
there  is  imposture  in  the  case ;  that 
you  have  declared  to  us  a  falsehood ; 
that  you  have  endeavored  to  impose 
on  us ;  and  by  thus  confessing  your 
sin,  give  praise  and  honor  to  God,  who 
condemns  all  imposture  and  false- 
hood, and  whom  you  will  thus  ac- 
knowledge to  be  right  in  yo\xv  con- 
demnation. To  induce  him  to  do  this, 
they  added  that  they  k7ieio.,  or  were 
satisfied  that  Jesus  was  a  sinner.  As 
they  considered  that  point  settled,  they 
urged  him  to  confess  that  he  had  at- 
tempted to  impose  on  them.  11  We 
know.  We  have  settled  that.  He  has 
broken  the  Sabbaty,  and  that  leaves 
no  doubt.  1[  A  sinner.  A  violator  of 
the  law  respecting  the  Sabbath,  and 
an  impostor.    See  verse  16. 

25.  Whether  he  he  a  sinner  or  / 
know  9iot.  The  man  had  just  said  that 
he  believed  Jesus  to  be  a  ^;rojD//f^ 
Verse  17.  By  his  saying  that  he  did 
not  know  wliethcr  lie  was  a  sinner 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


309 


er  he  be  a  sinner  or  no  I  know  not : 
one  thing  I  know,  that  whereas  I 
was  blind,  now  I  see. 

26  Then  said  they  to  him  again, 
What  did  he'to  thee  ?  How  open- 
ed he  thine  eyes  ? 

27  He  answered  them,  I  have 
told  you  already,  and  ye  did  not 
hear;  wherefore  would  ye  hear  it 
again  ?  Will  ye  also  be  his  disci- 
ples ? 

a  1  Pet.  2.  23. 

6Psa.  108.7.    Heb.3.  5. 


may  he  meant  that  though  he  might  be 
a  prophet,  yet  that  he  might  not  be 
perfect;  or  that  it  did  not  become 
him,  being  an  obscure  and  unlearned 
man,  to  attempt  to  determine  that 
question.  What  follows  shows  that 
he  did  not  believe  that  he  was  a  sin- 
ner, and  these  words  were  probably 
spoken  in  irony  to  deride  the  Pliari- 
sees.  They  Avere  perverse  and  full  of 
cavils,  and  were  determined  not  to  be- 
lieve. The  man  reminded  them  that 
the  question  was  not  whether  Jesus 
was  a  sinner  ;  that,  though  that  might 
be,  yet  it  did  not  settle  the  otlier 
question  about  opening  his  eyes, 
wiiich  was  tlie  cliief  point  of  the  in- 
quiry. ^  One  thi7ig  I  know ^  etc.  About 
this  he  could  have  no  doubt.  He  dis- 
regarded, therefore,  their  cavils.  We 
may  learn,  also,  here,  1st.  That  this 
declaration  may  be  made  by  every 
converted  sinner.  He  may  not  be 
able  to  meet  the  cavils  of  others.  He 
may  not  be  able  to  tell  Jioio  he  was 
converted.  It  is  enough  if  he  can 
say,  "I  ivas  a  sinner,  but  now  love. 
God ;  I  loas  in  darkness,  but  have  noAv 
been  brought  to  the  light  of  truth." 
2d.  We  should  not  be  ashamed  of  the 
fact  that  we  are  made  to  see  by  the 
Son  of  God.  No  cavil  or  derision  of 
men  should  deter  us  from  such  an 
avowal.  3d.  Sinners  are  perpetually 
shifting  the  real  point  of  inquiry. 
They  do  not  inquire  into  the  facts. 
They  assume  that  a  thing  €a?i  not  be 
true,  and  then  argue  as  if  that  was  a 
conceded  point.  The  proper  way  in 
religion  is  first  to  inquire  into  the 
factSy  and  then  account  for  them  as 
we  can. 

26.  ITow  opened  he  thine  eyes?  The 
reason  why  they  asked  this  so  often 
was  doubtless  to  attempt  to  draw 
him  into  a  contradiction ;  either  to 


28  Then  they  reviled  "  him,  and 
said.  Thou  art  his  disciple,  but  we 
are  Moses's  disciples. 

29  We  know  ^  that  Grod  spake 
unto  Moses;  as  for  \h\^  fellow.^  we 

know  not  from  whence  he  is. 

30  The  man  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  Why  ^  herein  is  a  mar- 
vellous thing,  that  ye  know  not 
from  whence  he  is,  and  yet  he 
hath  opened  ^  mine  eyes. 

cc.8.14.  dc.Z.XO. 
e  Psa.  119.18.   Isa.  29. 18,19;  35.  5.  2  Cor.  4.  6. 

intimidate  him,  or  throw  him  off  liis 
guard,  so  that  he  might  be  detected 
in  denying  what  he  had  before  affirm- 
ed. But  God  gave  to  this  poor  man 
grace  and  strength  to  make  a  bold 
confession  of  the  truth,  and  sufficient 
common  sense  completely  to  con- 
found his  proud  and  subtle  examiners. 

28.  Thou  art  his  discijjle.  This  they 
cast  at  him  as  a  reproach.  His  de- 
fence of  Jesus  they  regarded  as  proof 
that  he  was  his  follower,  and  this  they 
now  attempted  to  show  was  inconsist- 
ent with  being  a  friend  of  Moses  and 
his  law.  Moses  had  given  the  law  re- 
specting the  Sabbath ;  Jesus  had  heal- 
ed a  man  contrary,  in  tJieir  view,  to 
the'  law  of  Moses.  They  therefore 
held  Jesus  to  be  a  violator  and  con- 
temner of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  of 
course  that  his  followers  were  also. 
T[  We  are  Moses's  disciples.  We  ac- 
knowledge the  authority  of  the  laAV 
of  Moses,  which  they  alleged  Jesus 
has  broken  by  healing  on  that  day. 

29.  We  k7iow^  etc.  We  know  that 
God  commanded  Moses  to  deliver  the 
law.  In  that  they  were  correct ;  but 
they  assumed  their  interpretation  of 
the  law  to  be  infallible,  and  hence 
condemned  Jesus.  ^  As  for  this  fel- 
low. The  word  fellovj  is  not  in  the 
original.  It  is  simply  The 
word  fellow  implies  contempt,  w^hich 
it  can  not  be  proved  they  intended  to 
express.  1[  Whe?ice  he  is.  We  know 
not  his  origin,  his  family,  or  his  home. 
The  contrast  with  the  preceding  mem- 
ber of  the  sentence  shows  that  they 
intended  to  express  their  belief  that 
he  was  not  from  God.  They  knew  not 
whether  he  was  mad,  whether  he  was 
instigated  by  the  devil,  or  whether  he 
spoke  of  himself  Sec  chap.  vii.  27 ; 
viii.  48-52. 

30.  A  marvellous  thing.   This  is  won- 


310 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


31  Now  we  know  that  God  * 
heareth  not  sinners  ;  but  if  *  any 
man  be  a  worshipper  of  God,  and 
doeth  his  will,  him  he  heareth. 

32  Since  the  world  began  was  it 
not  heard  that  any  man  opened  the 
eyes  of  one  that  was  born  blind. 

a  Job  27.  9.  Psa.  66. 18.  Prov.  28.  9.  Isa.  1. 15.  Jer. 
11.11.   Ezek.8. 18.  Mic.3.4.   Zech.  7. 13. 


derful  and  amazing.  ^  Know  not  from 
tvhence  he  is.  That  you  can  not  per- 
ceive that  he  who  has  wrought  such 
a  miracle  must  be  from  God. 

31.  JVbw  we  know.  That  is,  it  is  an 
admitted  or  conceded  point.  No  one 
calls  it  into  question.  ^  God  heareth 
not.  When  a  miracle  was  performed 
it  was  customary  to  invoke  the  aid  of 
God.  Jesus  often  did  this  himself, 
and  it  was  by  his  power  only  that 
l>rophets  and  apostles  could  perform 
miracles.  The  word  ^^hearetK^  in  this 
place  is  to  be  understood  as  referring 
to  such  case.?.  God  will  not  hear — 
that  is,  answer.  TI  Sinners.  Impos- 
tors. False  prophets  and  pretenders 
to  divine  revelation.  See  verse  24. 
The  meaning  of  this  verse  is,  there- 
fore, "It  is  well  understood  that  God 
will  not  give  miraculous  aid  to  im^oos- 
tors  and  false  prophets."  We  may 
remark  here,  1st.  That  the  passage  has 
no  reference  to  the  prayers  which  sin- 
Qiers  make  for  salvation.  2d.  If  it  had 
it  would  not  be  of  course  true.  It 
was  the  mere  opinion  of  this  man,  in 
accordance  with  the  common  senti- 
ment of -the  Jews,  and  there  is  no  ev- 
idence that  he  was  inspired.  3d.  The 
only  prayers  which  God  will  not  hear 
are  those  which  are  offered  in  mock- 
cry,  or  when  the  man  loves  his  sins 
and  is  unwilling  to  give  them  up. 
Such  prayers  God  will  not  hear.  Psa. 
Ixvi.  18:  "If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my 
heart  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me." 
Isa.  i.  14, 15.  Job  xxvii.  9.  Jer.  xi.  11. 
Ezek.  viii.  18.  Micah  iii.  4.  Zech.  vii. 
13.  ^  A  worshipper.  A  sincere  wor- 
shipper; one  who  fears,  loves,  and 
adores  him.  U  Doeth  his  ivill.  Obeys 
his  commandments.  This  is  infalli- 
bly true.  The  Scripture  abounds  with 
promises  to  such  that  God  will  hear 
their  prayer.  See  Psa.  xxxiv.  15.  Matt, 
vii.  7,  8. 

32.  Since  the  world  began.  Neither 
Moses  nor  any  of  the  prophets  had 
ever  done  this.  No  instance  of  this 
kind  is  recorded  in  the  Old  Testa- 


33  If  this  man  were  not  of  God 
he  could  do  nothing. 

34  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  Thou  ^  wast  altogether  born 
in  sins,  and  dost  thou  teach  us  ? 
And  they  ^  cast  him  ^  out. 

35  Jesus  heard  that  they  had 

b  Psa.  34. 15.    Prov.  15.  29.  c  ver.  2. 

1  or,  excommunicated  him.  d  Isa.  66.  5. 


ment.  As  this  was  a  miracle  which 
had  never  been  performed,  the  man 
argued  justly  that  he  who  had  done  it 
must  be  from  God.  As  Jesus  did  it 
not  by  surgical  operations,  but  by 
clay^  it  showed  that  he  had  power  of 
working  miracles  by  any  means.  It 
may  be  also  remarked  that  the  res- 
toration of  sight  to  the  blind  by  sur- 
gical operations  was  never  performed 
until  the  year  1728.  Dr.  Cheselden, 
an  English  surgeon,  was  the  first  who 
attempted  it  successfull}^,  who  was  en- 
abled to  remove  a  cataract  from  the 
eye  of  a  young  man,  and  to  restore 
sight.  This  fact  shows  the  difficulty 
of  the  operation  when  the  most  skill- 
ful natural  means  are  employed,  and 
the  greatness  of  the  miracle  perform- 
ed by  the  Saviour. 

33.  Could  do  nothing.  Could  do  no 
such  work  as  this.  This  reasoning 
was  conclusive.  The  fact  that  Jesus 
could  perform  miracles  like  this  was 
full  proof  that  he  was  commissioned 
by  God — proof  that  never  has  been 
and  never  can  be  refuted.  One  such 
miracle  proves  that  he  was  from  God. 
But  Jesus  gave  maynj  similar  proofs, 
and  thus  put  his  divine  mission  be- 
yond the  possibility  of  doubt. 

34.  Wast  horn  in  si7is.  Tliat  is,  thou 
wast  born  in  a  state  of  blindness — a 
state  which  proved  that  either  thou 
or  thy  parents  had  sinned,  and  that 
this  was  the  punishment  for  it.  See 
verse  2.  Thou  wast  cursed  by  God 
with  blindness  for  crime,  and  yet  thou 
dost  set  up  for  a  religious  teacher ! 
When  men  have  no  arguments,  they 
attempt  to  supply  their  place  by  re- 
vilings.  When  tliey  are  pressed  by  ar- 
gument, they  reproach  their  adversa- 
ries with  crime,  and  especially  with 
being  blind,  perverse,  heretical,  disposed 
to  speculation,  and  regardless  of  the  au- 
thority of  God.  And  especially  do  they 
consider  it  great  presumption  that  one 
of  an  inferior  age  or  rank  should  pre- 
sume to  advance  an  argument  in 
opposition   to  prevailing  opinions. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  IX. 


311 


cast  him  out;  and  when  he  had 
found  him,  he  said  unto  him,  Dost 
thou  believe  *  on  the  Son  of  God  ? 

36  He  answered  and  said.  Who 
is  he,  Lord,  that  I  might  believe 
on  him  ? 

37  And  Jesus  said  unto  him, 

alJno.5.13.  6  c.  4.  26.  c  Matt.  14. 33. 


T[  TheTj  cast  him  out.  Out  of  the  syn- 
agogue. They  excommunicated  him. 
See  Notes  on  verse  22. 

35.  Dost  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of 
God?  Hitherto  he  had  understood 
little  of  the  true  character  of  Jesus. 
He  believed  tliat  he  had  power  to  heal 
him,  and  he  infemd  that  he  must  be 
a  prophet.  Verse  17.  He  believed  ac- 
cording to  the  light  he  had^  and  he  now 
showed  that  he  was  prepared  to  be- 
lieve all  that  Jesus  said.  This  is  the 
nature  of  true  faith.  It  believes  all 
that  God  has  made  known,  and  it  is 
prepared  to  receive  all  that  he  will 
teach.  The  phrase  Son  of  God  here  is 
equivalent  to  the  Messiah.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  viii.  29. 

36.  Who  is  he?  It  is  probable  that 
the  man  did  not  know  that  he  who 
now  addressed  him  was  the  same  who 
had  healed  him.  He  had  not  yet  seen 
him  (verse  7),  but  he  was  prepared  to 
acknowledge  him  when  he  did  see  him. 
He  inquired,  therefore,  who  the  person 
was,  or  wished  that  he  might  be  point- 
ed out  to  him,  that  he  might  see  him. 
This  passage  shows  that  he  was  dis- 
posed to  believe,  and  had  a  strong  de- 
sire to  see  and  hear  the  Son  of  God. 
1  Lord.  This  word  here,  as  in  many 
other  instances  in  the  New  Testament, 
means  "Sir."  It  is  clear  that  the  man 
did  not  know  that  it  was  the  Lord  Je- 
sus that  addressed  him,  and  he  there- 
fore replied  to  him  in  the  common 
language  of  respect,  and  asked  him  to 
point  out  to  him  the  Son  of  God.  The 
word  translated  "  Lord"  here  is  ren- 
dered "Sir"  in  John  iv.  11;  xx.  15; 
xii.  21.  Acts  xvi.  30.  Matt,  xxvii.  63. 
It  should  have  been  also  here,  and  in 
many  other  places. 

38.  I  believe.  This  was  the  overflow- 
ing expression  of  gratitude  and  faith. 
1"  And  he  worshipped  him..  He  did  hom- 
age to  him  as  the  Messiah  and  as  his 
gracious  benefactor.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  ii.  2.  This  shows,  1st.  That  it  is 
right  and  natural  to  express  thanks 
and  praise  for  mercies.    2d.  All  bless- 


Thou  hast  both  seen  him,  and  ^  it 
is  he  that  talketh  with  thee. 

38  And  he  said.  Lord,  I  believe. 
^  And  he  worshipped  him. 

39  And  Jesus  said,  For  ^  judg- 
ment I  am  come  into  this  world, 
that  they  which  see  not  ^  might 

d  c.  5.  22, 27 ;  12. 47.  e  1  Pet.  2. 9. 


ings  should  lead  us  to  pour  out  our 
gratitude  to  Jesus,  for  it  is  from  him 
that  we  receive  them.  3d.  Especially 
is  this  true  when  the  mind  has  been 
enlightened;  when  our  spiritual  eyes 
have  been  opened,  and  we  are  permit- 
ted to  see  the  glories  of  the  heavenly 
worM.  4th.  It  is  right  to  pay  homage 
or  worship  to  Jesus.  He  forbade  it 
not.  He  received  it  on  earth,  and  for 
all  mercies  of  providence  and  redemp- 
tion we  should  pay  to  him  the  tribute 
of  humble  and  grateful  hearts.  The 
Syriac  renders  the  phrase,  "he  wor- 
shipped him,"  thus:  "and,  casting 
himself  down,  he  adored  him."  The 
Persic,  "and  he  bowed  down  and 
adored  Christ,"  The  Arabic,  "and 
he  adored  him."  The  Latin  Vulgate, 
"and,  falling  down,  he  adored  him." 

39.  For  judgment.  The  word  judg- 
ment^ here,  has  been  by  some  under- 
stood in  the  sense  of  condem7iation — 
"The  effect  of  my  coming  is  to  con- 
demn the  world."  But  this  meaning 
does  not  agree  with  those  places 
w^here  Jesus  says  that  he  came  not  to 
condemn  the  world.  John  iii.  17;  xii. 
47 ;  V.  45.  To  judge  is  to  express  an 
opi7iio7Tin  a  judicial  manner,  and  also 
to  express  any  sentiment  about  any 
person  or  thing.  John  vii.  24;  v.  30. 
Luke  viii.  43.  The  meaning  here  may 
be  thus  expressed:  "I  came  to  declare 
the  condition  of  men  ;  to  show  them 
their  duty  and  danger.  My  coming 
will  have  this  effect,  that  some  will 
be  reformed  and  saved,  and  some  more 
deeply  condemned."  1[  That  they,  etc. 
The  Saviour  does  not  affirm  that  -this 
was  the  desig7i  of  his  coming,  but  that 
such  would  be  the  effect  or  result.  He 
came  to  declare  the  truth,  and  the  ef- 
fect would  be,  etc.  Similar  instances 
of  expression  frequently  occur.  Com- 
pare Matt.  xi.  25;  x.  34:  "I  came  not 
to  send  peace,  but  a  sword" — that  is, 
such  will  be  the  effect  of  my  coming. 
^  That  they  which  see  not.  Jesus  took 
this  illustration,  as  he  commonly  did, 
from  the  case  before  him;  but  it  is 


312 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


see,  and  that  tliey  which  see  might 
be  made  blind/ 

40  And  some  of  the  Pharisees 
which  were  with  him  heard  these 
words,  and  said  unto  him,  Are  we 
*  blind  also  ? 

41  Jesus  said  unto  them,  If "  ye 

a  Matt.  13. 13.  c.  3. 19.  b  Rom.  2. 19.  Rev.  3. 17. 
c  c.  15.  22,  24. 


evident  that  he  meant  it  to  be  taken 
in  a  spiritual  sense.  He  refers  to  those 
who  are  blind  and  ignorant  by  sin; 
whose  minds  have  been  darkened,  but 
who  are  desirous  of  seeing.  H  Might 
see.  Might  discern  the  path  of  truth, 
of  duty,  and  of  salvation.  Chap.  x.  9. 
T[  They  which  see.  They  who  s2ip2JOse 
they  see;  who  are  proud,  self-confi- 
dent, and  despisers  of  the  truth.  Such 
were  evidently  the  Pharisees.  1[  Ilight 
be  made  blind.  Such  would  be  the  ef- 
fect of  liis  preaching.  It  would  exas- 
perate them,  and  their  pride  and  op- 
position to  him  would  confirm  them 
more  and  more  in  their  erroneous 
views.  This  is  always  the  effect  of 
truth.  Where  it  does  not  soften  it 
hardens  the  heart ;  where  it  does  not 
convert,  it  sinks  into  deeper  blindness 
and  condemnation. 

41.  ffye  ivere  blind.  If  you  were  reaZ- 
ly  blind — had  liad  no  opportunities  of 
learning  the  truth.  If  you  were  truly 
ignorant,  and  were  willing  to  confess 
it,  and  to  come  to  me  for  instruction. 
^  No  si7i.  You  would  not  be  guilty. 
Sin  is  measured  by  the  capacities  or 
ability  of  men,  and  by  their  opportu- 
nities of  knowing  the  truth.  If  men 
had  no  ability  to  do  the  will  of  God, 
they  could  incur  no  blame.  If  they 
have  all  proper  ability^  and  no  dispo- 
sition^ God  holds  them  to  be  guilty. 
This  passage  teaches  conclusively,  1st. 
That  men  are  not  condemned  for  what 
they  can  not  do.  2d.  That  the  reason 
why  they  are  condemned  is  that  they 
are  not  disposed  to  receive  the  truth. 
3d.  That  pride  and  self-confidence  are 
the  sources  of  condemnation.  4th. 
That  if  men  are  condemned,  they,  and 
not  God,  will  be  to  blame.  H  We  see. 
We  have  knowledge  of  the  law  of 
God.  This  they  had  pretended  when 
they  professed  to  understand  the  law 
respecting  the  Sabbath  better  than 
Jesus,  and  had  condemned  him  for 
liealing  on  that  day.  H  Your  sin  re- 
maineth.  You  are  guilty,  and  your 
sin  is  unpardoned.    Men's  sins  will 


were  blind,  ye  should  have  no  sin ; 
but  now  ye  say  We  see ;  therefore 
^  your  sin  remaineth. 

CHAPTER  X. 

VERILY,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
^  He  that  entereth  not  by  the 

<?Isa.5.21.  Lu.  18. 14.  IJno.  1.8-10. 
e  Rom.  10. 15.  Heb.5.4. 


always  be  unpardoned  while  they  are 
proud,  and  self-sufficient,  and  confi- 
dent of  their  own  wisdom.  If  they 
will  come  with  humble  hearts  and 
confess  their  ignorance,  God  will  for- 
give, enlighten,  and  guide  them  in  the 
path  to  heaven. 

CHAPTER  X. 
1.  Verily,  verily.  See  Notes  on  John 
iii.  3.  H  /  say  unto  you.  Some  have 
supposed  that  what  follows  here  was 
delivered  on  some  other  occasion  than 
the  one  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter; 
but  the  expression  verily,  verily,  is  one 
which  is  not  used  at  the  commencement 
of  a  discourse,  and  the  discourse  it- 
self seems  to  be  a  continuation  of 
what  was  said  before.  The  Pharisees 
professed  to  be  the  guides  or  shepheixls 
of  the  people.  Jesus,  in  the  close  of 
the  last  chapter,  had  charged  them- 
with  being  blind,  and  of  course  of  be- 
ing unqualified  to  lead  the  people. 
He  proceeds  here  to  state  the  charac- 
ter of  a  true  shepherd,  to  show  what 
was  a  hireling,  and  to  declare  that  he 
was  the  true  shepherd  and  guide  of 
his  people.  This  is  called  (verse  6) 
a  parable,  and  it  is  an  eminentl}^  beau- 
tiful illustration  of  the  office  of  the 
Messiah,  drawn  from  an  employment 
well  known  in  Judea.  The  Messiah 
was  predicted  under  the  image  of  a 
shepherd.  Ezek.  xxxiv.  23 ;  xxxvii.  24. 
Zech.  xiii.  7.  Hence  at  the  close  of 
the  discourse  they  asked  him  whether 
he  were  the  Messiah.  Verse  24.  ^  I?ito 
the  sheepfold.  The  slieepfold  was  an 
inclosure  made  in  fields  where  the 
sheep  were  collected  by  night  to  de- 
fend them  from  robbers,  wolves,  etc. 
It  was  not  commonly  covered,  as  the 
seasons  in  Judea  were  mild.  The  cut 
on  the  opposite  page  will  give  a  good 
idea  of  the  usual  appearance  of  the 
sheepfold.  It  is  from  "The  Land  and 
the  Book."  By  the  figure  here  we 
are  to  understand  the  Jewish  people, 
or  tlie  Church  of  God,  which  is  often 
likened  to  a  flock.   Eeek.  xxxiv.  1-19. 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


313 


door  into  the  sheepfold,  but  climb- 
etli  up  some  other  way,  the  same 
is  a  thief  and  a  robber. 


2  But  he  that  entereth  in  by 
the  *  door  is  the  shepherd  of  the 
sheep. 

a  ver.  7, 9. 


Jer.  xxiii.  1-4.  Zech.  xiii.  By  the 
(Zoor,  here,  is  meant  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Verses  7,  9.  He  is  "the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  hfe."  John  xiv.  6. 
And,  as  the  only  proper  way  of  enter- 
ing the  fold  was  by  the  door,  so  the 
only  way  of  entering  the  Church  of 
God  is  by  believing  on  him  and  obey- 
ing his  commandments.  The  partic- 
ular application  of  this  place,  howev- 
er, is  to  religious  teachers^  who  can  not 
enter  properly  on  the  duties  of  teach- 
ing and  guarding  the  flock  except  by 
the  Lord  Jesus — that  is,  in  the  way 
which  he  has  appointed.  The  Phari- 
sees claimed  to  be  pastors^  but  not  un- 
der his  appointment.  They  entered 
some  other  way.  The  true  pastors  of 
the  Church  are  those  who  enter  by 
the  influences  of  the  spirit  of  Jesus, 
and  in  the  manner  which  he  has  ap- 
pointed. *^  Some  other  loay.  Either  at 
a  window  or  over  the  wall.  ^  A  thief. 
One  who  silently  and  secretly  takes 

n.— o 


away  the  property  of  another.  If  A 
robber.  One  who  does  it  by  violence 
or  bloodshed.  Jesus  here  designates 
those  pastors  or  ministers  of  religion 
who  are  influenced  not  by  love  to 
7wm,  but  who  seek  the  office  from  am- 
bition, or  the  love  of  power,  or  wealth, 
or  ease ;  who  come,  not  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  the  Church,  but  to  pro- 
mote their  own  interests.  Alas  !  in 
all  churches  there  have  been  many — 
many  who  for  no  better  ends  have 
sought  the  pastoral  office.  To  all 
sucii  Jesus  gives  the  names  of  thieves 
and  robbers.  ^ 

2.  He  that  entereth  by  the  door.  This 
was  the  way  in  which  a  shepherd  had 
access  to  his  flock.  In  verse  7  Jesus 
says  he  is  the  door.  In  this  place  he 
refers  to  those  who  by  him — that  is, 
in  accordance  with  his  spirit  and  law 
— become  ministers  of  religion.  H  Is 
the  shepherd  of  the  sheep.  Christ  does 
not  here  refer  to  himself  for  he  is  the 


314 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


3  To  him  the  porter  openeth, 
and  the  sheep  hear  his  voice ;  and 
he  calleth  ^  his  own  sheep  by  name, 
and  leadeth  them  out. 

4  And  when  he  putteth  forth  his 
own  sheep,  he  goeth  before  them, 

a  Rev.  3.  20.  h  Ezek.  34. 11.  Rom.  8. 30. 

c  Isa.  40. 11. 


way  or  door  by  which  others  enter; 
but  he  refers  to  all  the  mmisters  of 
the  Gospel  who  have  access  to  the 
Church  by  him.  In  the  original,  the 
^  article  "  the"  is  wanting  before  the 
word  shepherd — "  is  a  shepherd."  By 
his  entering  in  this  manner  he  shows 
that  he  is  a  shepherd — one  who  cares 
for  his  flock,  and  does  not  come  to 
kill  and  destroy. 

3.  To  him  the  porter  openeth.  The 
porter  is  the  door-keeper.  It  seems 
that  the  more  wealthy  Jews  who 
owned  flocks  employed  some  person 
to  take  charge  of  the  flock.  At  first 
all  shepherds  attended  their  flocks 
personally  by  day  and  by  night,  and 
this  continued  to  be  commonly  the 
practice,  but  not  always.  ^  The  sheep 
hear  his  voice.  The  voice  of  the  shep- 
herd, A  flock  will  readily  discern  the 
well-known  voice  of  one  who  is  ac- 
customed to  attend  them.  The  mean- 
ing is,  that  the  people  of  God  will  be 
found  disposed  to  listen  to  the  in- 
structions of  those  who  are  appoint- 
ed by  Christ,  who  preach  his  pure 
doctrines,  and  who  show  a  real  love 
for  the  Church  of  God.  There  is 
scarcely  any  better  test  of  fidelity  in 
the  pastoral  office  than  the  approba- 
tion of  the  humble  and  obscure  peo- 
ple of  God,  when  they  discern  in  the 
preacher  the  very  manner  and  spirit 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible.  If  lie 
calleth  his  own  sheep  by  name.  It  was 
customary,  and  is  still,  we  are  told 
by  travelers,  for  shepherds  to  give 
particular  names  to  their  sheep,  by 
which  they  soon  learned  to  regard 
the  voice  of  the  shepherd.  By  this 
our  Saviour  indicates,  doubtless,  that 
it  is  the  duty  qI"  a  minister  of  religion 
to  seek  an  intimate  and  personal  ac- 
quaintance with  the  people  of  his 
charge ;  to  feel  an  interest  in  them 
as  individuals,  and  not  merely  to  ad- 
dress them  tor/ether;  to  learn  their 
private  wants ;'  to  meet  them  in  their 
individual  trials,  and  to  administer  to 
them  personally  the  consolations  of 
the  Gospel.    If  Leadeth  them  out.  He 


and  the  sheep  follow  him,  for  they 
know  his  voice.^ 

5  And  a  stranger  will  they  not 
follow,  but  will  flee  ^  from  him ; 
for  they  know  not  the  voice  of 
strangers. 

d  Cant.  2.  8  ;  5.  2. 

e  2  Tim.  3.  5.    Rev.  2. 2. 


leads  them  from  the  fold  to  pasture 
or  to  water.  Perhaps  there  is  here 
intended  the  care  of  a  faithful  pastor 
to  provide  suitable  instruction  for  the 
people  of  Ms  charge,  and  to  feed  them 
with  the  bread  of  life.  See  a  beauti- 
ful and  touching  description  of  the 
care  of  the  Great  Shepherd  in  Psalm 
xxiii. 

4.  He  putteth  forth.  Or  leads  them 
out  of  the  fold.  1[  He  goeth  before  them. 
He  leads  them,  and  guides  them,  and 
does  not  leave  them.  A  shepherd 
spent  his  time  with  his  flocks.  He 
went  before  them  to  seek  the  best 
pastures  and  watering-places,  and  to 
defend  them  from  danger.  In  this  is 
beautifully  represented  the  tender 
care  of  him  who.  watches  for  souls  as 
one  that  must  give  account. 
■  5.  A  stranger,  etc.  This  was  literal  - 
ly true  of  a  flock.  Accustomed  to  the 
voice  and  presence  of  a  kind  shepherd, 
they  would  not  regard  the  command 
of  a  stranger.  It  is  also  true  spirit- 
ually. Jesus  by  this  indicates  that 
the  true  people  of  God  will  not  follow 
false  teachers — those  who  are  proud, 
haughty,  and  self-seeking,  as  were  the 
Pharisees.  Many  77iay  follow  such, 
but  humble  and  devoted  Christians 
seek  those  who  have  the  mild  and 
self-denying  spirit  of  their  Master  and 
Great  Shepherd.  It  is  also  true  in 
reference  to  those  who  are  pastors  in 
the  churches.  They  have  an  influ- 
ence which  no  stranger  or  wandering 
minister  can  have.  A  Church  learns 
to  put  confidence  in  a  pastor;  he 
knows  the  wants  of  his  people,  sees 
their  danger,  and  can  adapt  his  in- 
structions to  them.  A  stranger,  how- 
ever eloquent,  pious,  or  learned,  can 
have  few  of  these  advantages ;  and  it 
is  more  absurd  to  commit  the  church- 
es to  the  care  of  wandering  strangers, 
of  those  who  have  no  permanent  re- 
lation to  the  Church,  than  it  would 
be  for  a  flock  to  be  committed  to  a 
foreigner  who  knew  nothing  of  it, 
and  who  had  no  particular  niterest 
in  it.    Tlie  pastoral  office  is  one  of  the 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


315 


6  This  parable  spake  Jesus  unto 
tliem ;  but  they  understood  not 
what  things  they  were  which  he 
spake  unto  them. 

7  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them 


wisest  mstitutions  of  heaven.  The 
following  extract  from  "  The  Land 
and  the  Book"  (Thomson)  will  show 
how  strikingly  this  whole  passage  ac- 
cords with  what  actually  occurs  at 
this  day  in  Palestine:  "This  is  true 
to  the  letter.  They  are  so  tame  and 
so  trained  that  thej  follow  their  keep- 
er with  the  utmost  docility.  He  leads 
them  forth  from  the  fold,  or  from 
their  houses  in  the  villages,  just  where 
he  pleases.  As  there  are  many  flocks 
in  such  a  place  as  this,  each  one  takes 
a  different  path,  and  it  is  his  business 
to  find  pasture  for  them.  It  is  neces- 
sary, therefore,  that  they  should  be 
taught  to  follow,  and  not  to  stray 
away  into  the  unfenced  fields  of  corn 
which  lie  so  temptingly  on  either  side. 
Any  one  that  thus  wanders  is  sure  to 
get  into  trouble.  The  shepherd  calls 
sharply  from  time  to  time  to  remind 
them  of  his  presence.  They  know  his 
voice  and  follow  on ;  but  if  a  stranger 
call,  they  stop  short,  lift  up  their 
heads  in  alarm,  and,  if  it  is  repeated, 
they  turn  and  flee,  because  they  know 
not  the  voice  of  a  stranger.  This  is 
not  the  fanciful  costume  of  a  parable ; 
it  is  simple  fact.  I  have  made  the  ex- 
periment repeatedly.  The  shepherd 
goes  before,  not  merely  to  point  out 
the  way,  but  to  see  that  it  is  practica- 
ble and  safe.  He  is  armed  in  order  to 
defend  his  charge,  and  in  this  he  is 
very  courageous.  Many  adventures 
with  wild  beasts  occur  not  unlike  that 
recounted  by  David,  and  in  these  very 
mountains ;  for,  though  there  are  now 
no  lions  here,  there  are  wolves  in 
abundance;  and  leopards  and  pan- 
thers, exceedingly  fierce,  prowl  about 
these  wild  wadies.  They  not  unfre- 
quently  attack  the  flock  in  the  very 
presence  of  the  shepherd,  and  he  must 
be  ready  to  do  battle  at  a  moment's 
warning.  I  have  listened  with  intense 
interest  to  their  graphic  descriptions 
of  downright  and  desperate  fights 
with  these  savage  beasts.  And  when 
the  thief  and  the  robber  come  (and 
come  they  do),  the  faithful  shepherd 
has  often  to  put  his  life  in  his  hand 
to  defend  his  flock.    I  have  known 


again,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  I «  am  the  door  of  the  sheep. 

8  All  that  ever  came  before  me 
are  thieves  and  robbers;  but  the 
sheep  did  not  hear  them. 

a  Eph.  2. 18. 


more  than  one  case  in  which  he  had 
literally  to  lay  it  down  in  the  contest. 
A  poor  faithful  fellow  last  spring,  be- 
tween Tiberias  and  Tabor,  instead  of 
fleeing,  actually  fought  three  Bedawin 
robbers  until  he  was  hacked  to  pieces 
with  their  khanjars,  and  died  among 
the  sheep  he  was  defending." 

6.  This  parable.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xiii.  3.  1[  They  uiiderstood  not^  etc.  They 
did  not  understand  the  meaning  or  de- 
sign of  the  illustration. 

7.  lam  the  door.  I  am  the  way  by 
which  ministers  and  people  enter  the 
true  Church.  It  is  by  his  merits,  his 
intercession,  his  aid,  and  his  appoint- 
ment that  they  enter.  ^  Of  the  sheep. 
Of  the  Church. 

8.  All  that  ever  came  before  me.  This 
does  not  refer  to  the  prophets,  but  to 
those  who  came  pretending  to  be  the 
pastors  or  guides  of  the  people.  Some 
have  supposed  that  he  referred  to 
those  who  pretended  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah before  him ;  but  there  is  not  evi- 
dence that  any  such  person  appeared 
before  the  coming  of  Jesus.  It  is  prob- 
able that  he  rather  refers  to  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  who  claimed  to  be  in- 
structors of  the  people,  who  claimed 
the  right  to  regulate  the  affairs  of  re- 

«ion,  and  whose  only  aim  was  to  ag- 
pidize  themselves  and  to  oppress 
e  people.  See  Notes  on  John  i.  18. 
When  the  Saviour  says  that"«?r' 
were  thieves,  he  speaks  in  a  popular 
sense,  using  the  word  "all"  as  it  is 
often  used  in  the  New  Testament,  to 
denote  the  great  mass  or  the  majority. 
If  Thieves  and  robbers.  See  verse  1; 
also  Jer.  xxiii.  1:  "Woe  be  unto  the 
pastors  that  destroy  and  scatter  the 
sheep  of  my  pasture."  Ezek.  xxxiv. 
2,  3:  "Woe  be  to  the  shepherds  of  Is- 
rael that  do  feed  themselves  !  Ye  eat 
the  fat,  and  ye  clothe  you  with  the 
wool,  ye  kill  them  that  are  fed ;  but 
ye  feed  not  the  flock."  This  had  been 
the  general  character  of  the  Pharisees 
and  scribes.  They  sought  wealth,  of- 
fice, ease  at  the  expense  of  the  people, 
and  thus  deserved  the  character  of 
thieves  and  robbers.  They  insinuated 
themselves  slyly  as  a  thief  and  they 


316 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


9  I  am  the  door.  By  me,  if  any 
man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved, 
and  shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find 
pasture. 

10  The  thief  cometh  not  but  for 
to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to  de- 
stroy ;  I  am  come  that  they  might 
have  life,  and  that  they  might 
have  it  more  abundantly. 

11  I «  am  the  good  shepherd :  the 
good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for 
the  sheep. 

a  Heb.  13.  20.   1  Pet.  2.  25. 
b  Ezek.34.2-6.  Zech.  11.17. 


oppressed  and  spared  not,  like  a  rob- 
ber. The  sheep.  The  people  of  God 
— the  pious  and  humble  i3ortion  of 
the  Jewish  nation.  Tliough  tlie  great 
mass  of  the  people  were  corrupted, 
yet  tliere  were  always  sotne  who  were 
the  humble  and  devoted  people  of 
God.  Compare  Rom.  xi.  8,  4.  So  it 
will  be  alv/ays.  Though  the  great 
mass  of  teacliers  may  be  corrupt,  yet 
the  true  friends  of  God  will  mourn  in 
secret  places,  and  refuse  to  "listen  to 
the  instruction  that  causeth  to  err." 

9.  By  me.  By  my  instruction  and 
merits.  %  Shall  be  saved.  See  chap. 
y.  24.  1[  Shall  go  in  and  out^  etc.  Tliis 
is  language  a  implied  commonl}^  to 
flocks.  It  meant  that  he  shall  be  well 
sui^plied,  and  defended,  and  led  "be- 
side the  still  waters  of  salvation." 

10.  The  thief  cometh  7iot^  etc.  The 
thief  has  no  other  design  in  coming 
but  to  plunder.  So  false  teach^^ 
have  no  other  end  in  view  but  to  mm 
rich  or  aggrandize  themselves.  1'7 
am  come  that  they  might  have  life.  See 
Notes  on  John  v.  24.  ^  Might  have  it 
more  abundantly.  Literally,  that  they 
may  have  abundance^  or  that  which 
abounds.  The  word  denotes  that 
which  is  not  absolutely  essential  to 
life.,  but  which  is  superadded  to  make 
life  happy.  They  shall  not  merely 
have  life — simple,  bare  existence — but 
they  shall  have  all  those  superadded 
things  which  are  needful  to  make  that 
life  eminently  blessed  and  happy.  It 
would  be  vast  mercy  to  keep  men 
merely  from  annihilation  or  hell ;  but 
Jesus  will  give  them  eternal  joy, 
peace,  the  society  of  the  blessed,  and 
all  those  exalted  means  of  felicity 
which  are  ])rcparcd  for  them  in  the 
world  of  glory. 

11.  The  good  shepherd.    The  faithful 


12  But  he  that  is  an  hireling,  and 
not  the  shepherd,  whose  own  the 
sheep  are  not,  seeth  the  wolf  com- 
ing, and  leaveth  *  the  sheep,  and 
fleeth ;  and  the  wolf  catcheth 
them,  and  scattereth  the  sheep. 

13  The  hireling  fleeth  because 
he  is  an  hireling,  and  careth  not 
for  the  sheep. 

14  I  am  the  good  shepherd,  and 
^know  my  sheep.,  and  am  known 
of  mine. 

c  2  Tim.  2. 19. 
d  1  Jno.  5.  20. 


and  true  shepherd,  willing  to  do  all 
that  is  necessary  to  defend  and  save 
the  flock.  If  Giveth  his  life.  A  shep- 
herd that  regarded  his  flock  would 
hazard  his  own  life  to  defend  them. 
When  the  wolf  comes,  he  would  still 
remain  to  protect  them.  To  give  7iis 
life.,  here,  means  the  same  as  not  to  fly., 
or  to  forsake  his  flock ;  to  be  willing 
to  expose  his  life,  if  necessary,  to  de- 
fend them.  Compare  Judges  xii.  3 : 
"  I  put  m}^  life  in  my  hands  and  pass- 
ed over,"  etc.  1  Sam.  xix.  5;  xxviii. 
21.  See  verse  15.^  The  Messiah  was 
often  predicted  under  the  character 
of  a  shepherd. 

12.  A  hirelifig.  A  man  employed  to 
take  care  of  the  sheep,  to  whom  wages 
is  paid.  As  he  docs  not  oivn  the  sheep, 
and  guards  them  merely  for  pay,  rath- 
er than  risk  his  life  he  would  leave  the 
flock  to  the  ravages  of  wild  beasts. 
The  word  translated  hireling  is  often 
employed  in  a  good  sense ;  but  here 
it  denotes  one  who  is  unfaithful  to 
his  trust ;  and  especially  those  minis- 
ters who  preach  only  for  support,  and 
who  are  unwilling  to  encounter  any 
danger  or  to  practice  any  self-denial 
for  the  welfare  of  the  Church  of  God. 
They  are  those  who  have  no  boldness 
in  the  cause  of  their  Master,  but  who, 
rather  than  lose  their  reputation  or 
place,  would  see  the  Church  corrupt- 
ed and  wasted  by  its  spiritual  foes. 
1[  Whose  own  the  sheep  arc  not.  Who 
does  not  own  the  sheep. 

13.  Because  he  is  a  hireling.  Because 
he  regards  only  his  wages.  He  feels 
no  special  interest  in  the  flock. 

14.  Know  my  sliecp.  Know  my  peo- 
ple, or  my  Church.  The  word  k7tow 
here  is  used  in  the  sense  of  affectionate 
regard  or  love.  It  implies  such  a  loiowl- 
edge  of  their  wants,  their  dangers,  and 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


317 


15  As  «  the  Father  knoweth 
me,  even  so  know  I  the  Father; 
and  ^  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the 
sheep. 

16  And    other  sheep  I  have, 

a  Matt.  11.  27.  6  c.  15. 13.  Isa.  53. 4, 5. 


their  characters,  as  to  result  in  a  deep 
interest  in  their  welfare.  Thus  the 
word  "knoweth,"  in  verse  15,  is  in 
verse  17  explained  by  the  word  "lov- 
eth. ' '  Jesus  knows  the  hearts,  the  dan- 
gers, and  the  wants  of  his  people, 
and  his  kindness  as  their  shepherd 
prompts  him  to  defend  and  aid  them, 
t  Am  k7iown  of  mine.  That  is,  he  is 
known  and  loved  as  their  Saviour  and 
Friend.,  They  have  seen  their  sins, 
and  dangers,  and  wants;  they  have 
felt  their  need  of  a  Saviour;  they 
have  come  to  him,  and  they  have 
found  him  and  his  doctrines  to  be 
such  as  they  need,  and  they  have 
loved  him.  And  as  a  flock  follows 
and  obeys  its  kind  shepherd,  so  they 
follow  and  obey  him  who  leads  them 
beside  the  still  waters,  and  makes 
them  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures. 

15.  As  the  Father  knoweth  me,  etc. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xi.  27 ;  also  Luke 
X.  22.  H  /  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep. 
That  is,  I  give  my  life  as  an  atoning 
sacrifice  for  their  sins.  I  die  in  their 
place,  to  redeem  them  from  sin,  and 
danger,  and  death.    See  verses  17,  18. 

16.  Other  sheep.  There  are  others 
who  shall  be  members  of  my  redeem- 
ed Church.  If  /  have.  This  does  not 
imply  that  they  were  theyi  his  friends, 
but  that  they  woidd  be.  There  were 
others  whom  it  was  his  purpose  and 
i7itention  to  call  to  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel  and  salvation.  The  purpose 
was  so  sure,  and  the  fact  that  they 
would  believe  on  him  so  certain,  that 
he  could  use  the  present  tense  as  if 
they  were  already  his  own.  This  pur- 
pose was  in  accordance  with  the  prom- 
ise (Isa.  liii.  11),  "He  shall  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul,  and  shall  be  satis- 
fied." An  instance  of  a  parallel  ex- 
pression occurs  in  Acts  xviii.  10,  "I 
have  much  people  in  this  city"  (Co- 
rinth). That  is,  it  was  the  purpose 
of  God  to  bless  the  preaching  of  Paul, 
and  give  him  many  souls  as  the  seals 
of  his  ministry.  It  was  so  certain  that 
they  would  believe  in  the  Saviour, 
that  it  could  be  spoken  of  as  if  it  were 
already  done.  This  certainty  could 
have  existed  only  in  consequence  of 


which  are  not  of  this  fold :  them 
also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall 
hear  my  voice ;  and  ^  tl^ere  shall 
be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd. 
17  Therefore  doth  my  Father 

c  Isa.  49.  6;  56.8.  <Z  Ezek.  37.  22.  Eph.  2. 14. 


the  intention  of  God  that  it  should  he 
so.  It  did  not  consist  in  any  disposi- 
tion to  embrace  the  Gospel  which  was 
foreseen,  for  they  were  the  most  cor- 
rupt and  licentious  people  of  antiqui- 
ty, and  it  must  have  been  because 
God  meant  that  it  should  be  so.  Dec- 
larations like  these  are  full  proof  that 
God  has  a  plan  in  regard  to  the  sal- 
vation of  men,  and  that  the  number 
is  known  and  determined  by  him. 
Learn  (1.)  That  it  is  not  a  question 
of  chance  or  uncertainty  whether  men 
shall  be  saved.  (2.)  That  there  is  en- 
couragement for  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel. 1  here  are  those  whom  God  mm^s 
to  save,  and  if  he  inte^ids  to  do  it  it 
will  be  done.  Not  of  this  fold.  Not 
Jews.  This  is  a  distinct  intimation 
that  the  Gospel  was  to  be  preached  to 
the  Gentiles  —  a  doctrine  extremely 
ofiensive  to  the  Jews.  This  predic- 
tion of  the  Saviour  has  been  striking- 
ly confirmed  in  the  conversion  of 
millions  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Gos- 
pel. Them  also  I  must  bring.  Bring 
into  the  Church  and  kingdom  of  heav- 
en. This  was  to  be  done,  not  by  his 
personal  ministry,  but  by  the  labor 
of  his  apostles  and  other  ministers. 
^  One  fold.  One  Church ;  there  shall 
be  no  distinction,  no  peculiar  nation- 
al privileges.  The  partition  between 
the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles  shall  be 
broken  down,  and  there  shall  be  no 
pre-eminence  of  rank  or  honor.  Eph. 
ii.  14:  "Christ  hath  broken  down  the 
middle  wall  of  partition  between  us." 
Eom.  X.  12:  "There  is  no  difference 
between  the  Jew  and  the  Greek." 
^  One  shepherd.  That  is,  the  Lord  Je- 
sus— the  common  Saviour,  deliverer, 
and  friend  of  all  true  believers,  in 
whatever  land  they  were  born  and 
whatever  tongue  they  may  speak. 
This  shows  that  Christians  of  all  de- 
nominations and  countries  should  feel 
that  they  are  one  —  redeemed  by  the 
same  blood,  and  going  to  the  same 
eternal  home.  Compare  1  Cor;  xii.  13. 
Gal.  iii.  28.  Col.  iil.  11.  Acts  xvii.  26. 

17.  /  lay  dow7i  my  life.  I  give  my- 
self to  die  for  my  people,  in  Jewish 
and  pagan  lands.  I  oflfer  myself  a  sac- 


318 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


love  me,  because  I  lay  down 
my  life,  that  I  miglit  take  it 
again.  » 

18  No  man  taketh  it  from  me, 
but  *  I  lay  it  down  of  myself.  I 
have  power  to  lay  it  down,  and  I 
have  power  to  take  it  again.  This 
^commandment  have  I  received 
of  my  Father. 

19  There  was  a  division,  there- 

a  Isa.  53.  7-12.  Heb.  2.9.      6  Phil.  2.  6-S.      c  c.  2. 19. 


rifice  to  show  the  willingness  of  my 
Father  to  save  them;  to  provide  an 
atonement,  and  thus  to  open  the  way 
for  their  salvation.  This  proves  that 
the  salvation  of  man  was  an  object 
dear  to  God,  and  that  it  was  a  source 
of  peculiar  gratification  to  him  that 
his  Son  was  willing  to  lay  down  his 
life  to  accomplish  his  great  purposes 
of  benevolence.  1[  That  I  might  take 
it  again.  Be  raised  up  from  the  dead, 
and  glorified,  and  still  carry  on  the 
work  of  redemption.  See  this  same 
sentiment  sublimely  expressed  in 
Phil.  ii.  5-11. 

18.  No  man  taketh  it  from  me.  That 
is,  no  one  could  take  it  by  force,  or 
unless  I  was  willing  to  yield  myself 
into  his  hands.  He  had  power  to  pre- 
serve his  life,  as  he  showed  by  so  oft- 
en escaping  from  the  Pharisees ;  he 
voluntarily  went  up  to  Jerusalem, 
knowing  that  he  would  die ;  he  knew 
the  approach  of  Judas  to  betray  him; 
and  he  expressly  told  Pilate  at  his  bar 
that  he  could  have  no  power  at  all 
against  him  except  it  were  given  him 
by  his  Father.  John  xix.  il.  Jesus 
had  a  right  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the 
good  of  men.  The  patriot  dies  for  his 
country  on  the  field  of  battle;  the 
merchant  exposes  his  life  for  gain; 
and  the  Son  of  God  had  a  right  to  put 
himself  in  the  way  of  danger  and  of 
death,  when  a  dying  world  needed  such 
an  atoning  sacrifice.  This  shows  the 
peculiar  love  of  Jesus.  His  death  was 
voluntary.  His  comirig  was  volunta- 
ry— tlic  fruit  of  love.  His  death  was 
the  fruit  of  love.  He  was  permitted 
to  choose  the  time  and  mode  of  his 
death.  He  did.  He  chose  the  most 
painful,  lingering,  ignominious  man- 
ner of  death  then  known  to  man,  and 
Tuus  showed  his  love.  H  /  have  power. 
This  word  often  mGnns' authority.  It 
includes  all  necessary  power  in  the 
case,  and  the  commission  or  authority/ 


fore,  again  among  the  Jews  for 
these  sayings. 

20  And  many  of  them  said.  He  ^ 
hath  a  devil,  and  is  mad;  why 
hear  ye  him  ? 

21  Others  said.  These  are  not  the 
words  of  him  that  hath  a  devil. 
Can  a  devil  open/ the  eyes  of  the 
blind  ? 

22  And  it  was  at  Jerusalem  the 

dc.6.38.  ec.7.20.  /c.  9. 6,  etc. 

of  his  Father  to  do  it.  ^  Power  to  take 
it  again.  This  shows  that  he  was  di- 
vine. A  dead  man  has  no  power  to 
raise  himself  from  the  grave.  And  as 
Jesus  had  this  power  <tfter  he  .was  de- 
ceased, it  proves  that  there  was  some 
other  nature  than  that  which  had  ex- 
pired, to  which  the  term  "I"  might 
be  still  applied.  None  but  God  can 
raise  the  dead ;  and  as  Jesus  had  this 
power  over  his  own  body,  it  proves 
that  he  was  divine.  ^  This  command- 
ment. My  Father  has  appointed  this, 
and  commissioned  me  to  do  it. 

20.  He  hath  a  devil.  Chap.  vii.  20. 
H  Is  mad.  Is  deranged,  or  a  maniac. 
His  words  are  incoherent  and  unintel- 
ligible. 

21.  Not  the  words^  etc.  His  words 
are  sober,  grave,  pious,  full  of  wis- 
dom. The  preaching  of  Jesus  always 
produced  effect.  It  made  bitter  en- 
emies or  decided  friends.  So  will  all 
faithful  preaching.  It  is  not  the  fault 
of  the  Gospel  that  there  are  divisions, 
but  of  the  unbelief  and  mad  passions 
of  men. 

22.  TJie  feast  of  the  dedication.  Lit- 
erally, the  feast  of  the  renewing^  or 
of  the  renovation.  This  feast  was  in- 
stituted by  Judas  Maccabaeus,  in  the 
year  164  before  Christ.  The  Temple 
and  city  were  "taken  by  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  in  the  year  167  before 
Christ.  He  slew  forty  thousand  in- 
habitants, and  sold  forty  thousand 
more  as  slaves.  In  addition  to  this, 
he  sacrificed  a  sow  on  the  altar  of 
burnt  -  oflerings,  and  a  broth  being 
made  of  this,  he  sprinkled  it  all  over 
the  Temple.  The  city  and  Temple 
were  recovered  three  years  afterward 
by  Judas  Maccabaeus,  and  the  Temple 
was  ^;?/r?!/i<?(:Z  with  great  pomp  and  so- 
lemnity. The  ceremony  of  purifica- 
tion continued  through  eight  days, 
during  which  Judas  presented  mag- 
nificent victims,  and  celebrated  the 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


319 


feast  of  the  dedication,  and  it  was 
winter. 

23  And  Jesus  walked  in  the  tem- 
ple, in  Solomon's  porch.* 

24  Then  came  the  Jews  round 
about  him,  and  said  unto  him, 
How  long  dost  thou  make  ^  us  to 
doubt  ?  If  thou  be  the  Christ,  tell 
us  plainly. 

a  Acts  3. 11 ;  5. 2.  1  or,  hold  us  in  suspense. 


praise  of  God  with  hymns  and  psalms. 
Josephus,  Ant. ,  b.  xii. ,  ch.  11.  ' '  They 
decked,  also,  the  forefront  of  the  Tem- 
ple with  crowns  of  gold  and  witli 
shields,  and  tlie  gates  and  cliambers 
they  renewed  and  hanged  doors  upon 
tlrem."  1  Maccabees  iv.  52-59.  On 
this  account  it  was  called  the  feast 
of  renovation  or  dedication.  Jose- 
plius  calls  it  tlie  feast  of  lights^  be- 
cause the  city  was  illuminated,  as  ex- 
pressive of  joy.  The  feast  began  on 
the  twenty- fifth  day  of  Chisleu^  an- 
swering to  the  fifteenth  da}^  of  De- 
cember. The  festival  continued  for 
eight,  days,  with  continued  demon- 
strations of  joy.  It  was  winter.  The 
feast  was  celebrated  in  the  winter. 
The  word  here  implies  that  it  was 
cold  and  inclement,  and  it  is  given  as 
a  reason  why  he  walked  in  Solomon's 
porch.  Solomon^ s  porch.  The  porch 
or  covered  way  on  the  east  of  the 
Temple.    See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  12. 

24.  Tell  us  plai7ily.  The  Messiah  was 
predicted  as  a  shepherd.  J esus  had  ap- 
plied that  prediction  to  himself  They 
supposed  that  that  was  an  evidence 
that  he  claimed  to  be  the  Messiah. 
He  also  wrought  miracles,  which  they 
considered  as  evidence  that  he  was  the 
Christ.  Chap.  vii.  31.  Yet  the  rulers 
made  a  difficulty.  They  alleged  that 
he  was  from  Galilee,  and  that  the 
Messiah  could  not  come  from  thence. 
Chap.  vii.  52.  He  was  poor  and  de- 
spised. He  came  contrary  to  the 
common  expectation.  A  splendid 
prince  and  conqueror  had  been  ex- 
pected. In  this  perplexity  they  came 
to  him  for  a  plain  and  positive  decla- 
ration that  lie  was  the  Messiah. 

25.  I  told  you.  It  is  not  recorded 
that  Jesus  had  told  them  in  so  many 
words  that  he  was  the  Christ,  but  he 
had  used  expressions  designed  to  con- 
vey the  same  truth,  and  which  many 
of  them  understood  as  claiming  to  be 
the  Messiah.  See  chap.  v.  19;  viii.  36, 


25  Jesus  answered  them,  I  told 
you,  and  ye  believed  not.  The  ^ 
works  that  I  do  in  my  Father's 
name,  they  bear  witness  of  me. 

26  But  ^  ye  believe  not,  because 
ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I  said 
unto  you. 

27  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and 
I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me ; 

6  c.  5.36.  cc.8.47.   lJno.4.  6.  d  vev.A. 


56;  X,  1.  The  expression  "the  Son 
of  God"  they  understood  to  be  equiv- 
alent to  the  Messiah.  This  he  had 
often  used  of  himself  in  a  sense  not 
to  be  mistaken.  ^  The  works.  The 
miracles,  such  as  restoring  the  blind, 
curing  the  sick,  etc.  1[  In  my  Father'' s 
name.  By  the  power  and  command 
of  God.  Jesus  was  either  the  Mes- 
siah or  an  impostor.  The  Pharisees 
charged  him  with  being  the  latter 
(Matt.  xxvi.  60,  61 ;  xxvii.  63.  John 
xviii.  36) ;  but  God  would  not  give 
such  x)Ower  to  an  impostor.  The  pow- 
er of  working  miracles  is  an  attesta- 
tion of  God  to  what  is  taught.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  iv.  24. 

26.  Are  not  of  my  sheep.  Are  not  my 
people,  my  followers.  You  do  not 
possess  the  spirit  of  meek  and  hum- 
ble disciples.  Were  it  not  for  pride, 
and  i)rejudice,  and  vain-glor}^ — for 
your  false  notions  of  the  Messiah,  and 
from  a  determination  not  to  believe, 
you  would  have  learned  from  my  dec- 
larations and  works  that  I  am  the 
Christ.  ^  As  I  said  unto  you.  Com- 
pare chap.  viii.  47. 

27.  My  sheep.  My  Church,  my  peo- 
ple, those  who  have  the  true  spirit  of 
my  followers.  The  name  is  given  to 
his  people  because  it  was  an  illustra- 
tion which  would  be  well  understood 
in  a  country  abounding  in  flocks. 
There  is  also  a  striking  resemblance, 
which  he  proceeds  to  state,  between 
them.  ^  Hear  my  voice.  See  verses 
3,  4.  Applied  to  Christians,  it  means 
that  they  hear  and  obey  his  command- 
ments. 1[  I  know  them  .  See  verse  14. 
If  They  follow  me.  A  flock  follows  its 
shepherd  to  pastures  and  streams. 
Verse  3.  Christians  not  only  obey 
Christ,  but  they  imitate  him  ;  they  go 
where  his  spirit  and  providence  lead 
them  ;  they  yield  themselves  to  his 
guidance,  and  seek  to  be  led  by  him. 
When  Jesus  was  upon  earth  many  of 
his  disciples  followed  or  attended  him 


320 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


28  And  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life ;  and  tliey  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them 
out  of  my  hand. 

29  My  *  Father,  which  gave  them 
me,  is  greater  than  all,  and  no  man 

a  c.  17. 12;  18.9.   Heb.  7.  25.  6  c.  14.  28. 

from  place  to  place.  Hence  Christians 
are  called  hi^  followers^  and  in  Rev.  xiv. 
4  they  are  described  as  "they  that  fol- 
low the  Lamb." 

28.  I  give  unto  them  eter7ial  life.  See 
chap.  V.  24.  ^  Shall  never  perish.  To 
perish  here  means  to  be  destroyed^  or 
to  be  punished  in  hell.  Matt.  x.  28 : 
"Which  is  able  to  destroy  (the  same 
word)  both  sonl  and  body  in  hell." 
Matt,  xviii.  14:  "It  is  not  the  will  of 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  that 
one  of  these  little  ones  should  perisJi.''^ 
John  iii.  15 :  "  That  whosoever  believ- 
eth  in  him  should  not  perish.^^  Rom. 
ii.  12:  "They  who  have  sinned  with- 
out law  shall  dlso perish  without  law." 
John  xvii.  12.  1  Cor.  i.  18.  In  all  these 
places  the  word  refers  to  failure  pun- 
ishment^ and  the  declaration  of  the  Sa- 
viour is  that  his  followers,  his  true 
disciples,  shall  never  be  cast  away. 
The  original  is  expressed  with  remark- 
able strength:  "They  shall  not  be 
destroyed  forever."  Syriac :  "They 
shall  not  perish  to  eternity."  This  is 
spoken  of  all  Christians — that  is,  of 
all  who  ever  jjossess  the  character  of 
true  followers  of  Christ,  and  who  can 
be  called  his  flock.  T[  Shall  any.  The 
word  any  refers  to  any  power  that 
might  attempt  it.  It  will  apply  either 
to  men  or  to  devils.  It  is  an  affirma- 
tion that  no  man,  however  eloquent 
in  error,  or  persuasive  in  infidelity,  or 
cunning  in  argument,  or  mighty  in 
rank ;  and  that  no  devil,  with  all  his 
malice,  power,  cunning,  or  allure- 
ments, shall  be  able  to  pluck  them 
from  his  hand.  Pluck  them.  In  the 
original  to  7^oh;  to  seize  and  bear  away 
as  a  robber  does  his  prey.  Jesus  holds 
them  so  secure  and  so  certainly  that 
no  foe  can  surprise  him  as  a  robber 
does,  or  overcome  him  by  force.  ^[  3Iy 
hajid.  The  hand  is  that  by  which  we 
liold  or  secure  an  object.  It  means  that 
Jesus  has  them  safely  in  his  own  care 
and  keeping.    Coinp.  Rom.  viii.  88,  39. 

29.  Which  (javc  them.  me.  See  chap, 
vi.  37.  II  ls'<jn<il<r.  Is  more  i)()wer- 
ful.  ^  Than  all.  Than  all  others — 
men,  angels,  devils.    The  word  in- 


is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Fa- 
ther's hand. 

30  I   and  my  Father  are  one. 

31  Then  ^  the  Jews  took  up  stones 
again  to  stone  him. 

32  Jesus  answered  them,  Many 

cc.  17.2.  c.  17. 11,22.  ec.8.59. 

eludes  every  thing — every  thing  that 
could  attempt  to  pluck  them  away 
from  God ;  in  other  words,  it  means 
that  God  is  supreme.  It  implies,  far- 
ther, that  God  will  keep  them,  and 
will  so  control  all  other  beings  and 
things  that  they  shall  be  safe.  T[  None 
is  able.  None  has  power  to  do  it.  In 
these  two  verses  we  are  taught  the 
following  important  truths :  1st.  That 
Christians  qxq  given  by  God  the  Father 
to  Christ.  2d.  That  Jesus  gives  to 
them  eternal  life,  or  procures  by  his 
death  and  intercession,  and  imjjarts 
to  them  by  his  Spirit,  that  religion 
which  shall  result  in  eternal  life.  3d. 
That  both  the  Father  and  the  Son  are 
pledged  to  keep  them  so  that  they 
shall  never  fall  away  and  i^erish.  It 
would  be  impossible  for  any  language 
to  teach  more  explicitly  that  the  saints 
will  persevere.  4th.  That  there  is  no 
power  in  man  or  devils  to  defeat  the 
purpose  of  the  Redeemer  to  save  his 
people.  We  also  see  our  safety,  if 
we  truly,  humbly,  cordially,  and  daily 
commit  ourselves  to  God  the  Saviour. 
In  no  other  way  can  we  have  evidence 
that  we  are  his  people  than  by  such  a 
persevering  resignation  of  ourselves 
to  him,  to  obey  his  law,  and  to  follow 
him  through  evil  report  or  good  re- 
port. If  we  do  that  we  are  safe.  If 
we  do  not  that  we  have  no  evidence 
of  piety,  and  are  not,  can  not  be  safe. 

30.  I  and  my  Father  are  one.  The 
word  translated  "one"  is  not  in  the 
masculine^  but  in  the  neuter  gender.  It 
expresses  U7ii07i^  but  not  the  i^recise 
nature  of  the  union.  It  may  express 
any  union,  and  the  particular  kind  in- 
tended is  to  be  inferred  from  the  con- 
nection. In  the  previous  verse  he  had 
said  that  he  and'his  Father  were  united 
in  the  same  object — that  is,  in  redeem- 
ing and  preserving  his  people.  It  was 
this  that  gave  occasion  for  this  remark. 
Many  interpreters  have  undei'stood 
this  as  referring  to  union  of  design 
and  of  plan.  The  words  may  bear 
this  construction.  In  this  A^ay  they 
were  understood  by  Erasmus,  Calvin, 
Bucer,  and  others.  Most  of  the  Chris- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  X. 


321 


good  works  have  I  showed  you 
from  my  Father ;  for  which  of 
those  works  do  ye  stone  me  ? 

33  The  Jews  answered  him,  say- 
ing, For  a  good  work  we  stone 
thee  not;  but  for  blasphemy ;  and 
because  that  thou,  being  a  man, 
makest  thyself  God. 

a  c.  5. 18.    ver.  30.   Psa.  82. 6.    Rom.  13. 1. 


tian  fathers  understood  them,  how- 
ever, as  referring  to  the  oneness  or  uni- 
ty of  nature  between  the  Father  and 
the  Son;  and  that  this  was  the  de- 
sign of  Christ  appears  probable  from 
the  following  considerations :  1st.  The 
question  in  debate  was  not  about  his 
being  united  with  tlie  Father  in  plan 
and  counsel^  but  in  power.  He  affirm- 
ed that  he  was  able  to  rescue  and  keep 
his  people  from  all  enemies,  or  that 
he  had  power  superior  to  men  and  dev- 
ils— that  is,  that  he  had  supreme  pow- 
er over  all  creation.  He  affirmed  the 
same  of  his  Father.  Bi  this,  therefore, 
they  were  united.  But  this  was  an  at- 
tribute only  of  God,  and  they  thus  un- 
derstood him  as  claiming  equality  to 
God  in  regard  to  omnipotence.  2d.  The 
Jews  understood  him  as  affirming  his 
equality  with  God,  for  they  took  up 
stones  to  punish  him  for  blas^ohemy 
(verses  31,  33),  and  they  said  to  Mm 
that  they  understood  him  as  affirming 
that  he  was  God.  Verse  33.  3d.  Je- 
sus did  not  deny  that  it  was  his  inten- 
tion to  be  so  understood.  See  Notes 
on  verses  34-37.  4th.  He  immediately 
made  another  declaration  implying 
the  same  thing,  leaving  the  same  im- 
pression, and  which  tliey  attempted 
to  punish  in  the  same  manner.  Verses 
37,  38,  39.  If  Jesus  had  not  intended 
so  to  be  understood,  it  can  not  be  ea- 
sily reconciled  with  moral  honesty 
that  he  did  not  distinctly  disavow  that 
such  was  hi^  intention.  The  Jews 
were  well  acquainted  with  their  own 
language.  They  understood  him  in 
this  manner,  and  he  left  this  impres- 
sion on  their  minds. 

31.  The  Jews  took  up  stones.  Stoning 
was  the  punishment  of  a  blasphemer. 
Lev.  xxiv.  14-16.  They  considered 
him  guilty  of  blasphemy  because  he 
made  himself  equal  with  God.  Verse 
33.  T[  Again.  They  had  before  plot- 
ted against  his  life  (chap.  v.  16, 18),  and 
once  at  least  they  had  taken  up  stones 
to  destroy  him.  Chap.  viii.  59. 
O  2 


34  Jesus  answered  them,  Is  it  not 
written  in  your  law,  I  said.  Ye  are 
gods  ? 

35  If  he  called  them  gods,  unto 
whom  the  word  of  God  came,  and 
the  Scripture  can  not  be  broken ; 

36  Say  ye  of  him,  whom  the  Fa- 
ther hath  sanctified  ^  and  sent  into 

6  Isa.  11.2,3;  49.1,3.    c.  6.  27. 


32.  Many  good  works.  Many  mira- 
cles of  benevolence — healing  the  sick, 
etc.  His  miracles  were  good  works^  as 
they  tended  to  promote  the  happiness 
of  men,  and  were  proofs  of  his  benev- 
olence. He  had  performed  no  other 
works  than  those  of  benevolence;  he 
knew  that  they  could  charge  him  with 
no  other,  and  he  confidently  aiDpealed 
to  them  as  witnesses  of  that.  Happy 
would  it  be  if  all,  when  they  are  op- 
posed and  persecuted,  could  appeal 
even  to  their  persecutors  in  proof  of 
their  own  innocence. 

33.  For  hlasi^Jiemy.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  ix.  3.  \  Makest  thyself  God.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  v.  18,  This  shows  how 
they  understood  what  he  had  said. 
^  Makest  thyself.  Dost  claim  to  be 
God,  or  thy  language  implies  this. 

34-38.  Jesus  a^iswered  them.  The  an- 
swer of  Jesus  consists  of  two  parts. 
The  first  (verses  34-36)  shows  that 
they  ought  not  to  object  to  his  use  of 
the  word  God,  even  (fhe  were  no  more 
than  a  man.  The  second  (verses  37, 
38)  repeats  substantially  what  he  had 
before  said,  left  the  same  impression, 
and  in  proof  of  it  he  a]ppealed  to  his 
works. 

34.  In  your  law.  Psa.  Ixxxii.  6.  The 
word  law^  here,  is  used  to  include  the 
Old  Testament.  H  /  said.  The  Psalm- 
ist said,  or  God  said  by  the  Psalmist. 
^  Ye  are  gods.  This  was  said  of  mag- 
istrates on  account  of  the  dignity  and 
honor  of  their  oflftce,  and  it  shows 
that  the  word  translated  "  god"  in 
that  place  might  be  applied  to  man. 
Such  a  use  of  the  word  is,  however, 
rare.  See  instances  in  Exodus  vii.  1 ; 
iv.  16. 

35.  Unto  whom  the  word  of  God  came. 
That  is,  who  were  his  servants,  or  who 
received  their  dignity  and  honor  only 
because  the  law  of  God  was  intrusted 
to  them.  The  word  of  God  here  means 
the  command  of  God;  his  commission 
to  them  to  do  justice.  If  The  Script- 
ure can  not  he  broken.  See  Matt.  v.  19. 


323 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


the  world,  Thou  blaspliemest ;  be- 
cause I  said,  I  am  "  the  Son  of 
God? 

37  If  *  I  do  not  the  works  of  my 
Father,  believe  me  not. 

38  But  if  I  do,  though  ye  believ^ 
not  me,  believe  the  works ;  that  ye 
may  know  and  believe  that  the 
Father  is  in  me,  and  I  in  him. 

39  Therefore  they  sought  again 

a  Phil.  2. 6.  b  c.  14. 10, 11 ;  15.  24. 

The  authority  of  the  Scripture  is  final; 
it  ca7i  not  be  set  aside.  The  meaning  is, 
"If,  therefore,  the  Scripture  uses  the 
word  god  as  apphed  to  magistrates,  it 
settles  the  question  that  it  is  right  to 
apply  the  term  to  those  in  office  and 
authority.  If  applied  to  t?iem,  it  may 
be  to  others  in  similar  offices.  It  can 
not,  therefore,  be  blasphemy  to  use  this 
word  as  applicable  to  a  personage  so 
much  more  exalted  than  mere  magis- 
trates as  the  Messiah." 

36.  Whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified. 
The  word  sanctify  with  us  means  to 
make  holy  ;  but  this  is  not  its  meaning 
here,  for  the  Son  of  God  was  always 
holy.  The  original  word  means  to  set 
apart  from  a  common  to  a  sacred  use ; 
to  devote  to  a  sacred  purpose,  and  to 
designate  or  consecrate  to  a  holy  of- 
fice. This  is  the  meaning  here.  God 
has  C07isecrated  or  appointed  his  Son  to 
be  his  Messenger  or  Messiah  to  man- 
kind. See  Exod.  xxviii.  41 ;  xxix.  1, 
44.  Lev.  viii.  30.  And  sent  into  the 
vjorld.  As  the  Messiah,  an  office  far 
more  exalted  than  that  of  magistrates. 
U  I  am  the  Son  of  God.  This  the  Jews 
evidently  understood  as  the  same  as 
saying  that  he  was  equal  with  God. 
This  expression  he  had  often  applied 
to  himself.  The  meaning  of  this  place 
maybe  thus  expressed:  "You  charge 
me  with  blasphemy.  The  foundation 
of  that  charge  is  the  use  of  the  name 
God^  or  the  Son  of  God^  applied  to  my- 
self; yet  that  same  term  is  applied  in 
the  Scriptures  to  magistrates.  The 
use  of  it  there  shows  that  it  is  right 
to  apply  it  to  those  who  sustain  im- 
portant offices.  And  especially  you^ 
Jews,  ought  not  to  attempt  to  found 
a  charge  of  blasx)hcmy  on  the  applica- 
tion of  a  word  to  tlic  Messiah  which 
in  your  own  Scriptures  is  applied  to  all 
magistrates."  And  we  may  remark 
here,  1st.  That  Jesus  did  not  deny 
that  he  meant  to  apply  the  term  to 


to  take  him ;  but  he  escaped  out 
of  their  hand, 

40  And  went  away  again  beyond 
Jordan,  into  the  place  where 
J ohn  at  first  baptized ;  and  there 
he  abode. 

41  And  many  resorted  unto  him, 
and  said,  J  ohn  did  no  miracle ; 
but  all  things  that  John  spake  ^ 
of  this  man  were  true. 

cc.  17. 11,22.  <ic.8.  59. 


himself.  2d.  He  did  not  deny  that  it 
was  properly  applied  to  him.  3d.  He 
did  not  deny  that  it  implied  that  he 
was  God.  He  affirmed  only  that  they 
were  inconsistent^  and  were  not  author- 
ized to  bring  a  charge  of  blasphemy 
for  the  application  of  the  name  to 
himself. 

37.  The  works  of  my  Father.  The 
very  works  that  my  Father  does.  See 
chap.  V.  17 :  "My  Father  worketh hith- 
erto, and  I  work."  See  the  Note  on 
that  place.  The  works  of  Ms  Father 
are  those  w^hich  God  only  can  do. 
As  Jesus  did  them,  it  shows  that  the 
7iame  Son  of  God^''^  implying  equality 
with  God,  was  properly  applied  to 
him.  This  shows  conclusively  that 
lie  meant  to  be  understood  as  claim- 
ing to  be  equal  with  God.  So  the 
Jews  naturally  understood  him  (verse 
39),  and  they  were  left  with  this  im- 
pression on  their  minds. 

38.  Believe  the  works.  Though  you 
do  not  credit  we,  j^et  consider  my 
ivorks^  for  they  prove  that  I  came 
from  God.  No  one  could  do  them 
unless  he  was  sent  of  God.  1  Father 
is  in  me,  etc.  Most  intimately  con- 
nected. See  John  v.  36.  This  expres- 
sion denotes  most  intimate  union — 
such  as  can  exist  in  no  other  case. 
See  Matt.  xi.  27.  Notes  on  John  xvii. 
21. 

39.  Sought  agai7i  to  take  him.  They 
evidently  understood  him  as  still 
claiming  equality  with  God,  and  un- 
der this  impression  Jesus  left  them. 
Nor  can  it  be  doubted  that  he  intend- 
ed to  leave  them  with  this  impression; 
and  if  so,  then  he  is  divine,  t  He  es- 
caped.    See  chap.  viii.  59. 

40.  Where  John  at  first  baptized.  At 
Bethabara,  or  Bethany.    Chap.  i.  28. 

41.  No  miracle.  He  did  not  confirm 
his  mission  by  working  miracles,  but 
he  showed  tliat  he  was  a  prophet  by 
foretelling  the  character  and  success 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


323 


42  And  many  believed  on  him 
there. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

NOW  a  certain  man  was  sick, 
named  Lazarus,  of  Bethany, 
the  town  of  *  Mary  and  her  sister 
Martha. 

2  It  was  that  Mary  which  ^  anoint- 

a  Lii.  10. 38, 39.  6  Mar.  14.  3.  c.  12.3. 


of  Jesus.  Either  miracle  or  prophecy 
is  conclusive  proof  of  a  divine  mis- 
sion, for  no  man  can  foretell  a  future 
event,  or  work  a  miracle,  except  by 
the  special  aid  of  God.  It  may  be  re- 
marlied  tliat  the  people  of  that  place 
were  properly  prepared  by  the  minis- 
try of  John  for  the  preaching  of  Je- 
sus. The  persecution  of  the  Jews  was 
the  occasion  of  his  going  there,  and 
thus  the  wrath  of  man  was  made  to 
praise  him.  It  has  commonly  hap- 
pened that  the  opposition  of  the  wick- 
ed has  resulted  in  the  increased  suc- 
cess of  the  cause  which  they  have  per- 
secuted. God  takes  the  wise  in  their 
own  craftiness,  and  brings  glory  to 
himself  and  salvation  to  sinners  out 
of  the  pride,  and  passions,  and  rage 
of  wicked  men. 

CHAPTER  XI. 
1.  A  certain  man  was  sick.  The  res- 
urrection of  Lazarus  has  been  record- 
ed only  by  John.  Various  reasons 
have  been  conjectured  why  the  other 
evangelists  did  not  mention  so  signal 
a  miracle.  The  most  probable  is,  that 
at  the  time  they  wrote  Lazarus  was 
still  living.  The  miracle  was  well 
known,  and  yet  to  have  recorded  it 
might  have  exposed  Lazarus  to  oppo- 
sition and  i^ersecution  from  the  Jews. 
See  chap.  xii.  10,  11.  Besides,  John 
wrote  for  Christians  who  were  out  of 
Palestine.  The  other  gospels  were 
written  chiefly  for  those  who  were  in 
Judea.  There  was  the  more  need, 
therefore,  that  he  should  enter  mi- 
nutely into  the  account  of  the  mira- 
cle, while  the  others  did  not  deem  it 
necessary  or  proper  to  record  an  event 
so  well  known.  ^  Bethany.  A  village 
on  the  eastern  declivity  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1. 
T[  The  town  of  Mary.  The  place  where 
she  lived.  At  that  place  also  lived 
Simon  the  leper  (Matt.  xxvi.  6),  and 
there  our  Lord  spent  considerable 
part  of  his  time  when  he  was  in  Ju- 


ed  the  Lord  with  ointment,  and 
wiped  his  feet  with  her  hair,  whose 
brother  Lazarus  was  sick. 

3  Therefore  his  sisters  sent  unto 
him,  saying.  Lord,  behold,  he  <^ 
whom  thou  lovest  is  sick. 

4  When  Jesus  heard  that.,  he  said, 
This  sickness  is  not  unto  death, 

cHeb.12.6.    Rev.  3. 19. 


dea.  The  transaction  recorded  in  this 
chapter  occurred  nearly  four  months 
after  those  mentioned  in  the  previous 
chapter.  Those  occurred  in  Decem- 
ber, and  these  at  the  approach  of  the 
Passover  in  April. 

2.  It  was  that  Mary^  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Matt.  xxvi.  6.  Luke  vii.  36-50. 

3.  Whom  thou  lovest.  Verse  5.  The 
members  of  this  family  were  among 
the  few  peculiar  and  intimate  friends 
of  our  Lord.  He  was  much  with 
them,  and  showed  them  marks  of 
special  friendship  (Luke  x.  38-42),  and 
they  bestowed  upon  him  peculiar 
proofs  of  aflfection  in  return.  This 
shows  that  special  attachments  are 
lawful  for  Christians,  and  that  those 
friendships  are  peculiarly  lovely  which 
are  tempered  and  sweetened  with  the 
spirit  of  Christ.  FriendshijJS  should 
always  be  cemented  by  religion,  and 
one  main  end  of  those  attachments 
should  be  to  aid  one  another  in  the 

freat  business  of  preparing  to  die. 
Sent  unto  him.  They  believed  that 
he  had  power  to  heal  him  (verse  21), 
though  they  did  not  then  seem  to  sup- 
pose that  he  could  raise  him  if  he  died. 
Perhaps  there  were  two  reasons  why 
they  sent  for  him  ;  one,  because  they 
supposed  he  would  be  desirous  of  see- 
ing his  friend ;  the  other,  because  they 
supposed  he  could  restore  him.  In 
sickness  we  should  implore  the  aid 
and  presence  of  Jesus.  He  only  can 
restore  us  and  our  friends ;  he  only 
can  perform  for  us  the  oflftce  of  a  friend 
when  all  other  friends  fail ;  and  he 
only  can  cheer  us  with  the  hope  of  a 
blessed  resurrection. 

4.  This  sickness  is  7iot  unto  death.  The 
word  death  here  is  equivalent  to  re- 
maining under  death.  Rom.  vi.  23: 
"The  wages  of  sin  is  deatJi''' — perma- 
nent or  unchanging  death,  opposed  to 
eternal  life.  Jesus  evidently  did  not 
intend  to  deny  that  he  would  die. 
The  words  which  he  immediately  adds 
show  that  he  would  expire,  and  that 


324 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


but  *  for  the  glory  of  God,  that 
the  Son  of  God  might  be  glorified 
thereby. 

5  Now  Jesus  loved  Martha,  and 
her  sister,  and  Lazarus. 

6  When  he  had  heard,  therefore, 
that  he  was  sick,  he  abode  two 
days  still  in  the  same  place  where 
he  was. 

7  Then  after  that  saith  he  to  Ms 
disciples.  Let  us  go  into  Judea 
again. 

a  c.  9.3.  ver.40.  b  c.  10,31. 

he  would  raise  liim  up  to  show  forth 
the  power  and  glory  of  God.  Com- 
pare verse  11.  Those  words  can  not 
be  understood  on  any  other  supposi- 
tion than  that  he  expected  to  raise  him 
up.  The  Saviour  often  used  expres- 
sions similar  to  this  to  fix  the  atten- 
tion on  what  he  was  about  to  say  in 
explanation.  The  sense  may  be  thus 
expressed:  "His  sickness  is  not  fa- 
tal. It  is  not  designed  for  his  death, 
but  to  furnish  an  opportunity  for  a 
signal  display  of  the  glory  of  God,  and 
to  furnish  a  standing  proof  of  the 
truth  of  religion.  It  is  intended  to 
exhibit  the  power  of  the  Son  of  God, 
and  to  be  a  proof  at  once  of  the  truth 
of  his  mission ;  of  his  friendship  for 
this  family ;  of  his  mild,  tender,  pecu- 
liar love  as  a  man ;  of  his  power  and 
glory  as  the  Messiah ;  and  of  the  great 
doctrine  that  the  dead  will  rise,  i  For 
the  glory  of  God.  That  God  may  be 
honored.  See  chap.  ix.  3.  H  TJiat  the 
Son  of  God^  etc.  The  glory  of  God 
and  of  his  Son  is  the  same.  That 
which  promotes  the  one  promotes 
also  the  other.  Few  things  could  do 
it  more  than  the  miracle  which  fol- 
lows, evincing  at  once  the  lovely  and 
tender  character  of  Jesus  as  a  man 
and  a  friend,  and  his  power  as  the 
equal  with  God. 

6.  He  abode  two  days.  Probably  Laz- 
arus died  soon  after  the  messengers 
left  him.  Jesus  knew  that  (verse  11), 
and  did  not  hasten  to  Judea,  but  re- 
mained two  days  longer  where  he  was, 
that  there  might  not  be  the  possibili- 
ty of  doubt  that  he  was  dead,  so  that 
when  he  came  there  he  had  been  dead 
four  days.  Verse  39.  This  shows, 
moreover,  that  he  intended  to  raise 
him  up.  If  he  had  not,  it  could  hard- 
ly he  reconciled  with  friendship  thus 
to  remain,  without  any  reason,  away 


8  His  disciples  say  unto  him, 
Master,  the  Jews  of  late  ^  sought 
to  stone  thee ;  and  goest  thou 
thither  again  ? 

9  Jesus  answered,  Are  there  not 
twelve  hours  in  the  day  ?  If  ^  any 
man  walk  in  the  day  he  stumbleth 
not,  because  he  seeth  the  light  of 
this  world. 

10  But  if  a  man  walk  in  the  night 
^  he  stumbleth,  because  there  is  no 
light  in  him. 

c  Acts  20.  24.  0. 12.  35.  e  Ecc.  2. 14. 

from  an  afflicted  family.  T|  Where  he 
was.  At  Bethabara  (chap.  i.  28;  x.  40), 
about  thirty  miles  from  Bethany.  This 
was  about  a  day's  journc}',  and  it  ren- 
ders it  probable  that  Lazarus  died  soon 
after  the  message  was  sent.  One  day 
would  be  occupied  before  the  message 
came  to  him ;  two  days  he  remained ; 
one  day  would  be  occupied  by  him  in 
going  to  Bethany ;  so  that  Lazarus 
had  been  dead  four  days  (verse  39) 
when  he  arrived. 

8.  Of  late.  About  four  months  be- 
fore.   Chap.  X.  31. 

9, 10.  Twelve  hours.  The  Jews  divid- 
ed the  day  from  sunrise  to  sunset  into 
tw^elve  equal  parts.  A  similar  illustra- 
tion our  Saviour  uses  in  chap.  ix.  4,  5. 
See  the  Notes  on  that  place.  1[  If  any 
man  walk.  If  any  man  travels.  The  il- 
lustration here  is  taken  from  a  travel- 
ler. The  conversation  was  respecting 
Vi  journey  into  Judea,  and  our  Lord,  as 
was  his  custom,  took  the  illustration 
from  the  case  before  him.  He  stum- 
bleth not.  He  is  able,  having  light,  to 
make  his  journey  safely.  He  sees  the 
obstacles  or  dangers,  and  can  avoid 
them.  H  The  light  of  this  loorld.  The 
light  by  which  the  vrorld  is  illuminat- 
ed— that  is,  the  light  of  the  sun.  I!  In 
the  night.  In  darkness  he  is  unable  to 
see  danger  or  obstacles,  and  to  avoid 
them.  His  journey  is  unsafe  and  per- 
ilous, or,  in  other  words,  it  is  not  a 
proper  time  to  travel.  ^[  No  light  i7i 
him.  He  sees  no  light.  It  is  dark ; 
his  eyes  admit  no  light  within  him  to 
direct  his  way.  This  description  is 
figurative,  and  it  is  difficult  to  fix  the 
meaning.  Probably  the  intention  was 
the  following:  1st.  Jesus  meant  to  say 
that  there  was  an  allotted  or  appoint- 
ed time  for  him  to  live  and  do  his  Fa- 
ther's will,  represented  here  by  the 
twelve  hours  of  the  day.  2d.  Though  his 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


325 


11  These  things  said  he ;  and  aft- 
er that  he  saith  unto  them,  Our 
friend  Lazarus  sleepeth ;  but  I  go 
that  I  may  awake  him  out  of  sleep. 

12  Then  said  his  disciples,  Lord, 
if  he  sleep,  he  shall  do  well. 

13  Howbeit  Jesus  spake  of  his 
death ;  but  they  thought  that  he 
had  spoken  of  taking  of  rest  in 
sleep. 

aDeut.31.16.    Acts  7.  60.    1  Cor.  15. 18, 51. 


life  was  nemiy  spent,  yet  it  was  not 
entirely ;  a  remnant  of  it  was  left.  3d. 
A  traveller  journeyed  on  till  night.  It 
was  as  proper  for  him  to  travel  the 
twelfth  hour  as  any  other.  4th.  So  it 
was  proper  for  Jesus  to  labor  until  the 
close.  It  was  the  proper  time  for  him 
to  work.  The  night  of  death  was  com- 
ing, and  no  work  could  then  be  done. 
5th.  God  would  defend  him  in  this  un- 
til the  appointed  time  of  his  death. 
He  had  nothing  to  fear,  therefore,  in 
Judea  from  the  Jews,  until  it  was  the 
will  of  God  that  he  should  die.  He 
was  safe  in  his  hand,  and  he  went  fear- 
lessly into  the  midst  of  his  foes,  trust- 
ing in  him.  This  passage  teaches  us 
that  we  should  be  diligent  to  the  end 
of  life ;  fearless  of  enemies  when  we 
know  that  God  requires  us  to  labor, 
and  confidently  committing  ourselves 
to  Him  who  is  able  to  shield  us,  and 
in  whose  hand,  if  we  have  a  conscience 
void  of  offence,  we  are  safe. 

11.  Lazarus  sleepeth.  Is  dead.  The 
word  sleep  is  applied  to  death,  1st.  Be- 
cause of  the  memfttate  between  them, 
as  sleep  is  the  ^'■kinsmafi  of  deaths  In 
this  sense  it  is  often  used  by  pagan 
writers.  But,  2d.  In  the  Scriptures  it 
is  used  to  intimate  that  death  will  not 
\iQ  final :'i\i2ii  there  will  be  an  awaking 
out  of  this  sleep,  or  a  resurrection. 
It  is  a  beautiful  and  tender  expres- 
sion, removing  all  that  is  dreadful  in 
death,  and  filling  the  mind  with  the 
idea  of  calm  repose  after  a  life  of  toil, 
with  a  reference  to  a  future  resurrec- 
tion in  increased  vigor  and  renovated 
powers.  In  this  sense  it  is  applied  in 
the  Scriptures  usually  to  the  saints. 
1  Cor.  xi.  30;  xv.  51.  1  Thess.  iv.  14; 
V.  10.   Matt.  ix.  24. 

12.  If  he  sleep^  he  shall  do  well.  Sleep 
was  regarded  by  the  Jews,  in  sickness, 
as  a  favorable  symptom ;  hence  it  was 
said  among  them,  "Sleep  in  sickness 
is  a  sign  of  recovery,  because  it  shows 


14  Then  said  Jesus  unto  them 
plainly,  Lazarus  is  dead  ; 

15  And  I  am  glad  for  your  sakes 
that  I  was  not  there,  to  the  intent 
ye  may  believe ;  nevertheless,  let 
us  go  unto  him. 

16  Then  said  Thomas,  which  is 
called  Didymus,  unto  his  fellow- 
disciples,  Let  us  also  go,  that  we 
may  die  with  him. 


That  the  violence  of  the  disease  has 
abated." — Lightfoot.  This  seems  to 
have  been  the  meaning  of  the  disci- 
ples. They  intimated  that  if  he  had 
this  symptom,  there  was  no  need  of 
his  going  into  Judea  to  restore  him. 

15.  I  am  glad^  etc.  The  meaning  of 
this  verse  may  be  thus  expressed :  "  If 
I  had  been  there  during  his  sickness, 
the  entreaties  of  his  sisters  and  friends 
would  have  prevailed  with  me  to  re- 
store him  to  health.  I  could  not  have 
refused  them  without  appearing  to  be 
unkind.  Though  a  restoration  to 
health  would  have  been  a  miracle,  and 
sufficient  to  convince  you,  yet  the 
miracle  of  raising  him  after  being  four 
days  dead  will  be  far  more  impressive, 
and  on  that  account  I  rejoice  that  an 
opportunity  is  thus  given  so  striking- 
ly to  confirm  your  faith."  T[  To  the 
intent.  To  furnish  you  evidence  on 
which  you  might  be  established  in 
the  belief  that  I  am  the  Messiah. 

16.  Thomas^  which  is  called  Didyrmis. 
These  names  express  the  same  thing. 
One  is  Hebrew  and  the  other  Greek. 
The  name  means  a  tivin.  ^  Die  with 
7iim.  It  has  been  much  doubted  by 
critics  whether  the  word  him  refers  to 
Lazarus  or  to  Jesus.  They  who  refer 
it  to  Lazarus  suppose  this  to  be  the 
meaning:  "Let  us  go  and  die,  for 
what  have  we  to  hope  for  if  Jesus  re- 
turns into  Judea?  Lately  they  at- 
tempted to  stone  him,  and  now  they 
will  put  him  to  death,  and  we  also, 
like  Lazarus,  shall  be  dead."  This  ex- 
pression is  sui:)posed  to  be  added  by 
John  to  show  the  slowness  with  whicli 
Thomas  believed,  and  his  readiness  to 
doubt  without  the  fullest  evidence. 
See  chap.  xx.  25.  Others  suppose, 
probably  more  correctly,  that  it  re- 
fers to  Jesus  :  "  He  is  about  to  throw 
himself  into  danger.  The  Jews  late- 
ly souglit  his  life,  and  Avill  again. 
They  will  now  put  him  to  death. 


326 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


17  Then  when  Jesus  came,  he 
found  that  he  had  lain  in  the 
grave  four  days  ah'eady. 

18  Now  Bethany  was  nigh  unto 
'Jerusalem,  ^  about  fifteen  furlongs 
off; 

19  And  many  of  the  Jews  came 
to  Martha  and  Mary,  to  comfort 
them  concerning  their  brother. 

20  Then  Martha,  as  soon  as  she 
heard  that  Jesus  was  coming,  went 

1  i.  e.  about  two  miles.  a  1  Chron.  7.  22.  Job  4  ' 

11  J  42. 11.  Rom.  12. 15.   lThess.4. 18. 


and  met  him ;  but  Mary  sat  still  in 
the  house. 

21  Then  said  Martha  unto  Jesus, 
Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here,  my 
brother  had  not  died. 

22  But  I  know  that  even  now, 
whatsoever  ^  thou  wilt  ask  of  God, 
God  will  give  it  thee. 

23  Jesus  saith  unto  her.  Thy 
brother  shall  rise  again. 

24  Martha  saith  unto  him,  I  know 


But  let  us  not  forsake  him.  Let  us  at- 
tend him  and  die  witli  him."  It  may 
be  remarked  that  tliis,  not  less  than 
the  otlier  mode  of  interpretation,  ex- 
presses the  doubts  of  Thomas  about  the 
mirctcle  which  Jesus  was  about  to  work. 

17.  In  the  grave.  It  was  sometimes 
the  custom  to  embalm  the  dead,  but  in 
this  case  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
done.  He  was  probably  buried  soon 
after  death. 

18.  Nigh  unto  Jerusalem.  This  is  add- 
ed to  show  that  it  was  easy  for  many 
of  the  Jews  to  come  to  the  place.  The 
news  that  Jesus  was  there,  and  the 
account  of  the  miracle,  would  also 
be  easily  carried  to  the  Sanhedrim. 
1[  Fifteen  furlongs.  Nearly  two  miles. 
It  was  directly  east  from  Jerusalem. 
Dr.  Thomson  (The  Land  and  the  Book, 
vol.  ii.,  p.  599)  says  of  Bethany:  "It 
took  half  an  hour  to  walk  over  Olivet 
to  Bethany  this  morning,  and  the  dis- 
tance from  the  city,  therefore,  must 
be  about  two  miles.  This  agrees  with 
what  John  says :  '  Now  Bethany  was 
nigh  unto  Jerusalem,  about  fifteen  fur- 
longs off.'  The  village  is  small,  and 
appears  never  to  have  been  large,  but 
it  is  pleasantly  situated  near  the  south- 
eastern base  of  the  mount,  and  has 
many  fine  trees  about  and  above  it. 
We,  of  course,  looked  at  the  remains 
of  those  old  edifices  which  may  have 
been  built  in  the  age  of  Constantine, 
and  repaired  or  changed  to  a  convent 
in  the  time  of  the  Crusades.  By  the 
dim  light  of  a  taper  we  also  descended 
very  cautiously,  by  twenty-five  slip- 
pery steps,  to  the  reputed  sepulchre 
of  Lazarus,  or  El  Azariyeh,  as  both 
tomb  and  village  arc  now  called.  But 
I  have  no  description  of  it  to  give, 
and  no  questions  a])out  it  to  ask.  It 
is  a  wretched  cavern,  every  way  un- 
satisfactory, and  almost  disgusting." 


The  cut  on  the  opposite  page  will 
furnish  an  idea  of  the  appearance  of 
Bethany. 

19.  Many  of  the  Jews.  Probably  their 
distant  relatives  or  their  friends.  ^  To 
comfoi't.  These  visits  of  consolation 
were  commonly  extended  to  seven 
day s . — Grotius.  Ligh  t foot. 

20.  Then  Martha^  etc.  To  Martha 
was  intrusted  the  management  of  the 
alfairs  of  the  family.  Luke  x.  40.  It 
is  probable  that  she  first  heard  of  his 
coming,  and,  without  waiting  to  in- 
form her  sister,  went  immediately  out 
to  meet  him.  See  verse  28.  *j[  Sat 
still  in  the  house.  The  word  still  is  not 
in  the  original.  It  means  that  she 
remained  sitting  in  the  house.  The 
common  posture  of  grief  among  the 
Jews  was  that  of  sitting.  Job  ii.  8. 
Ezek.  viii.  14.  Often  this  grief  was  so 
excessive  as  to  fix  the  person  in  as- 
tonishment, and  render  him  immova- 
ble, or  prevent  his  being  affected  by 
any  external  objects.  It  is  possible 
that  the  evangelist  meant  to  intimate 
this  of  Mary'"s  grief.  Compare  Ezra 
ix.  3, 4.  Nell.  i.  4.  Isa.  xlvii.  1. 

22.  Whatsoever  thou  wilt  ask  of  God. 
Whatever  is  necessary  to  our  conso- 
lation that  thou  wilt  ask,  thou  canst 
obtain.  It  is  possible  that  she  meant 
gently  to  intimate  that  he  could  raise 
him  up  and  restore  him  again  to  them. 

23.  Thy  brother  shall  rise  again.  Mar- 
tha had  spoken  of  the  power  of  Jesus. 
He  said  nothing  of  himself  in  reply. 
It  was  not  customary  for  him  to  speak 
of  himself,  unless  it  was  demanded  by 
necessity.  It  can  not  be  doubted  that 
by  rising  again,  here,  Jesus  referred 
to  the  act  which  he  was  about  to  per- 
form ;  but  as  Martha  understood  it, 
referring  to  the  future  resurrection,  it 
was  full  of  consolation.  The  idea  that 
departed  friends  shall  rise  to  glory  is 


328 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


that  he  shall  rise  again  in  the " 
resurrection  at  the  last  day. 

25  Jesus  said  unto  her,  I  am  the 
*  resurrection  and  the  life.  ^  He 
that  believeth  in  me,  though  ^  he 
were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ; 

26  And  whosoever  ^  liveth  and 
believeth  in  me  shall  never  die. 
Believest  thou  this  ? 

27  She  saith  unto  him,  Yea, 
Lord;  I  believe  that  thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  which 
should  come  into  the  world. 

ac.5.29.  ft  c.  6.  40, 44.  clsa.38. 16.  c.  14.  6. 
1  Jno.  1.2.         d  Job  19.  26.  Isa.  26. 19.  Rom.  4. 17. 

one  that  fills  the  mind  with  joy,  and 
one  which  we  owe  only  to  the  relig- 
ion of  Christ. 

24.  At  the  last  day.  The  day  of  judg- 
ment. Of  this  Martha  was  fully  con- 
vinced ;  but  this  was  not  all  which  she 
desired.  She  in  this  manner  delicate- 
ly hinted  what  she  did  not  presume 
expressly  to  declare — her  wish  that  Je- 
sus might  even  now  raise  him  up. 

25.  /  am  the  resu7'rection.  I  am  the 
author  or  the  came  of  the  resurrection. 
It  so  depends  on  my  power  and  will, 
that  it  may  be  said  that  I  am  the  res- 
urrection itself  This  is  a  most  ex- 
pressive waj^  of  saying  that  the  whole 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection  came  from 
him,  and  the  whole  power  to  effect  it 
was  his.  In  a  similar  manner  he  is 
said  to  be  made  of  God  unto  us  "ms- 
fZom,  and  7'ighteousness^  atid  sanctijica- 
tion^  arid  redemptio7i.'*^  1  Cor.  i.  30. 
1  A7id  the  life.  John  i.  4.  As  the  res- 
urrection of  all  depends  on  him,  he 
intimated  that  it  was  not  indispensa- 
ble that  it  should  be  deferred  to  the 
last  day.  He  had  power  to  do  it  now 
as  well  as  then.  1[  Though  he  were 
dead.  Faith  does  not  save  from  tem- 
'poral  death ;  but,  although  the  believ- 
er, as  others,  will  die  a  temporal  death, 
yet  he  will  hereafter  have  life.  Even  if 
he  dies^  he  shall  hereafter  live.  ^  Shall 
he  live.  Shall  be  restored  to  life  in  the 
resurrection. 

26.  Whosoever  liveth.  He  had  just 
spoken  of  the  prospects  of  the  pious 
dead.  He  now  says  tliat  the  same 
prospects  arc  before  tlie  living  who 
have  like  faith.  Greek,  "Every  one 
living  and  believing  on  me."  ^  Shall 
never  die.  As  the  dead,  though  dead, 
shall  yet  live,  so  the  living  shall  have 
the  same  kind  of  life.  They  shall  nev- 


28  And  when  she  had  so  said, 
she  went  her  way,  and  called  Mary 
her  sister  secretly,  f  saying.  The 
Master  ^  is  come,  and  calleth  ^  for 
thee. 

29  As  soon  as  she  heard  that^  she 
arose  quickly  and  came  unto  him. 

30  Now  Jesus  was  not  yet  come 
into  the  town,  but  was  in  that 
place  where  Martha  met  him. 

31  The  Jews, '  then,  which  were 
with  her  in  the  house,  and  com- 
forted her,  when  they  saw  Mary 

c  c.  3. 15  ;  4. 14.  /c.  21.7.  ^  c.  13. 13. 

A  Mar.  10.49.  i  ver.  19. 

er  come  into  eternal  death.  See  chap, 
vi.  50,  51,  54,  58.  Greek,  Shall  by  no 
means  die  forever."  1  Believest  thou 
this?  This  question  was  doubtless 
asked  because  it  implied  that  he  was 
then  able  to  raise  up  Lazarus,  and  be- 
cause it  was  a  proper  time  for  her  to 
test  her  own  faith.  The  time  of  af- 
fliction is  a  favorable  period  to  try 
ourselves,  to  ascertain  whether  we 
have  faith.  If  we  still  have  confi- 
dence in  God,  if  we  look  to  him  for 
comfort  in  such  seasons,  it  is  good  ev- 
idence that  we  are  his  friends.  He 
tliat  loves  God  when  he  takes  away 
his  comforts,  has  the  best  evidence 
possible  of  true  attachment  to  him. 

27.  Yea,  Lord.  This  was  a  noble 
confession.  It  showed  her  full  con- 
fidence in  him  as  the  Messiah,  and  her 
full  belief  that  all  that  he  said  was 
true.    See  Matt.  xvi.  16. 

28.  She  went  her  way.  Jesus  proba- 
bly directed  her  to  go,  though  the 
evangelist  has  not  recorded  it,  for  she 
said  "to  Mary,  The  Master  calleth  for 
thee.  ^  Secretly.  Privately.  So  that 
the  others  did  not  hear  her.  This  was 
done,  perhaps,  to  avoid  confusion,  or 
because  it  was  probable  that  if  they 
knew  Jesus  was  coming  they  would 
have  made  opposition.  Perhaps  she 
doubted  whether  Jesus  desired  it  to 
be  known  that  he  had  come.  H  The 
Master  is  come.  This  appears  to  have 
been  the  appellation  by  which  he  was 
known  to  the  family.  It  means,  lit- 
erally, teacher,  and  was  a  title  wliich 
he  claimed  for  himself :  "One  is  your 
Master,  even  Christ."  Matt,  xxiii.  8, 
10.    The  Syriac  has  it,  "0?<r  Master." 

31.  Saying,  She  goeth  unto  the  grave. 
Syriac,  "They  thought  that  she'/ went 
to  weep."    They  had  not  heard  Mar- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


329 


that  she  rose  up  hastily  and  went 
out,  followed  her,  saying,  She  go- 
eth  unto  the  grave,  to  weep  there. 

32  Then  when  Mary  was  come 
where  Jesus  was,  and  saw  him,  she 
fell  down  at  his  feet,  saying  unto 
him.  Lord,  if  *  thou  hadst  been 
here,  my  brother  had  not  died. 

33  When  Jesus  therefore  saw  her 
weeping,  and  the  Jews  also  weep- 
ing which  came  with  her,  he  groan- 
ed in  the  spirit  and  ^  was  troubled, 

34  And  said,  Where  have  ye  laid 
him  ?  They  say  unto  him,  Lord, 
come  and  see. 

ac.4.  49.    ver.  21,37. 

1  he  troubled  himself. 


tha  call  her.  The  first  days  of  mourn- 
ing among  the  Jews  were  observed 
with  great  solemnity  and  many  cere- 
monies of  grief. 

33.  He  groaned  in  the  spirit.  The 
word  rendered  groaned^  here,  com- 
monly denotes  to  be  angry  or  indig- 
nant, or  to  reprove  severel}^  denoting 
violent  agitation  of  mind.  Here  it  also 
evidently  denotes  violent  agitation — 
not  from  anger^  but  from  gynef.  He 
saw  the  sorrow  of  others,  and  he  was 
also  moved  with  sympathy  and  love. 
The  word  groan  usually,  with  us,  de- 
notes an  expression  of  internal  sorrow 
by  a  i)eculiar  sound.  The  word  here, 
however,  does  not  mean  that  utterance 
was  given  to  the  internal  emotion, 
but  that  it  w^as  deep  and  agitating, 
though  internal.  ^  In  the  spirit.  In 
the  mind.  See  Acts  xix.  21:  "Paul 
purposed  in  the  spiriV  —  that  is,  in 
his  mind.  Matt.  v.  3.  ^Was  troubled. 
Was  affected  with  grief.  Perhaps  this 
expression  denotes  that  his  counte- 
nance was  troubled,  or  gave  indica- 
tions of  sorrow\ — Grotius. 

34.  Where  have  ye  laid  him?  Jesus 
spoke  as  a  man.  In  all  this  transac- 
tion he  manifested  the  deep  sympa- 
thies of  a  man  ;  and  though  he  who 
could  raise  the  dead  man  up  could 
also  know  where  he  was,  yet  he  chose 
to  lead  them  to  the  grave  by  inducing 
them  to  point  the  way,  and  hence  he 
asked  this  question. 

35.  Jesus  ivept.  It  has  been  remark- 
ed that  this  is  the  shortest  verse  in 
the  Bible;  but  it  is  exceedingly  im- 

Eortant  and  tender.  It  shows  the 
ord  Jesus  as  a  friend,  a  tender  friend, 


30>  Jesus  wept.^ 

36  Then  said  the  Jews,  Behold, 
how  he  loved  him  ! 

37  And  some  of  them  said,  Could 
not  this  man,  which  ^  opened  the 
eyes  of  the  blind,  have  caused  that 
even  this  man  should  not  have 
died? 

38  Jesus  therefore,  again  groan- 
ing in  himself,  cometh  to  the  grave. 
It  was  a  cave,  and  a  stone  lay  upon 
it. 

39  Jesus  said.  Take  ye  away  ^ 
the  stone.  Martha,  the  sister  of 
him  that  was  dead,  saith  unto  him, 

ftlsa.  63.  9.  Lu.  19.41.  Heb.  2. 16, 17. 
cc.9.6.  Mar.  16.3. 


and  evinces  his  character  as  a  man. 
And  from  this  we  learn,  1st.  That  the 
most  tender  personal  friendship  is  not 
inconsistent  with  the  most  pure  re- 
ligion. Piety  binds  stronger  the  ties 
of  friendship,  makes  more  tender  the 
emotions  of  love,  and  seals  and  sanc- 
tifies the  affections  of  friends.  2d.  It 
is  right,  it  is  natural,  it  is  indispensa- 
ble for  the  Christian  to  sympathize 
with  others  in  their  afflictions.  Rom. 
xii.  15 :  "Rejoice  with  them  that  do  re- 
joice, and  w^eep  with  them  that  weep. ' ' 
3d.  Sorrow  at  the  death  of  friends  is 
not  improper.  It  is  right  to  weep.  It 
is  the  expression  of  nature,  and  relig- 
ion does  not  forbid  or  condemn  it. 
All  that  religion  does  in  the  case  is  to 
^em^p^r  and  chasten  our  grief;  to  teach 
us  to  mourn  with  submission  to  God; 
to  weep  without  murmuring,  and  to 
seek  to  banish  tears,  not  by  hardening 
the  heart  or  forgetting  the  friend,  but 
by  bringing  the  soul,  made  tender  by 
grief,  to  receive  the  sweet  influences 
of  religion,  and  to -find  calmness  and 
peace  *in  the  God  of  all  consolation. 
4th.  We  have  here  an  instance  of  the 
tenderness  of  the  character  of  Jesus. 
The  same  Saviour  wep)t  over  Jerusa- 
lem, and  felt  deepl}^  for  poor  dying 
sinners.  To  the  same  tender  and  com- 
passionate Saviour  Christians  may 
now  come  (Heb.  iv.  15) ;  and  to  him  the 
penitent  sinner  may  also  come,  know- 
ing that  he  will  not  cast  him  away. 

38.  It  was  a  cave.  This  was  a  com- 
mon mode  of  burial.  Sec  Notes  on 
Matt.  viii.  28.  1[  A  stone  lay  upo?i  it. 
Over  the  mouth  of  the  cave.  See 
Matt,  xxvii.  60. 


330 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


Lord,  by  this  time  ^  lie  stinketh ; 
for  he  hath  been  dead  four  days. 

40  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Said  ^  I 
not  unto  thee,  that  if  thou  wouM- 
est  believe,  thou  shouldest  see  the 
glory  of  God  ? 

41  Then  they  took  away  the 
^toTLQfrom  the  2^l(ice  where  the  dead 
was  laid.  And  Jesus  lifted  up  his 
eyes,  and  said,  '  Father,  I  thank 
thee  that  thou  hast  heard  me. 

a  Psa.  49.  7, 9.    Acts  2.  27. 

6ver.4.  23.  c  c.  12.  28-30. 


39.  Four  days.  This  proves  that 
there  could  be  no  deception,  for  it 
could  not  have  been  a  case  of  sus- 
pended animation.  All  these  circum- 
stances-are mentioned  to  show  that 
there  was  no  imposture.  Impostors 
do  not  mention  minute  circumstances 
like  these.  They  deal  in  generals  only. 
Every  part  of  this  narrative  bears  the 
marks  of  truth. 

40.  Said  I  7iot  unto  thee.  This  was 
implied  in  what  he  had  said  about  the 
resurrection  of  her  brother.  Verses 
23-25.  There  would  be  a  manifesta- 
tion of  the  glory  of  God  in  raising 
him  up  which  she  would  be  permitted, 
with  all  others,  to  behold.  1|  Tfie glo- 
ry of  God.  The  power  and  goodness 
displayed  in  the  resurrection.  It  is 
probable  that  Martha  did  not  really 
expect  that  Jesus  would  raise  him 
up,  but  supposed  that  he  went  there 
merely  to  see  the  corpse.  Hence, 
when  he  directed  them  to  take  away 
the  stone,  she  suggested  that  by  that 
time  the  body  was  offensive. 

41.  Lifted  iq)  his  eyes.  In  an  attitude 
of  prayer.  See  Luke  xviii.  13.  Matt, 
xiv.  19.  ^  I  thank  thee  that  thou  hast 
heard  me.  It  is  possible  that  John 
has  recorded  only  the  sum  or  sub- 
stance of  the  prayer  on  this  occasion. 
The  thanks  which  Jesus  renders  here 
arc  evidently  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
power  had  been  committed  to  him  to 
raise  up  Lazarus.  On  account  of  the 
people,  and  the  signal  proof  which 
would  be  furnished  of  the  truth  of  his 
mission,  he  expressed  his  thanks  to 
God.  In  all  liis  doings  he  recognized 
his  union  to  the  Father,  and  his  de- 
pendence on  him  as  Mediator. 

42.  And  I  knew.  "As  for  me.  So  far 
as  /  am  concerned.  I  had  no  anxiety, 
no  doubt  as  to  myself,  that  I  should 
always  be  heard;  bnt  the  particular 


42  And  I  knew  that  thou  hear- 
est  me  always ;  but  because  of  the 
people  which  stand  by,  I  said  it^ 
that  they  may  believe  that  thou 
hast  sent  me. 

43  And  when  he  thus  had  spo- 
ken, he  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
Lazarus,  come  forth ! 

44  And  ^  he  that  was  dead  came 
forth,  bound  hand  and  foot  with 
grave-clothes  ;  and  his  face  ^  was 

1  Kin.  17.  22.  2  Kin.  4. 34, 35.  Lu.7.14, 15.  Acts 
20.9-12.  €C.20.7. 


ground  of  gratitude  is  the  benefit  tliat 
will  result  to  those  who  are  witness- 
es." Jesus  never  prayed  in  vain.  He 
never  attempted  to  work  a  miracle 
in  vain ;  and  in  all  his  miracles  the 
ground  of  his  joy  was,  not  that  he  was 
to  be  praised  or  honored,  but  that 
others  were  to  be  benefited  and  God 
glorified. 

43.  A  loud  voice.  Greek,  "A  great 
voice. ' '  Sy riac, ' 'A  high  voice. ' '  This 
was  distinctly  asserting  his  power. 
He  uttered  a  distinct,  audible  voice, 
that  there  might  be  no  suspicion  of 
charm  or  incantation.  The  ancient  ma- 
gicians and  jugglers  performed  their 
wonders  by  whispering  and  mutter- 
ing. See  Notes  on  Isa.  viii.  19.  Jesus 
spake  openly  and  audibly,  and  assert- 
ed thus  his  power.  So,  also,  in  the 
day  of  judgment  he  will  call  the  dead 
with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet.  Matt, 
xxiv.  31.  1  Tliess.  iv.  16.  T[  Lazarus^ 
come  forth!  Here  we  may  remark,  1st. 
That  Jesus  did  this  by  his  own  pow- 
er. 2d.  The  power  of  raising  the  dead 
is  the  highest  of  which  we  can  con- 
ceive. The  ancient  heathen  declared 
it  to  be  even  beyond  the  power  of 
God.  It  implies  not  merely  giving 
life  to  the  deceased  body,  but  the 
power  of  entering  the  world  of  spir- 
its, of  recalling-  the  departed  soul,  and 
of  reuniting  it  with  the  body.  He 
that  could  do  this  must  be  omniscient 
as  well  as  omnipotent ;  and  if  Jesus 
did  it  by  his  own  power,  it  proves 
that  he  was  divine.  3d.  This  is  a  strik- 
ing illustration  of  the  general  resur- 
rection. In  the  same  manner  Jesus 
will  raise  all  the  dead.  This  miracle 
shows  that  it  is  possible ;  shows  the 
way  in  which  it  will  be  done — by  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God;  and  denion- 
strates  the  certaint}^  that  lie  will  do 
it.   Oh  how  important  it  is  that  we  be 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


831 


bound  about  with  a  napkin.  Jesus 
saitli  unto  them,  Loose  him  and  let 
him  go. 

45  Then  many  of  the  Jews  which 


came  to  Mary,  and  had  seen  "  the 
things  which  Jesus  did,  believed 
on  him. 

46  But  some  of  them  went  their 

a  c.2.23;  10.42;  12.n,18. 


prepared  for  that  moment  when  his 
voice  shall  he  heard  in  our  silent 
tombs,  and  he  shall  call  us  forth  again 
to  life ! 

44.  He  that  was  dead.  The  same  man, 
ho&y  and  soul.  ^  Bound  hand  and 
foot.  It  is  not  certain  whether  the 
whole  body  and  limbs  were  bound  to- 
gether, or  each  limb  separately.  When 
they  embalmed  a  person,  the  whole 
body  and  limbs  were  swathed  or  bound 
together  by  strips  of  linen,  involved 
around  it  to  keep  togetlier  the  aro- 
matics  with  which  the  body  was  em- 
balmed. This  is  the  condition  of 
Egyptian  mummies.  See  Acts  v.  6. 
But  it  is  not  certain  that  this  was  al- 
ways the  mode.  Perliaps  the  body 
was  simply  involved  in  a  winding- 
sheet.  The  custom  which  still  exists 
in  Western  Asia  is  the  following,  and 
tlie  accompanying  illustration  will 


mies,  the  legs  are  not  folded  separate- 
ly, but  together ;  and  the  arms  also 
are  not  distinguished,  but  confined  to 
the  sides  in  the  general  envelope. 
Hence  it  would  be  clearly  impossible 
for  a  person  thus  treated  to  move  his 
arms  or  legs,  if  restored  to  existence. 

The  word  rendered  "grave-clothes" 
denotes  also  the  bands  or  clothes  in 
which  new-born  infants  are  involved. 
He  went  forth,  but  his  walking  was 
impeded  by  tlie  bands  or  clothes  in 
which  he  was  involved.  1[  A7id  his 
face,  etc.  This  was  a  common  thing 
when  they  buried  their  dead.  Sec 
chap.  XX.  7.  It  is  not  known  wheth- 
er the  wliole  face  was  covered  in  this 
manner,  or  only  the  forehead.  In  the 
Egyptian  mummies  it  is  only  tlie  fore- 
head that  is  thus  bound.  11  Loose  him. 
Remove  tlie  bandages,  so  that  he  may 
walk  freely.    The  effect  of  this  mira- 


THE  MODE  OF  ENFOLDING  THE  DEAD  IN  GRAVE-CLOTHES. 


give,  probably,  a  correct  view  of  what 
occurred  here.  No  coffins  being  used, 
the  body  itself  is  more  carefully  and 
elaborately  wrapped  and  swathed  than 
is  common  or  desirable  where  coffins 
are  used.  In  this  method  the  body 
is  stretched  out  and  the  arms  laid 
straight  by  the  sides,  after  which  the 
whole  body,  from  head  to  foot,  is 
wrapped  round  tightly  in  many  folds 
of  linen  or  cotton  cloth  ;  or,  to  be 
more  precise,  a  great  length  of  cloth 
is  taken  and  rolled  around  the  body 
until  the  whole  is  enveloped,  and  ev- 
ery part  is  covered  with  several  folds 
of  the  cloth.  The  ends  are  then  sew- 
ed, to  keep  the  whole  firm  and  com- 
pact ;  or  else  a  narrow  bandage  is 
wound  over  the  whole,  forming,  ulti- 
mately, the  exterior  surface..  The 
body,  when  thus  enfolded  and  swath- 
ed, retains  the  profile  of  the  human 
form ;  but,  as  in  the  Egyptian  mum- 


cle  is  said  to  have  been  that  many  be- 
lieved on  him.  It  may  be  remarked 
in  regard  to  it  that  there  could  not 
be  a  more  striking  proof  of  the  divine 
mission  and  power  of  Jesus.  There 
could  be  here  no  possibility  of  decep- 
tion. 1st.  The  friends  of  Lazarus  hc- 
lieved  him  to  be  dead.  In  this  they 
could  not  be  deceived.  There  could 
have  been  among  them  no  design  to 
deceive.  2d.  He  was  four  daj^s  dead. 
It  could  not  be  a  case,  therefore,  of 
suspended  animation.  3d.  Jesus  was 
at  a  distance  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
There  was,  therefore,  no  agreenmit  to 
attempt  to  impose  on  others.  4th. 
No  higher  power  can  be  conceived 
than  that  of  raising  the  dead.  5th.  It 
was  not  2^ossible  to  impose  on  his  sis- 
ters, and  to  convince  them  that  he 
was  restored  to  life,  if  it  was  not  real- 
ly so.  6tli.  There  were  many  present 
who  were  convinced  also.    God  had 


332 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


ways  to  the  Pharisees,  and  told 
them  what  thmgs  Jesus  had  done. 

47  Then  gathered  the  chief 
priests  and  the  Pharisees  a  coun- 
cil, and  said.  What  ^  do  we  ?  for 
this  man  doeth  many  miracles. 

aPsa.2.2.  6  Acts  4. 16. 


SO  ordered  it  in  his  providence  that 
to  this  miracle  there  should  be  many 
witnesses.  Tliere  was  no  conceal- 
ment, no  jugglery,  no  secrecy.  It  was 
done  publicly,  in  open  day,  and  was 
witnessed  by  many  who  followed  them 
to  the  grave.  Verse  31.  7th.  Others, 
who  saw  it,  and  did  not  believe  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  went  and  told 
it  to  the  Pharisees.  But  they  did  not 
deny  that  J esus  had  raised  up  Lazarus. 
They  could  not  deny  it.  The  very 
ground  of  their  alarm — the  very  rea- 
son why  they  went — was  that  he  had 
actually  done  it.  Nor  did  the  Phari- 
sees dare  to  call  the  fact  in  question. 
If  they  could  have  done  it,  they  would. 
But  it  was  not  possible ;  for,  8th.  Laz- 
arus was  yet  alive  (chap.  xii.  10),  and 
the  fact  of  his  resurrection  could  not 
be  denied.  Every  circumstance  in 
this  account  is  plain,  simple,  consist- 
ent, bearing  all  the  marks  of  truth. 
But  if  Jesus  performed  this  miracle 
his  religion  is  true.  God  would  not 
give  such  power  to  an  impostor;  and. 
unless  it  can  be  'proved  that  this  ac- 
count is  false,  the  Christian  religion 
miiHt  he  from  God. 

46.  /S'ome  of  them^  etc.  We  sec  here 
the  difierent  effect  which  the  word 
and  works  of  God  will  have  on  differ- 
ent individuals.  Some  are  converted 
and  others  are  hardened ;  yet  the  evi- 
dence of  this  miracle  was  as  clear  to 
the  one  as  the  other.  But  they  would 
not  be  convinced. 

47.  A  council.  A  meeting  of  the  San- 
hedrim, or  great  council  of  the  na- 
tion. See  Notes  on  Matt.  ii.  4.  They 
claimed  the  right  of  regulating  all  the 
affairs  of  religion.  See  Notes  on  John 
i.  19.  11  What  do  we?  What  measures 
are  we  taking  to  arrest  the  progress 
of  his  sentiments  ?  1[  For  this  man  do- 
eth many  miracles.  If  they  admitted 
that  he  performed  miracles^  it  was 
clear  what  they  ougld  to  do.  They 
should  have  received  him  as  the  Mes- 
siah. It  may  he  asked.  If  they  really 
believed  thai  lie  worked  miracles,  wliy 
did  tliey  not  believe  on  him?  To  this 
it  may  be  replied  that  they  did  not 


48  If  we  let  him  thus  alone,  all 
men  will  believe  on  him ;  and 

the  Komans  shall  come,  and  take 
away  both  our  place  and  nation. 

49  And  one  of  them,  named  ^ 
Caiaphas,  being  the  high -priest 

cc.  12. 19.  2.    c.  18. 14.    Acts  4.  6. 


doubt  that  impostors  might  work  mir- 
acles. See  Matt.  xxiv.  24.  To  this 
opinion  they  were  led,  probably,  by 
the  wonders  which  the  magicians  per- 
formed in  Egypt  (Exod.  vii.,  viii.),  and 
by  the  passage  in  Deut.  xiii.  1.  As 
they  regarded  the  tendency  of  the  doc- 
trines of  Jesus  to  draw  off  the  i)eople 
from  the  worship  of  God,  and  from 
keeping  his  law  (chap.  ix.  16),  they  did 
not  suppose  themselves  bound  to  fol- 
low him,  even  if  he  did  work  miracles. 

48.  All  men.  That  is,  all  men  among 
the  Jews.  The  whole  nation.  1[  Atid 
the  Romans  shall  come.  Th ey  were  then 
subject  to  the  Romans — tributary  and 
dependent.  Whatever  privileges  they 
had  they  held  at  the  will  of  the  Ro- 
man emperor.  They  believed,  or 
feigned  to  believe,  that  Jesus  was  in- 
tending to  set  up  a  temporal  kingdom. 
As  he  claimed  to  be  the  Messiah,  so 
they  supposed,  of  course,  that  he  de- 
signed to  be  a  temporal  prince,  and 
they  professed  to  believe  that  this 
claim  was,  in  fact,  hostility  to  the  Ro- 
man emperor.  They  supposed  that  it 
would  involve  the  nation  in  war  if  he 
was  not  arrested,  and  that  the  effect 
would  be  that  they  would  be  van- 
quished and  destroyed.  It  was  on 
this  charge  that  they  at  last  arraigned 
him  before  Pilate.  Luke  xxiii.  2,  8. 
^  Will  take  away.  This  expression 
means  to  destroy,  to  ruin,  to  over- 
throw. Luke  viii.  12.  Acts  vi.  13, 14. 
^  Our  2^lcLce.  This  probably  refers  to 
the  Temple.  Acts  vi.  13,  14.  It  was 
called  "  the  place'''  hy  way  of  eminence, 
as  being  the  chief  or  jirincipal  place 
on  earth — being  the  seat  of  the  pecu- 
liar worship  of  God.  This  place  was 
utterly  destroyed  by  the  Romans. 
Sec  Notes  on  Matt.  xxiv.  1[  A7id  na- 
tion. The  nation  or  people  of  the 
Jews. 

49.  Caiaphas.  See  Notes  on  Luke 
iii.  2.  y^Behig  high-p^Hcst  that  same  year. 
It  is  probable  tiiat  the  office  of  high- 
priest  was  at  first  for  life,  if  there  was 
no  conduct  that  rendered  the  person 
unworthy  the  office.  In  that  case  the 
incumbent  was  removed.  Thus  Abia- 


A.D.  32.] 


CHAPTER  XI. 


333 


that  same  year,,  said  unto  tliem, 
Ye  know  nothing  at  all, 
•  50  Nor  consider  that  it  is expe- 
dient for  us  that  one  man  should 
die  for  the  people,  and  that  the 
whole  nation  perish  not. 


51  And  this  spake  he  not  of  him- 
self; but,  being  high -priest  that 
year,  he  prophesied  that  Jesus 
should  die  for  that  nation ; 

52  And  not  ^  for  that  nation  only, 
but  that  also  he  should  gather  to- 

b  Isa.  49.  6.    Rom.  3.  29.    1  Jno.  2.  2. 


thar  was  removed  by  Solomon.  1  Kin. 
ii.  27.  Subsequently  the  kings,  and 
especially  the  conquerors  of  Judea, 
claimed  and  exercised  the  right  of  re- 
moving the  high -priest  at  pleasure, 
so  that,  in  the  time  of  the  Romans, 
the  oflace  was  held  but  a  short  time. 
[See  the  Chronological  Table  at  the 
end  of  this  volume.]  Caiaphas  held 
the  office  about  ten  years.  H  Ye  know 
nothing  at  all.  That  is,  you  know 
nothing  respecting  the  subject  under 
consideration.  You  are  fools  to  hesi- 
tate about  so  plain  a  case.  It  is  prob- 
able that  there  was  a  party,  even  in 
the  Sanhedrim,  that  was  secretly  in 
favor  of  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  Of 
that  party  Nicodemus  was  certainly 
one.  See  chap.  iii.  1 ;  vii.  50,  51 ;  xi. 
45;  xii.  42:  "Among  the  chief  rulers, 
also,  many  believed  on  him,"  etc. 

50.  It  is  expedient  for  us.  It  is  better 
for  us.  Literally,  "It  is  profitable  for 
us."  H  That  one  man  should  die.  Je- 
sus they  regarded  as  promoting  sedi- 
tion, and  as  exposing  the  nation,  if 
he  was  successful,  to  the  vengeance 
of  the  Romans.  Verse  48.  If  he  was 
put  to  death  they  supposed  the  people 
would  be  safe.  This  is  all,  doubtless, 
that  he  meant  by  his  dying  for  the 
people.  He  did  not  himself  intend  to 
speak  of  his  dying  as  an  atonement  or 
a  sacrifice;  but  liis  words  might  also 
express  that,  and,  though  he  was  un- 
conscious of  it,  he  was  expressing  a 
real  truth.  In  the  sense  in  which  he 
intended  it  there  was  no  truth  in  the 
observation,  nor  occasion  for  it,  but 
in  the  sense  which  the  words  might 
convey  there  was  real  and  most  impor- 
tant truth.  It  was  exx^edient,  it  was 
infinitely  desirable,  that  Jesus  should 
die  for  that  X)eople,  and  for  all  others, 
to  save  them  from  perishing. 

51.  Not  of  himself.  Though  he  ut- 
tered what  proved  to  be  a  true  proph- 
ecy, yet  it  was  accomplished  in  a  way 
which  ?ie  did  not  intend.  He  had  a 
wicked  design.  He  was  plotting  mur- 
der and  crime.  Yet,  wicked  as  he  was, 
and  little  as  he  intended  it,  God  so  or- 
dered it  that  he  delivered  a  most  pre- 


cious truth  respecting  the  atonement. 
Remark,  1st.  God  may  fulfill  the  words 
of  the  wicked  in  a  manner  which  they 
do  not  wish  or  intend.  2d.  He  may 
make  even  their  malice  and  wicked 
plots  the  very  means  of  accomplish- 
ing his  purposes.  What  they  regard 
as  the  fulfillment  of  their  plans  God 
may  make  the  fulfillment  of  his,  yet  so 
as  directly  to  overthrow  their  designs, 
and  prostrate  them  in  ruin.  3d.  Sin- 
ners should  tremble  and  be  afraid 
when  they  lay  plans  against  God,  or 
seek  to  do  unjustly  to  others.  ^  13eing 
high-priest  that  year.  It  is  not  to  be 
supposed  that  Caiaphas  was  a  true 
p7'ophet,  or  was  conscious  of  the  mean- 
ing which  John  has  affixed  to  his 
words ;  but  his  words  express  the  truth 
about  the  atonement  of  Jesus,  and 
John  records  it  as  a  remarkable  cir- 
cumstance that  the  high-priest  of  the 
nation  should  unwittingly  deliver  a 
sentiment  which  turned  out 'to  be  the 
truth  about  the  death  of  Jesus.  Great 
importance  was  attached  to  the  opin- 
ion of  the  high-priest  by  the  Jews,  be- 
cause it  was  by  him  that  the  judgment 
by  Urim  and  Thummim  was  formerly 
declared  in  cases  of  importance  and 
difficulty.  Num.  xxvii.  21,  It  is  not 
certain  or  probable  that  the  high- 
priest  ever  was  endowed  with  the  gift 
of  prophecy ;  but  he  sustained  a  high 
office,  the  authority  of  his  name  was 
great,  and  it  was  thence  remarkable 
that  he  uttered  a  declaration  which 
the  result  showed  to  be  true,  though 
not  in  the  sense  that  he  intended. 
^  He  prophesied.  He  uttered  words 
which  proved  to  be  prophetic ;  or  he 
expressed  at  that  time  a  sentiment 
which  turned  out  to  be  true.  It  does 
not  mean  that  he  was  inspired,  or  that 
he  deserved  to  be  ranked  among  the 
true  prophets ;  but  his  words  were 
such  that  they  accurately  expressed 
a  future  event.  The  word  prophecy 
is  to  be  taken  here  not  in  the  strict 
sense,  but  in  a  sense  which  is  not  un- 
common in  the  sacred  writers.  Acts 
xxi.  9:  "And  the  same  man  had  four 
daughters,  virgins,  which  did  proph- 


334 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  32. 


getlier  in  one  the  children  of  God 
that  were  scattered  "  abroad. 

53  Then  from  that  day  forth  they 
took  counsel  together  *  for  to  put 
him  to  death. 

54  Jesus  therefore  walked  no 
more  openly  ^  among  the  Jews, 
but  went  thence  into  a  country 
near  to  the  wilderness,  into  a  city 
called  Ephraim,  and  there  con- 
tinued with  his  disciples. 

oc.  10. 16.  Eph.2.14-17.  6  Psa.  109.  4,  5. 

c  c.  7. 1  ;  18.  20.  2  Sam.  13.  23.  2Chr.  13.  19. 


es^Jy  See  Notes  on  Kom.  xii.  6.  1  Cor. 
xiv.  1.  Compare  Matt.  xxvi.  68.  Luke 

xxii.  64.  T[  That  Jesus  sJiould  die.  Die 
in  the  place  of  men,  or  as  an  atone- 
ment for  sinners.  This  is  evidently 
the  meaning  which  John  attaches  to 
tlie  words.  ^  For  that  7iation.  For 
tlie  Jews.  As  a  sacrifice  for  their 
sins.  In  no  other  sense  whatever 
could  it  be  said  that  he  died  for  them. 
His  deatli,  so  far  from  saving  tliem  in 
the  sense  in  which  tlie  high-priest  un- 
derstood it,  was  the  very  occasion  of 
their  destruction.  They  invoked  the 
vengeance  of  God  when  they  said, 
*'His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  chil- 
dren" (Matt,  xxvii.  25),  and  all  these 
calamities  came  upon  them  because 
they  woidd  not  come  to  him  and  be 
saved — that  is,  because  they  rejected 
him  and  put  him  to  death.  Matt. 

xxiii.  37-39. 

52.  Should  gather  together  in  one.  All 
his  chosen  among  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles. See  chap.  x.  16.  1  The  children 
of  God.  This  is  spoken  not  of  those 
who  were  then  Christians,  but  of  all 
whom  God  should  bring  to  him ;  all 
who  would  in  the  mercy  of  God, 
called,  chosen,  sanctified  among  all 
nations.  Chap.  x.  16. 

53.  They  took  counsel.  The  judgment 
of  the  high-priest  silenced  opposition, 
and  they  began  to  devise  measures  to 
put  him  to  death  without  exciting  tu- 
mult among  the  people.  Comp.  Matt, 
xxvi.  5. 

54.  No  more  openly.  No  more  pub- 
licly, in  the  cities  and  towns.  Jesus 
never  exposed  his  life  unnecessarily 
to  hazard.  Although  the  time  of  his 
death  was  determined  in  the  counsel 
of  God,  yet  this  did  not  prevent  his 
using  proper  means  to  preserve  his 
life.  1  The  wildertiess.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  iii.  1.    ^  A  city  called  Ephraim. 


55  And  the  Jews'  passover  w^as 
nigh  at  hand ;  and  many  went  out 
of  the  country  up  to  Jerusalem  be- 
fore the  passover  to  purify  them- 
selves.^ 

56  Then  f  sought  they  for  Jesus, 
and  spake  among  themselves  as 
they  stood  in  the  temple,  What 
think  ye,  that  he  will  not  come  to 
the  feast  ? 

57  Now  both  the  chief  priests 

c  C.2. 13  ;  6. 1 ;  6.4. 
f  c.  5. 16,18.  ver.8. 


This  was  probably  a  small  town  in 
the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  about  five  miles 
west  of  Jericho. 

55.  Jews'  Passover.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxvi.  2-17.  Its  being  called  the 
Jews''  Passover  shows  that  John  wrote 
this  gospel  among  people  who  were 
not  Jews,  and  to  whom  it  was  neces- 
sary, therefore,  to  explain  their  cus- 
toms. ^  To  purify  themselves.  This 
purifying  consisted  in  preparing 
themselves  for  the  proper  observa- 
tion of  the  Passover,  according  to  the 
commands  of  the  law.  If  any  were 
defiled  in  any  manner  by  contact  with 
the  dead  or  by  any  other  ceremonial 
uncleanness,  they  were  required  to 
take  the  prescribed  measures  for  pu- 
rification. Lev.  xxii.  1-6.  For  want 
of  this,  great  inconvenience  was  some- 
times experienced.  See  2  Chron.  xxx. 
17, 18.  I)ifferent  periods  were  neces- 
saiy  in  order  to  be  cleansed  from  cer- 
emonial pollution.  For  example,  one 
who  had  been  polluted  by  the  touch 
of  a  dead  body,  of  a  sepulchre,  or  by 
the  bones  of  the  dead,  was  sprinkled 
on  the  third  and  seventh  days,  by  a 
clean  person,  with  hyssop  dipped  in 
water  mixed  in  the  ashes  of  the  red 
heifer.  After  washing  his  body  and 
clothes  he  was  then  clean.  These 
persons  who  went  up  before  the  Pass- 
over were  doubtless  those  who  had 
in  some  manner  been  ceremonially 
polluted. 

56.  Will  not  come  to  the  feast?  They 
doubted  whether  he  would  come.  On 
tlic  one  hand,  it  was  required  by  law 
that  all  males  should  come.  On  the 
other,  his  coming  was  attended  with 
great  danger.  This  was  the  cause  of 
their  doubting.  It  was  in  this  situa- 
tion that  our  Saviour,  like  many  of 
his  followers,  was  called  to  act.  Dan- 
ger was  on  the  one  hand,  and  duty  on 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


335 


and  the  Pharisees  had  given  a 
commandment,  that  if  any  man 
knew  where  he  were,  he  should 
show  it^  that  they  might  take 
him. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

THEN  Jesus,  six  days  before  the 
passover,  came  to  Bethany, 
where  ^  Lazarus  was  which  had 
been  dead,  whom  he  raised  from 
the  dead. 

2  There  they  made  him  a  sup- 
per, and  Martha  *  served ;  but  Laz- 
arus was  one  of  them  that  sat  at 
the  table  with  him. 

3  Then  took  Mary  a  pound  of 

a  c.  11.1,43.  6  Lu.  10. 38-12. 

c  Matt.  26. 6,  etc.    Mar.  14.3,  etc.    c.  1 1 .  2.  _  % 


the  other.  He  chose,  as  all  should, 
to  do  his  duty,  and  leave  the  event 
with  God.  He  preferred  to  do  it, 
though  he  knew  that  death  was  to  be 
the  consequence ;  and  we  should  not 
shrink,  when  we  have  reason  to  appre- 
hend danger,  persecution,  or  death, 
from  an  honest  attempt  to  observe 
all  the  commandments  of  God. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

1.  Then  Jesus  came  to  Bethany.  This 
was  near  to  Jerusalem,  and  it  was 
from  this  j^lace  that  he  made  his  tri- 
umphant entry  into  the  city.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1. 

2-8.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  3-16. 

2.  A  supper.  At  the  house  of  Simon 
the  leper.  Matt.  xxvi.  6.  1[  Lazarus 
was,  etc.  The  names  of  Martha  and 
Lazarus  are  mentioned  because  it  was 
not  in  their  own  house,  but  in  that  of 
Simon.  Lazarus  is  particularly  men- 
tioned, since  it  was  so  remarkable 
that  one  who  had  been  once  dead 
should  be  enjoying  again  the  endear- 
ments of  friendsliip.  This  shows,  also, 
that  his  resurrection  was  no  illusion 
— that  he  was  reallij  restored  to  the 
blessings  of  life  and  friendship.  Cal- 
met  thinks  that  this  was  about  two 
months  after  his  resurrection,  and  it 
is  the  last  that  we  hear  of  him.  How 
long  he  lived  is  unknown,  nor  is  it  re- 
corded that  lie  made  any  communica- 
tion about  the  world  of  spirits.  It  is 
remarkable  that  none  who  have  been 
restored  to  life  from  the  dead  have 
made  any  communications  respect- 


ointment  of  spikenard,  very  cost- 
ly, and  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus, 
and  wiped  his  feet  with  her  hab ; 
and  the  house  was  filled  with  the 
odour  of  the  ointment. 

4  Then  saith  one  of  his  disciples, 
J udas  Iscariot,  Simon's  son,  which 
should  betray  him, 

5  Why  was  not  this  ointment 
sold  for  three  hundred  pence,  and 
given  to  the  poor  ? 

6  This  he  said,  not  that  he  cared 
for  the  poor,  but  because  he  was  a 
thief,  ^  and  had  ^  the  bag,  and  bare 
what  was  put  therein. 

7  Then  said  Jesus,  Let  her  alone ; 

d  2  Kin.  5. 20-27.    Psa.  60. 18. 
e  c.  13.  29. 


ing  that  world.  See  Luke  xvi.  31,  and 
Notes  on  2  Cor.  xii.  4. 

4.  Which  should  betray  him.  Greek, 
"who  was  to  betray  him" — that  is, 
who  tvould  do  it. 

5.  Three  hmidred  pence.  About  forty 
dollars.  If  And  given  to  the  poor.  The 
avails  or  value  of  it  given  to  the  poor. 

6.  Had  the  hag.  The  word  translat- 
ed hag  is  compounded  of  two  words, 
meaning  " tongue,"  and  "to  keep  or 
preserve."  It  was  used  to  denote  the 
bag  in  which  musicians  used  to  keep 
the  tongues  or  reeds  of  their  pipes 
when  travelling.  Hence  it  came  to 
mean  any  bag  or  purse  in  which  trav- 
ellers put  their  money  or  their  most 
precious  articles.  The  disciples  ap- 
pear to  have  had  such  a  bag  or  purse 
in  common,  in  which  they  put  what- 
ever money  they  had,  and  which  was 
designed  especially  for  the  poor. 
Luke  viii.  3.  Matt,  xxviii.  55.  Acts  ii. 
44.  The  keeping  of  this,  it  seems, 
was  intrusted  to  Judas ;  and  it  is  re- 
markable that  the  only  one  among 
them  who  appears  to  have  been  natu- 
rally avaricious  should  have  received 
this  appointment.  It  shows  us  that 
every  man  is  tried  according  to  his 
native  propensity.  This  is  the  object 
of  trial — to  bring  out  man's  native 
character ;  and  every  man  will  find 
opjjortunity  to  do  evil  according  to  his 
native  disposition,  if  he  is  inclined  to 
it.  ^  Aiid  hare,  etc.  The  word  trans- 
lated hare  means  literally  to  carry  as  a 
burden.  Then  it  means  to  carry  away, 
as  in  John  xx.  15 :  "If  thou  hast  home 
him  hence."  Hence  it  means  to  carry 


336 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


against  the  clay  of  my  burying 
hath  she  kept  this. 

8  For  "  the  poor  always  ye  have 
with  you,  but  me  ^  ye  have  not  al- 
ways. 

9  Much  people  of  the  Jews  there- 
fore knew  that  he  was  there ;  and 
they  came  not  for  Jesus's  sake 
only,  but  that  they  might  see  Laz- 
arus also,  whom  he  had  raised 
from  the  dead. 

10  But  the  chief  priests  consulted 
that  they  might  put  Lazarus  also  ^ 
to  death; 

11  Because  that  ^  by  reason  of 
him  many  of  the  Jews  went  away 
and  believed  on  Jesus. 

12  On  ^  the  next  day,  much  peo- 
ple that  were  come  to  the  feast, 
when  they  heard  that  Jesus  was 
coming  to  Jerusalem, 

13  Took  branches  of  palm-trees, 
and  went  forth  to  meet  him,  and 

a  Dent.  15.11.  Matt.  26. 11.  Mar.  14.  7. 
6Cant.  5.  6.  c.8.  21.   ver.  35.  c.  13.  33  ;  16.  5-7. 
cLu.16.31.  rfc.  11.45.   ver.  18. 


away  as  a  thief  does^  and  this  is  evi- 
dently its  meaning  here.  It  has  this 
sense  often  in  elassic  writers.  Judas 
was  a  thief  and  stole  what  was  put 
into  the  bag.  Tlie  money  lie  desired 
to  be  intrusted  to  him,  that  he  might 
secretly  enrich  himself.  It  is  clear, 
however,  that  the  disciples  did  not  at 
this  time  k7iow  that  this  was  his  char- 
acter, or  they  would  have  remonstrat- 
ed against  him.  They  learned  it  aft- 
erward. We  may  learn  here,  1st.  That 
it  is  not  a  new  thing  for  members  of 
the  Church  to  be  covetous.  Judas 
was  so  before  them.  2d.  That  such 
members  will  be  those  who  complain 
of  the  great  loaste  in  spreading  the 
Gospel.  3d.  That  this  deadly,  mean, 
and  groveling  passion  will  work  all 
evil  hi  a  Church.  It  brought  down 
the  curse  of  God  on  the  children  of 
Israel  in  the  case  of  Aclian  (Josh,  vii.), 
and  it  betrayed  our  Lord  to  death.  It 
has  often  since  brought  blighting  on 
the  Church ;  and  many  a  time  it  has 
betrayed  the  cause  of  Christ,  and 
drowned  men  in  destruction  and  per- 
dition.  1  Tim.  vi.  9. 

10.  That  they  mifjht  put  Lazarus  also 
to  death.  When  men  are  determined 
not  to  believe  the  Gospel,  there  is  no 


cried, Hosanna  !  Blessed  the 
King  of  Israel,  that  cometh  in  the 
nani^  of  the  Lord  ! 

14  And  Jesus,  when  he  had  found 
a  young  ass,  sat  thereon ;  as  it  is  3 
written, 

15  Fear  not,  daughter  of  Sion. 
Behold,  thy  King  cometh,  sitting 
on  an  ass's  colt. 

16  These  things  ^  understood  not 
his  discijDles  at  the  first ;  but  when 
Jesus  was  glorified,  ^  then  remem- 
bered j  they  that  these  things  were 
written  of  him,  and  that  they  had 
done  these  things  unto  him. 

17  The  people,  therefore,  that  was 
with  him  when  he  called  Lazarus 
out  of  his  grave,  and  raised  him 
from  the  dead,  bare  record. 

18  For  *  this  cause  the  people 
also  met  him,  for  that  they  heard 
that  he  had  done  this  miracle. 

19  The  Pharisees  therefore  said 

e  Matt.  21, 8,  etc.  Mar.  11. 8,  etc.  Lu.  19.  36,  etc. 
/  Psa.  118.  25, 26.        g  Zech. 9. 9.        h  Lu. 18. 34. 
to.  7. 30.  J  c.  14. 26.  kver.U. 

end  to  the  crimes  to  which  they  are 
driven.  Lazarus  was  alive,  and  the 
evidence  of  his  resurrection  was  so 
clear  that  they  could  not  resist  it. 
Thc}^  could  neither  deny  it,  nor  pre- 
vent its  effect  on  the  people.  As  it 
was  determined  to  kill  Jesus,  so  they 
consulted  about  the  propriety  of  re- 
moving Lazarus  first,  that  the  num- 
ber of  his  followers  might  be  lessen- 
ed, and  that  the  death  of  Jesus  might 
make  less  commotion.  Unbelief  stops 
at  no  crime.  Lazarus  was  innocent; 
they  could  bring  no  charge  against 
him  ;  but  they  '  deliberately  plotted 
murder  rather  than  believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

12-19.  See  this  passage  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  Matt.  xxi.  1-16.  Also 
Mark  xi.  1-11.  Luke  xix.  29-44. 

16.  Was  glorified.  Was  raised  from 
the  dead,  and  had  ascended  to  heaven. 

17.  Bare  record.  Testified  that  he 
had  raised  him,  and,  as  was  natural, 
spread  the  report  through  the  city. 
This  excited  much  attention,  and  the 
pe()i)le  came  out  in  multitudes  to 
meet  one  who  had  power  to  work 
such  miracles. 

19.  Prevail  notJiiug.  All  your  efforts 
are  ineffectual  to  stop  the  progress  of 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


337 


among  themselves,  Perceive  "  ye 
how  ye  prevail  nothing  ?  Behold, 
the  world  is  gone  after  him. 

20  And  there  were  certain^ 
Greeks  among  them,  that  came 
up  to  worship  at  the  feast : 

21  The  same  came  therefore  to 
^  Philip,  which  was  of  Bethsaida  of 
Galilee,  and  desired  him,  saying. 
Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus. 

a  c.  11.47,48.  6  Acts  17.4.  Rom.  1.16. 

c  1  Kin.  8.41,42. 


his  opinions,  and  to  prevent  the  peo- 
ple from  believing  on  him.  H  The 
ivorld.  As  we  should  say,  "Every 
body  —  all  the  city  has  gone  out." 
The  fact  that  he  met  with  such  suc- 
cess induced  them  to  hasten  their  de- 
sign of  putting  him  to  death.  Chap. 
xi.53. 

20.  Certain  Greeks.  In  the  original, 
"some  Hellenists" — the  name  com- 
monly given  to  the  Greeks.  The  same 
name  was  commonly  used  by  the  Jews 
to  denote  all  the  pagan  nations,  be- 
cause most  of  those  whom  they  knew 
spoke  the  Greek  language.  John  vii. 
34.  Rom.  i.  16;  ii.9,10;  iii.  9.  "Jews 
and  Greeks."  The  Syriac  translates 
this  place,  "Some  of  the  Gentiles." 
There  are  three  opinions  in  regard 
to  these  persons :  1st.  That  they  were 
Jew8  who  spoke  the  Greek  language, 
and  dwelt  in  some  of  the  Greek  cities. 
It  is  known  that  Jews  were  scatter- 
ed in  Asia  Minor,  Greece,  Macedonia, 
Egypt,  etc.,  in  all  which  places  they 
had  synagogues.  See  Notes  on  chap, 
vii.  35.  2d.  That  they  were  proselytes 
from  the  Greeks.  3d.  That  they  were 
still  Gentiles  and  idolaters,  who  came 
to  bring  offerings  to  Jehovah  to  be 
deposited  in  the  Temple.  Lightfoot 
has  shown  that  the  surrounding  pa- 
gans were  accustomed  not  only  to 
send  presents,  sacrifices,  and  offerings 
to  the  Temple,  but  that  they  also  fre- 
quently attended  the  great  feasts  of 
the  Jews.  Hence  the  outer  court  of 
the  Temple  was  called  the  cou7^t  of  the 
Gentiles.  Which  of  these  opinions  is 
the  correct  one  can  not  be  determined. 

21.  Bethsaida  of  Galilee.  See  Notes 
on  chap.  i.  44.  If  Would  see  Jesus.  It 
is  probable  that  the  word  see^  here,  im- 
plies also  a  desire  to  converse  with 
him,  or  to  hear  his  doctrine  about 
the  nature  of  his  kingdom.  They  had 
seen  or  he&,rd  of  his  triumphal  entry 

II.— P 


22  Philip  Cometh  ancJ^telleth 
Andrew ;  and  again,  Andrew  and 
Philip  tell  Jesus. 

23  And  Jesus  answered  them, 
saying.  The  hour  is  ^  come  that 
the  Son  of  man  should  be  glori- 
fied. 

24  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
^  Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into 
the  ground  and  die,  it  abicleth 

d  c.  1.44.  e  c.  13.  32;  17.1. 

/  1  Cor.  15.  36. 


into  Jerusalem,  and,  either  by  curios- 
ity or  a  desire  to  be  instructed,  they 
came  and  interceded  with  his  disci- 
ples that  they  might  be  permitted  to 
see  him.  In  this  there  was  nothing 
wrong.  Christ  made  the  curiosity  of 
Zacclieus  the  means  of  his  conversion. 
Luke  xix.  1-9.  If  we  wish  to-find  the 
Saviour,  we  must  seek  for  him  and 
take  the  proper  means. 

22.  Telleth  Andrew.  Why  he  did  not 
at  once  tell  Jesus  is  not  known.  Pos- 
sibly he  was  doubtful  whether  Jesus 
would  wish  to  converse  with  Gentiles^ 
and  chose  to  consult  with  Andrew 
about  it.  1[  Tell  Jesus.  Whether  the 
Greeks  were  with  them  can  not  be 
determined.  From  the  following  dis- 
course it  would  seem  probable  that 
they  were,  or  at  least  that  Jesus  ad- 
mitted them  to  his  presence  and  de- 
livered the  discourse  to  them. 

23.  The  hour  is  come.  The  time  is 
come.  The  word  hour  commonly 
means  a  definite  part  or  a  division  of 
a  day ;  but  it  also  is  used  to  denote  a 
brief  period,  and  a  Jixed^  definite,  de- 
termined time.  It  is  used  in  this  sense 
here.  The  appointed,  fixed  time  is 
come — that  is,  is  so  near  at  hand  that 
it  may  be  said  to  he  come.  ^  The  Soil 
of  man.  This  is  the  favorite  title 
which  Jesus  gives  to  himself,  denot- 
ing his  union  with  man,  and  the  in- 
terest he  felt  in  his  welfare.  The  ti- 
tle is  used  here  rather  than  "the  Son 
of  God,"  because  as  ama/ihehadbeeii 
humble,  poor,  and  despised;  but  the 
time  had  come  when,  as  a  man,  he  was 
to  receive  the  appropriate  honors  of 
the  Messiah.  T[  Be  glorified.  Be  hon- 
ored in  an  appropriate  way — that  is, 
by  the  testimony  which  God  would 
give  to  him  at  his  death,  by  his  resur- 
rection, and  by  his  ascension  to  glory. 
See  chap.  vii.  39. 

24.  Verily.,  verily.  An  expression  de- 


338  JOHN. 

alone ;  but  if  it  die,  it  bringetli 
forth  much  fruit. 

25  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall 
lose  it ;  and  he  that  hateth  his  life 
in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  life 
eternal. 


[A.D.  33. 


.24;  17.33. 


2G  If  *  any  man  serve  me,  let  him 
follow  me ;  and  where  <^  I  am,  there 
shall  also  my  servant  be.  If  any 
man  serve  me,  him  will  my  Father 
honour. 

27  Now  ^  is  my  soul  troubled ; 


c  c.  14.3;  17.  24.  lThess.4. 17.  1  Sam.  2. 30. 

Prov.  27.18.      c  Matt.  26.  38, 39.  Lu.  12.50.  c.  13.  21. 


noting  the  great  Importance  of  what 
he  was  about  to  say.  We  can  not  but 
admire  the  wisdom  by  which  he  intro- 
duces the  subject  of  his  death.  They 
had  seen  his  triumph.  They  supposed 
that  he  was  about  to  establish  his 
kingdom.  He  told  them  tliat  t^e  time 
had  come  in  which  he  was  to  be  glori- 
fied, but  not  in  the  manner  in  which 
they  expected.  It  was  to  be  by  his 
death.  But  as  they  would  not  at  once 
see  how  this  could  be,  as  it  would 
appear  to  dash  their  hopes,  he  takes 
occasion  to  illustrate  it  by  a  beautiful 
comparison.  All  the  beauty  and  rich- 
ness of  the  harvest  results  from  the 
fact  that  the  grain  had  died.  If  it  had 
not  died  it  would  never  have  germ- 
inated or  produced  the  glory  of  the 
yellow  harvest.  So  with  him.  By  this 
he  still  keeps  before  them  the  truth 
that  he  was  to  be  glorified,  but  he  del- 
icately and  beautifully  introduces  the 
idea  still  that  he  must  die.  H  A  corn. 
A  grain.  1[  Of  wheat.  Any  kind  of 
grain — wheat,  barley,  etc.  The  word 
includes  all  grain  of  this  kind.  H  Into 
thegroimd.  Be  buried  in  the  earth,  so 
as  to  be  accessible  by  the  proper  moist- 
ure. T[  And  die.  The  whole  body  or 
substance  of  the  grain,  except  the 
germ,  dies  in  the  earth  or  is  decom- 
posed, and  this  decomposed  substance 
constitutes  the  first  nourishment  of 
the  tender  germ — a  nutriment  won- 
derfully adapted  to  it,  and  fitted  to 
nourish  it  until  it  becomes  vigorous 
enough  to  derive  its  support  entirely 
from  the  ground.  In  this  God  has 
shown  his  wisdom  and  goodness.  No 
one  thing  could  be  more  evidently  fit- 
ted for  another  than  this  provision 
made  in  the  grain  itself  for  the  future 
wants  of  the  tender  germ.  1[  Abideth 
alone.  Produces  no  fruit.  It  remains 
without  producing  the  rich  and  beau- 
tiful harvest.  So  Jesus  intimates  that 
it  was  only  by  his  death  that  he  would 
be  glorified  in  the  salvation  of  men, 
and  in  the  honors  and  rewards  of  heav- 
en. Heb.  ii.  9:  '^Wc  see  Jesus,  who 
was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  an- 


gels/or the  suffering  of  deaths  crowned 
with  glory  and  honor."  Phil.  ii.  8,  9 : 
"He  humbled  himself,  and  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death 
of  the  cross ;  wherefore  God  also  hath 
highly  exalted  him,"  etc.  Heb.  xii,  2 : 
"Who, /or  the  joy  that  was  set  before 
him,  endured  the  cross,  despising  the 
shame,  and  is  set  down  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  See  also 
Eph.  i.  20-28. 

25.  He  that  loveth  his  life^  etc.  This 
was  a  favorite  principle,  a  sort  of  ax- 
io7n  with  the  Lord  Jesus,  which  he  aj)- 
plied  to  himself  as  well  as  to  his  fol- 
lowers. See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  39. 
Luke  ix.  24. 

26.  Serve  me.  Will  be  my  disciple, 
or  will  be  a  Christian.  Perhaps  this 
was  said  to  inform  the  Greeks  (verse 
20)  of  the  nature  of  his  religion.  T[  Let 
liim  follow  me.  Let  him  imitate  me; 
do  what  I  do,  bear  what  I  bear,  and 
love  what  I  love.  He  is  discoursing 
here  particularly  of  his  own  suflfer- 
ings  and  death,  and  this  passage  has 
reference,  therefore,  to  calamity  and 
persecution.  "You  see  me  triumph — 
you  see  me  enter  Jerusalem,  and  you 
supposed  that  my  kingdom  was  to  be 
set  up  without  opposition  or  calami- 
ty ;  but  it  is  not.  I  am  to  die ;  and 
if  you  will  serve  me,  you  must  follow 
me  even  in  these  scenes  of  calamity ; 
be  willing  to  endure  trial  and  to  bear 
shame,  looking  for  future  reward." 
H  Where  I  am.  See  chap.  xiv.  3 ;  xvii. 
24.  That  is,  he  shall  be  in  heaven, 
where  the  Son  of  God  then  was  in  his 
divine  nature,  and  where  he  woidd  be 
as  the  glorified  Messiah.  See  Notes 
on  John  iii.  13.  The  natural  and  ob- 
vious meaning  of  the  expression  "I 
am"  implies  that  he  was  then  in  heav- 
en. The  design  of  this  verse  is  to 
comfort  them  in  the  midst  of  perse- 
cution and  trial.  They  were  to  follow 
him  to  any  calamity ;  but,  as  7ie  was 
to  be  glorified  as  the  result  of  his 
sufferings,  so  they  also  were  to  look 
for  their  reward  in  the  kinc:d(>in  of 
heaven.    Rev.  iii.  21 :  "  Tft  liini  that 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


339 


and  what  shall  I  say  ?  Father,  save 
me  from  this  hour ;  but  *  for  this 
cause  came  I  unto  this  hour. 
28  Father,  glorify  thy  name. 

a  c.  18. 37. 


overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me 
in  my  throne." 

27.  Noio  is  my  soul  troichled.  The 
mention  of  his  death  brought  before 
liim  its  approaching  horrors,  its  pains, 
its  darkness,  its  unparalleled  woes. 
Jesus  was  full  of  acute  sensibility,  and 
Ills  human  nature  shrunk  from  the 
scenes  through  which  he  was  to  pass. 
See  Luke  xxiii.  41^4.  ^  What  shall  I 
say?  This  is  an  expression  denoting 
intense  anxietj^  and  perplexit5^  As  if 
it  were  a  subject  of  debate  whether  he 
could  bear  those  sufferings ;  or  wheth- 
er the  work  of  man's  redemption 
should  be  abandoned,  and  he  should 
call  upon  God  to  save  him.  Blessed 
be  his  name  that  he  was  willing  to  en- 
dure these  sorrows,  and  did  not  for- 
sake man  when  he  was  so  near  being 
redeemed!  On  the  decision  of  that 
moment — the  fixed  and  unwavering 
purpose  of  the  Son  of  God — depend- 
ed man's  salvation.  If  Jesus  had  for- 
saken his  purpose  then,  all  would 
have  been  lost.  1[  Father^  save  me. 
This  ought  undoubtedly  to  have  been 
read  as  a  question — "Shall  I  say,  Fa- 
ther, save  me  ?"  Shall  I  apply  to  God 
to  rescue  me  ?  or  shall  I  go  forward 
to  bear  these  trials  ?  As  it  is  in  our 
translation,  it  represents  him  as  act- 
ually offering  the  prayer,  and  then 
checking  himself.  The  Greek  will 
bear  either  interpretation.  The  whole 
verse  is  full  of  deep  feeling  and  anxie- 
ty. Compare  Matt.  xxvi.  38.  Luke 
xii.  50.  T[  This  hour.  These  calamities. 
The  word  hour^  here,  doubtless  has 
reference  to  his  approaching  suffer- 
ings— the  appointed  hour  for  him  to 
suffer.  Shall  I  ask  my  Father  to  save 
me  from  this  hour — that  is,  from  these 
approaching  sufierings  ?  That  it  might 
have  been  done,  see  Matt.  xxvi.  53. 
1  But  for  this  cause.  That  is,  tO  suffer 
and  die.  As  this  was  the  design  of  his 
coming — as  he  did  it  deliberately — as 
tlie  salvation  of  the  world  depended 
on  it,  he  felt  that  it  would  not  be 
proper  to  pray  to  be  delivered  from 
it.  He  came  to  suffer,  and  he  sub- 
mitted to  it.    See  Luke  xxiii.  42 

28.  Glorify  thy  name.  The  meaning 
of  this  expression  in  this  connection 


Then  came  there  a  voice  ^  from 
heaven,  saying^  I  have  both  glori- 
fied it^  and  will  glorify  it  again. 
29  The  people,  therefore,  that 

b  Matt.  3. 17. 


is  this :  "I  am  willing  to  bear  any  tri- 
als ;  I  will  not  shrink  from  any  suffer- 
ings. Let  thy  name  be  honored.  Let 
thy  character,  wisdom,  goodness,  and 
plans  of  mercy  be  manifested  and  pro- 
moted, whatever  sufferings  it  may  cost 
me."  Thus  Jesus  showed  us  that 
God^s  glory  is  to  be  the  great  end  of 
our  conduct,  and  that  we  are  to  seek 
that,  whatever  sufferings  it  may  cost 
us.  ^  /  have  both  glorified  it.  The 
word  it  is  not  here  in  the  original,  but 
it  is  not  improperly  supplied  by  the 
translators.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  when  God  says  here  that  he  had 
glorified  his  name,  he  refers  to  what 
had  been  done  by  Christ,  and  that  this 
was  to  be  understood  as  an  attestation 
that  he  attended  him  and  approved 
his  work.  See  verse  30.  He  had  hon- 
ored his  name,  or  had  glorified  him, 
by  the  pure  instructions  which  he  had 
given  to  man  through  him ;  by  the 
power  displayed  in  his  miracles;  by 
proclaiming  his  mercy  through  him ; 
by  appointing  him  to  be  the  Messiah, 
etc.  ^  Will  glorify  it  again.  By  the 
death,  the  resurrection,  and  ascension 
of  his  Son,  and  by  extending  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Gospel  among  all  nations. 
It'was  thus  that  he  sustained  his  Son 
in  view  of  approaching  trials ;  and  we 
may  learn,  1st.  That  God  will  minister 
grace  to  us  in  the  prospect  of  suffer- 
hig.  2d.  That  the  fact  that  God  will 
be' honored  by  our  afflictions  should 
make  us  willing  to  bear  them.  3d. 
That  whatever  was  done  by  Christ 
tended  to  honor  the  name  of  God. 
This  was  what  he  had  in  view.  He 
lived  and  suffered,  not  for  himself,  but 
to  glorify  God  in  the  salvation  of  men. 

29.  The  peojjle.  A  part  of  the  peo- 
ple. T[  It  thundered.  The  unexpect- 
ed sound  of  the  voice  would  confound 
and  amaze  them ;  and  though  there 
is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  tlie  words 
were  spoken  distinctly  (Matt.  iii.  17), 
yet  some  of  the  people,  cither  from 
amazement  or  envy,  would  suppose 
that  this  was  a  mere  natural  phenom- 
enon. ^  An  angel  spake.  It  was  the 
opinion  of  many  of  the  Jews  that  God 
did  not  speak  to  men  except  by  the 
ministry  of  angels.   Heb.  ii.  2 :  "  The 


840 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


stood  by  and  heard  it^  said  that  it 
thundered ;  others  said,  An  angel 
spake  to  him. 

30  Jesus  answered  and  said,  This 
voice  came  not  because  of  me,  but 
"  for  your  sakes. 

31  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this 

a  c.11.42. 


word  spoken  by  ayigels^    Gal.  iii.  19: 
It  was  ordained  hy  angels  in  the  hand 
of  a  mediator." 

30.  Came  not  because  of  me.  Not  to 
strengthen  or  confirm  me ;  not  that  / 
had  any  doubts  about  my  course,  or 
any  apprehension  that  God  would  7iot 
approve  me  and  glorify  his  name. 
^  For  your  sakes.  To  give  you  a  strik- 
ing and  indubitable  proof  that  I  am 
the  Messiah;  that  you  may  remember 
it  when  I  am  departed,  and  be  yourselves 
comforted,  supported,  and  saved. 

31!  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world. 
Greek,  "crisis."  This  expression, 
doubtless,  has  reference  to  his  ap- 
proacliing  death,  and  whatever  he 
means  by  judgmeM  here  relates  to 
something  that  was  to  be  accomplish- 
ed by  that  death.  It  can  not  mean 
that  then  was  to  be  the  time  in  whicli 
the  world  was  to  be  finally  judged, 
for  he  says  that  he  did  not  come  then 
to  judge  the  world  (chap.  xii.  47 ;  viii. 
15),  and  he  has  clearly  declared  that 
there  shall  be  a  future  day  when  he 
will  judge  all  mankind.  The  mean- 
ing of  it  may  be  thus  expressed: 
"Now  is  approaching  the  decisive 
scene,  the  eventful  period — the  crisis 
— when  it  shall  be  determined  who 
shall  rule  this  world.  There  has  been 
a  long  conflict  between  the  powers 
of  light  and  darkness — between  God 
and  the  devil.  Satan  has  so  effectual- 
ly ruled  that  he  may  be  said  to  be  the 
prince  of  this  world;  but  m}^  ap- 
proaching death  will  destroy  his  king- 
dom, will  break  down  his  power,  and 
will  be  the  means  of  setting  up  the 
kingdom  of  God  over  man."  The 
death  of  Christ  was  to  be  the  most 
grand  and  effectual  of  all  means  that 
could  be  used  to  establish  the  author- 
ity of  the  law  and  the  government  of 
God.  Rom.  viii.  3,  4.  This  it  did  by 
showing  the  regard  which  God  had 
for  his  law;  by  showing  his  hatred  of 
sin,  and  presenting  the  strongest  mo- 
tives to  induce  man  to  leave  the  serv- 
ice of  Satan ;  by  securing  the  influ- 


world ;  now  shall  *  the  prince  of 
this  world  be  cast  out. 

32  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted '  up  from 
the  earth,  will  draw  all  ^  men  unto 
me. 

33  This  he  said,  signifying  ^  what 
death  he  should  die. 

6  Lu.  10.18.  c.16.11.  Acts  26. 18.  Eph.  2.  2. 
c  c.  8.  28.  d  Rom.  5. 18.  e  c.  18. 32. 


ences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  by  his 
putting  forth  his  own  direct  power  in 
the  cause  of  virtue  and  of  God.  The 
death  of  Jesus  was  the  determining 
cause,  the  grand  crisis,  the  concen- 
tration of  all  that  God  had  ever  done, 
or  ever  wall  do,  to  break  down  the 
kingdom  of  Satan,  and  set  up  his  poAv- 
er  over  man.  Thus  was  fulfilled  the 
prediction  (Gen.  iii.  15),  "I  will  put 
enniit}^  between  thee  and  the  woman, 
and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed ; 
it  shall  bruise  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt 
bruise  his  heel. ' '  ^  Now  shall  the  prince 
of  this  luorld.  Satan,  or  the  devil. 
Chap.  xiv.  30;  xvi.  11.  He  is  also  call- 
ed the  god  of  this  world.  2  Cor.  iv.  4. 
Eph.  vi.  12:  "  The  rulers  of  the  dark- 
ness of  this  world" — that  is,  the  rulers 
of  this  dark  world — a  well-known  He- 
braism. He  is  also  called  "the  prince 
of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that 
now  worketh  in  the  children  of  diso- 
bedience." Ei)h.  ii.  2.  All  these  names 
are  given  him  from  the  influence  or 
power  w^hich  he  has  over  the  men  of 
this  world,  because  the  great  mass  of 
men  have  been  under  his  control  and 
subject  to  his  will.  *|[  Be  cast  out.  His 
kingdom  shall  be  destroyed ;  his  em- 
pire shall  come  to  an  end.  It  does 
not  mean  that  his  reign  over  all  men 
would  entirely  cease  then,  but  that 
then  would  be  the  crisis^  the  grand 
conflict  in  which  he  would  be  van- 
quished, and  from  that  time  his  king- 
dom begin  to  decline,  until  it  would 
finally  cease,  and  then  be  free  alto- 
gether from  liis  dominion.  See  Luke 
X.  18.  Col.  i.  18-20.  Acts  xxvi.  18.  1 
Cor.  XV.  25,  26.   Rev.  xx.  14. 

32.  Be  lifted  up.  See  chap.  iii.  14 ; 
viii.  28.  Will  draw.  Chap.  vi.  44. 
The  same  word  is  used  in  both  places. 
H  All  men.  I  will  incline  all  kinds  of 
men  ;  or  will  make  the  way  open  by 
the  cross,  so  that  all  men  may  come. 
I  will  provide  a  way  which  shall  pre- 
sent a  strong  motive  or  inducement — 
the  strongest  that  can  be  presented— 
to  all  men  to  come  to  mc. 


A.D,  33.] 

34  The  people  answered  liim, 
We  have  heard  *  out  of  the  law  * 
that  Christ  abideth  forever;  and 
how  sayest  thou,  The  Son  of  man 
must  be  lifted  up  ?  Who  is  this 
Son  of  man  ? 

35  Then  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
Yet  a  little  while  is  the  light  with 
you.  '^Walk  while  ye  have  the 
light,  lest  darkness  come  upon 

a  Psa.  89.  36, 37;  110.4.  lsa.9.7. 
b  Rom.  5, 18. 

34.  We  have  heard  out  of  the  law.  Out 
of  the  Old  Testament;  or  rather  we 
have  been  so  taught  by  those  who 
have  interpreted  the  law  to  us.  H  That 
Christ.  That  the  Messiah.  1[  Abideth 
forever.  Will  remain  forever,  or  will 
live  forever.  The  doctrine  of  maiiy 
of  them  certainly  was  that  the  Mes- 
siah would  not  die ;  that  he  would 
reign  as  a  prince  forever  over  the  peo- 
ple. This  opinion  was  founded  on 
such  passages  of  Scripture  as  these : 
Psalm  ex.  4:  "Thou  art  a  priest  for- 
ever." Dan.  ii.  44 ;  viii.  13, 14.  In  the 
interpretation  of  these  passages  they 
had  overlooked  such  places  as  Isa.  liii. ; 
nor  did  they  understand  how  the  fact 
that  he  would  reign  forever  could  be 
reconciled  with  the  idea  of  his  death. 
To  us,  who  understand  that  his  reign 
does  not  refer  to  a  temporal^  an  earthly 
kingdom,  it  is  easy.  ^  Hoio  saT/est  thou^ 
etc.  We  have  understood  by  the  title 
"the  Son  of  man"  the  same  as  the 
Messiah,  and  that  he  is  to  reign  for- 
ever. How  can  he  be  put  to  death  ? 
•||  Who  is  this  Son  of  man?  "  The  Son 
of  man  we  understand  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah spoken  of  by  Daniel,  who  is  to 
reign  forever.  To  /lim,  therefore,  you 
can  not  refer  when  you  say  that  he 
must  be  lifted  up,  or  must  die.  Who 
is  it — what  other  So7i  of  man  is  refer- 
red to  but  the  Messiah?"  Either  ig- 
iiorantly  or  wilfully,  they  supposed  he 
i-eferred  to  some  one  else  than  the 
Messiah. 

35.  Yet  a  little  wJiile  is  the  light  with 
you.  Jesus  did  not  reply  directly  to 
their  question.  He  saw  that  they  were 
ofiended  by  the  mention  of  his  death, 
and  he  endeavored  to  arrive  at  the 
same  thing  indirectly.  He  tells  them, 
therefore,  that  the  light  would  be 
with  them  a  little  while,  and  that  they 
ought  to  improve  the  opportunity 
while  they  had  it  to  listen  to  his  in- 
structions, to  inquire  with  candor,  and 


841 

you ;  for  he  ^  that  walketh  in  dark- 
ness knowetli  not  whither  he  goeth. 

36  While  ye  have  light  believe 
in  the  light,  that  ye  may  be  f  the 
children  of  light.  These  things 
spake  Jesus,  and  departed,  and 
did  hide  himself  from  them. 

37  But,  though  he  had  done  so 
many  miracles  before  them,  yet 
they  believed  not  on  him ; 

CC.8. 12.  tZJer.  13. 16. 

cell.  10.  /Eph.  5.8. 

thus  to  forsake  their  false  notions  re- 
specting the  Messiah,  t  The  light. 
Chap.^.  4.  It  is  probable  that  they 
understood  this  as  denoting  the  Mes- 
siah. See  ch.  viii.  12 :  "  I  am  the  light 
of  the  world."  Ch.  ix.  4.  H  l^aZA:,  etc. 
Ch.  xi.  9.  Whatever  you  have  to  do, 
do  it  while  you  enjoy  this  light.  Make 
good  use  of  your  privileges  before  they 
are  removed.  That  is,  while  the  Mes- 
siah is  with  you,  avail  yourselves  of 
his  instructions  and  learn  the  way  to 
life.  H  Lest  darkness.  Lest  God  should 
take  away  all  your  mercies,  remove  all 
light  and  instruction  from  you,  and 
leave  you  to  ignorance,  blindness,  and 
woe.  This  was  true  that  darkness  and 
calamity  were  to  come  upon  the  Jew- 
ish people  when  the  Messiah  was  re- 
moved; and  it  is  also  true  that  God 
leaves  a  sinner  to  darkness  and  mis- 
ery when  he  has  long  rejected  the 
Gospel.    ^  For  he^  etc.   See  ch.  xi.  10. 

36.  While  ye  have  light.  This  implied 
two  things — 1st.  That  was  the  light, 
or  was  the  Messiah.  2d.  That  he  was 
soon  to  be  taken  away  by  death.  In 
this  manner  he  answered  their  ques- 
tion— not  directly^  but  in  a  way  to  con- 
vey the  truth  to  their  minds,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  administer  to  them 
a  useful  admonition.  Jesus  never 
aroused  the  prejudices  of  men  unnec- 
essarily, yet  he  never  shrank  from  de- 
claring to  them  the  truth  in  some  way., 
however  unpalatable  it  might  be. 
^  Believe  in  the  light.  That  is,  in  the 
Messiah,  who  is  the  light  of  the  world. 
11  That  ye  may  he  the  children^  etc.  That 
ye  may  be  the  friends  and  followers  of 
the  Messiah.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  1. 
Comp.  John  viii.  12.  Eph.  v.  8:  "Now 
are  ye  light  in  the  Lord;  walk  as  chil- 
dren of  light. ' '  H  Did  hide  himself  from, 
them.  Chap.  viii.  59.  He  went  out  to 
Bethany,  where  he  commonly  passed 
the  night.   Luke  xxi.  37. 

37.  So  many  miracles.  Tliis  does  not 


CHAPTER  XII. 


342 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


38  That  the  saying  of  Esaias  the 
prophet  might  be  fulfilled  which 
he  «pake,  *  Lord,  who  hath  be- 
lieved our  report  ?  and  to  whom 
hath  the  arm  of  the  Lord  been 
revealed  ? 

a  Isa.  53. 1. 


refer  to  any  mh-acles  wrought  on  this 
occasion,  but  to  all  his  miracles 
wrought  in  view  of  the  nation,  in  heal- 
ing the  sick,  opening  the  eyes  of  the 
blind,  raising  the  dead,  etc.  John  here 
gives  the  suminary  or  the  result  of  all 
his  works.  Though  Jesus  had  given 
the  most  undeniable  proof  of  Ms  be- 
ing the  Messiah,  yet  the  nation  did 
not  believe  on  him.  H  Before  them. 
Before  the  Jewish  nation.  Not  in  the 
presence  of  the  i:>eople  whom  he  was 
then  addressing,  but  before  the  Jew- 
ish people.  ^  They  believed  not.  The 
Jewish  nation  did  not  believe  «s  a  na- 
^io?i,  but  rejected  him.  '* 

38.  The  smjing.  The  word  of  Isaiah, 
or  that  which  Isaiah  predicted.  This 
occurs  in  Isaiah  liii.  1.  ^  Might  he 
fulfilled.  That  the  same  effect  should 
occur  which  occurred  in  the  time  of 
Isaiah.  This  does  not  mean  that  the 
Pharisees  rejected  Christ  in  order  that 
the  x^rophecy  of  Isaiah  should  be  ful- 
filled, but  that  hy  their  rejection  of 
him  the  same  thing  had  occurred 
which  took  place  in  the  time  of  Isa- 
iah. His  message  was  despised  by  the 
nation,  and  he  himself  put  to  death. 
And  it  was  also  true  —  by  the  same 
causes,  by  the  same  nation — that  the 
same  Gospel  message  was  rejected  by 
the  Jews  in  the  time  of  Christ.  The 
same  language  of  the  prophet  would 
express  both  events,  and  no  doubt  it 
was  intended  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
mark  both  events.  In  this  way  it  was 
completely  fultilled.  See  Notes  on 
Isa.  liii.  1.  1[  Oar  report.  Literally,  by 
report  is  meant  "  what  is  heard."  Our 
speech,  our  message.  That  is,  few  or 
none  have  received  the  message.  The 
form  of  the  question  is  an  emphatic 
way  of  saying  that  it  was  rejected. 

The  arm  of  the  Lord.  The  arm  is  a 
symbol  of  power,  as  it  is  the  instru- 
ment by  wliich  we  execute  our  pur- 
poses. It  is  put  for  the  power  of  God. 
Isa.  li.  9;  lii.  10.  Thus  he  is  said  to 
have  brought  out  the  children  of  Is- 
rael from  Egypt  with  a  high  arm — 
that  is,  with  great  power.  It  hence 
means  God's  power  in  defending  his 


39  Therefore  they  could  not  be- 
lieve, because  that  Esaias  said  * 
again, 

40  He  hath  blinded  their  eyes, 
and  hardened  their  heart ;  that 
they  should  not  see  with  their 

b  Isa.  6.9,10. 


people,  in  overcoming  his  enemies, 
and  in  saving  the  soul.  In  this  place 
it  clearly  denotes  the  power  display- 
ed by  the  miracles  of  Christ.  H  Beveal- 
ed.  Made  known,  seen,  understood. 
Though  the  power  of  God  was  dis- 
plaijed^  yet  the  people  did  not  see  and 
understand  it. 

39.  They  coidd  not  believe.  See  Mark 
vi.  5 :  He  could  there  do  no  mighty 
works,"  etc.  The  words  can  and  could 
are  often  used  in  the  Bible  to  denote 
the  existence  of  such  obstacles  as  to 
make  a  result  certain,  or  as  affirming 
that  while  one  thing  exists  another 
thing  can  not  follow.  Thus,  John  v. 
44:  "Howcwi  ye  believe  which  receive 
honor  one  of  another."  That  is,  while 
this  propensity  to  seek  for  honor  ex- 
ists, it  will  effectually  prevent  your 
believing.  Thus  (Gen.  xxxvii.  4)  it  is 
said  of  the  brethren  of  Joseph  that 
they  could  not  speak  peaceably  unto 
him."  That  is,  while  their  hatred 
continued  so  strong,  the  other  result 
would  follow.  See  also  Matt.  xii.  34. 
Rom.  viii.  7.  John  vi.  60.  Amos  iii.  3. 
In  this  case  it  means  that  there  was 
some  obstacle  or  difficulty  that  made 
it  certain  that  while  it  existed  they 
would  not  believe.  What  that  was  is 
stated  in  the  next  verse;  and  while 
that  blindness  of  mind  and  that  hard- 
ness of  heart  existed,  it  was  impossi- 
ble that  they  should  believe,  for  the 
two  things  were  incompatible.  But 
this  determines  nothing  about  their 
power  of  removing  that  J)lindness^  or  of 
yielding  their  heart  to  the  Gospel.  It 
simply  affirms  that  while  one  exists 
the  other  can  not  follow.  Chrysos- 
tom  and  Augustine  understand  this 
of  a  moral  inability^  and  not  of  any 
natural  want  of  power.  "  They  could 
not,  because  they  would  not." — Chry- 
sostom  in  loco.  So  on  Jer.  xiii.  23,  Can 
the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,"  etc., 
he  says,  *'he  docs  not  say  it  is  impos- 
sible for  a  wicked  man  to  do  well,  but, 
BECAUSE  they  will  not^  therefore  they  can 
not.''''  Augustine  says  on  this  pUicc: 
"  If  I  be  asked  why  they  could  wot  be- 
lieve, I  answer  without  hesitation,  bo- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XII. 


343 


eyes,  nor  understand  with  their 
heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I 
should  heal  them. 
41  These  things  said  Esaias  when 


cause  they  ivould  not :  because  God 
foresaw  their  evil  will^  and  he  an- 
nounced it  beforehand  by  the  proph- 
et." IF  Said  again.  Isa.  vi.  9, 10. 

40.  £[e  hath  blinded  their  eyes.  The 
expression  in  Isaiah  is,  "  Go,  make  the 
heart  of  this  people  fat,  and  shut  their 
eyes."  That  is,  go  and  proclaim  truth 
to  them  —  truth  that  will  result  in 
blinding  their  eyes.  Go  and  proclaim 
the  laAV  and  the  will  of  God,  and  the 
effect  will  be^  owing  to  the  hardness  of 
their  heart,  that  their  eyes  will  be 
blinded  and  their  hearts  hardened. 
As  God  knew  that  this  would  be  the 
result — as  it  was  to  be  the  effect  of 
the  message,  his  commanding  Isaiah 
to  go  and  proclaim  it  was  the  same  in 
effect^  or  in  tJie  result^  as  if  he  had  com- 
manded him  to  blind  their  eyes  and 
harden  their  hearts.  It  is  this  effect  or 
7'esult  to  which  the  evangelist  refers 
in  this  place.  He  states  that  God  did 
it — that  is,  he  did  it  in  the  manner 
mentioned  in  Isaiah,  for  we  are  limit- 
ed to  that  in  our  interpretation  of  the 
passage.  In  that  case  it  is  clear  that 
the  mode  specified  is  not  a  direct  agen- 
cy on  the  part  of  God  in  blinding  the 
mind — which  we  can  not  reconcile 
with  any  just  notions  of  the  divine 
character — but  in  suffering  the  truth  to 
2)roduce  a  regidar  effect  on  swf  ul  mi7ids, 
without  putting  forth  any  positive  super- 
natural influence  to  preverd  it.  The  ef- 
fect of  truth  on  such  minds  is  to  irri- 
tate, to  enrage,  and  to  harden,  unless 
counteracted  by  the  grace  of  God. 
See  Rom.  vii.  8,  9, 11.  2  Cor.  ii.  15,  16. 
And  as  God  knew  i\m>.,  and,  knowing 
it,  still  sent  the  message,  and  suffered 
it  to  produce  the  regular  effect,  the 
evangelist  says  "Ae  hath  blinded  their 
minds,"  thus  retaining  the  substance 
of  the  passage  in  Isaiah  without  quot- 
ing the  precise  language;  but  in  pro- 
claiming the  triUh  there  was  nothing 
wrong  on  the  i^art  of  God  or  of  Isaiah, 
nor  is  there  any  indication  that  God 
was  unwilling  that  they  should  believe 
and  be  saved.  That  they  should 
not  see.,  etc.  This  does  not  mean 
that  it  was  the  design  of  God  that 
they  should  not  be  converted,  but 
that  it  was  the  effect  of  their  reject- 


''he  saw  his  glory,  and  spake  of 
him  ; 

42  Nevertheless,  among  the  chief 
rulers  also  many  believed  on  him, 

a  Isa.  6. 1. 


ing  the  message.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xiii.  14, 15. 

41.  When  he  saw  his  glory.  Isa.  vi. 
1-10.  Isaiah  saw  the  Lord  (in  He- 
brew Jehovah)  sitting  on  a  throne 
and  surrounded  with  the  seraphim. 
This  is  perhaps  the  only  instance  in 
the  Bible  irw  which  Jehovah  is  said  to 
have  been  seen  hy  man,  and  for  this 
the  Jews  aflSrm  that  Isaiah  was  put  to 
death.  God  had  said  (Exod.  xxxiii. 
20),  "no  man  shall  see  me  and  live;" 
and  as  Isaiah  affirmed  that  he  had  seen 
Jehovah,  the  Jews,  for  that  and  other 
reasons,  put  him  to  death  by  sawing 
him  asunder.  See  Introduction  to 
Isaiah,  §  2.  In  the  prophecy  Isaiah  is 
said  expressly  to  have  seen  Jehovah 
(verse  1);  and  in  verse  5,  "Mine  eyes 
have  seen  the  King  Jehovah  of 
hosts."  By  his  glory  is  meant  the 
manifestation  of  him — the  shechinah., 
or  visible  cloud  that  was  a  represent- 
ation of  God,  and  that  rested  over  the 
mercy -seat.  This  was  regarded  as 
equivalent  to  seeing  God,  and  John 
here  expressly  applies  this  to  the  Lord 
J esus  Christ ;  for  he  is  not  affirming 
that  the  people  did  not  believe  in  Gocl^ 
but  is  assigning  the  reason  why  they 
believed  not  on  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Messiah.  The  whole  discourse  has  re- 
spect to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  nat- 
ural construction  of  the  passage  re- 
quires us  to  refer  it  to  him.  John  af- 
firms that  it  was  the  glory  of  the  3fes- 
siah  that  Isaiah  saw,  and  yet  Isaiah  af- 
firms that  it  was  Jehovah  ;  and  I'rom 
this  the  inference  is  irresistible  that 
John  regarded  Jesus  as  the  Jehovah 
whom  Isaiah  saw.  The  name  Jeho- 
vah is  never,  in  the  Scriptures,  ap- 
plied to  a  man,  or  an  angel,  or  to  any 
creature.  Lt  is  the  peculiar,  incommu- 
nicable name  of  God.  So  great  was 
the  reverence  of  the  Jews  for  that 
name  that  they  would  not  even  pro- 
noimce  it.  This  passage  is  therefore 
conclusive  proof  that  Christ  is  equal 
with  the  Father.  ^  SjMke  of  him.  Of 
the  Messiah.  The  connection  requires 
this  interpretation. 

42.  The  chief  rulers.  Members  of  the 
Sanhedrim — Nicodemus,  Joseph,  and 
others  like  them.    ^  Because  of  the 


344 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


but  ^  because  of  the  Pharisees  they 
did  not  confess  Aim,  lest  they  sliould 
be  put  out  of  the  synagogue ; 

43  For  *  they  loved  the  praise  of 
men  more  than  the  praise  of  God. 

44  Jesus  cried  and  said,  He  ^  that 
believeth  on  me,  t  elieveth  not  on 
me,  but  on  him  that  sent  me. 

45  And  he  that  seeth  me,  seeth 
him  that  sent  me. 

a  c.  9.  22.  h  c.  5. 44.    Rom.  2. 29. 

c  Mar.  9.  37.    1  Pet.  1.21. 

J^'harisees.  The  Pharisees««were  a  ma- 
jority of  the  council.  H  Fut  out  of 
the  synagogiie.  Excommunicated.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  ix.  22. 

43.  The  praise  of  men.  The  appro- 
bation of  men.  It  does  not  appear 
that  they  had  a  living,  active  faith, 
but  that  tliey  were  convinced  in  their 
imderstanding  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
biah.  They  had  that  kind  of  faith 
wliich  is  so  common  among  men — a 
speculative  acknowledgment  that  re- 
ligion is  true,  but  an  acknowledgment 
which  leads  to  no  self  denial,  which 
shrinks  from  the  active  duties  of  pie- 
t}',  and  fears  man  more  than  God. 
True  faith  is  active.  It  overcomes 
the  fear  of  man  ;  it  prompts  to  self- 
denying  duties.  Hcb.  xi.  Neverthe- 
less, it  was  no  unimportant  proof  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  that  any  part 
of  the  great  council  of  the  Jews  were 
even  speculative!)^  convinced  of  it ; 
and  it  shows  that  the  evidence  could 
not  have  been  slight  when  it  over- 
came their  prejudices  and  pride,  and 
constrained  them  to  admit  that  the 
lowly  and  poor  man  of  Nazareth  was 
the  long-expected  Messiah  of  their 
nation.  1[  JJid  not  confess  him.  Did 
not  openly  avow  their  belief  that  he 
was  the  Messiah.  Two  of  them,  how- 
ever, did  afterward  evince  their  at- 
tachment to  him.  These  were  Joseph 
and  Nicodemus.  Ch.  xix.  38, 39.  That 
Joseph  was  one  of  them  appears  from 
Mark  xv.  43.   Luke  xxiii.  50,  51. 

44.  Jesus  cried  and  said.  John  does 
not  say  where  or  wlicyi  this  was ;  it  is 
])r()bable,  however,  that  it  was  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  discourse  recorded  in 
verses  30-36.  Jesus  saw  their  unbe- 
lief, and  proceeded  to  state  the  conse- 
(iuen(^e  of  believing  on  him,  and  of 
icjecting  him  and  his  message.  H  Be- 
Vx'veth  not  on  rae.  That  is,  not  on  me 
aloyic,  or  his  faith  does  not  terminate 
on  me.    Compare  Matt.  x.  20.  Mark 


46  I  ^  am  come  a  light  into  the 
world,  that  whosoever  believeth  on 
me  should  not  abide  in  darkness. 

47  And  if  any  man  hear  my 
words  and  believe  not,  I  judge 
him  not ;  for  I  came  ^  not  to  judge 
the  world,  but  to  save  the  world. 

48  He  that  rejecteth  me,  and  re- 
ceiveth  not  my  words, hath  one 
that  judgeth  him :  the  word  that  I 

<Z  c.  1.5;  3.19.  e  c.3. 17. 

/  Deut.  18. 19.    Lu,  9.  26. 

ix.  37.  It  involves^  also,  belief  in  him 
that  sent  me.  Jesus  uniformly  repre*^ 
sents  the  union  between  himself  and 
God  as  so  intimate  that  there  could 
not  be  faith  in  7iim  unless  there  was 
also  faith  in  God.  He  did  the  same 
works  (chap.  v.  17,  20,  36 ;  x.  25,  37), 
and  taught  the  very  doctrine  which 
God  had  commissioned  him  to  do. 
Chap.  viii.  38;  v.  30,  20-23. 

45.  Seeth  me^  etc.  This  verse  is  a 
strong  confirmation  of  his  equality 
with  God.  In  no  other  way  can  it  be 
true  that  he  who  saw  Jesus  saw  him 
that  sent  him,  unless  he  were  the 
same  in  essence.  Of  no  man  could  it 
be  affirmed  that  he  who  saw  him  saw 
God.  To  say  this  of  Paul  or  Isaiah 
would  have  been  blasphemy.  And  yet 
Jesus  uses  this  language  familiarly 
and  constantly.  It  shows  that  he  had 
a  consciousness  that  he  was  divine, 
and  that  it  was  the  natural  and  prop- 
er way  of  speaking  when  speaking  of 
himself    Compare  chap.  v.  17. 

46.  A  light  into  the  world.  Chap.  viii. 
12 ;  i.  9 ;  iii.  19.  1  Walk  in  darkness. 
In  gross  and  dangerous  errors.  Dark- 
ness is  put  for  error  as  well  as  for  sin. 
John  iii.  19.  1  John  i.  5.  It  is  also 
used  to  denote  the  state  when  the 
comforts  of  religion  are  withdrawn 
from  the  soul.  Isa.  viii.  22.  Joel  ii. 
2.  Isa.  lix.  9.  John  viii.  12. 

47.  I  judge  him  fiot,  etc.  Chap.  viii. 
15.  It  was  not  his  present  purpose  to 
condemn  men.  He  Avould  come  to 
condemn  the  guilty  at  a  future  time. 
At  present  he  came  to  save  them. 
Hence  he  did  not  now  even  pro- 
nounce decisively  on  the  condition 
of  those  who  rejected  him,  but  still 
gave  them  an  opportunity  to  be  saved. 

48.  lie  that  rejecteth  me.  Luke  x.  16. 
The  word  reject  means  to  despise^  or  to 
refuse  to  receive  him.  H  JIath  one. 
That  is,  he  needs  not  my  voice  to 
condemn  him.    He  will  carry  his  own 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


345 


liave  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge 
liiin  in  the  last  day. 

49  For  I  have  not  spoken  of  my- 
self; but  the  Father  which  sent 
me,  he  gave  me  a  commandment, 
what  I  should  say,  and  what  I 
should  speak. 

50  And  I  know  that  his  com- 
mandment is    life  everlasting: 

a  1  Jno.  3.  23. 
h  Matt.  26.  2,  etc. 


condemnation  with  him,  even  should 
I  be  silent.  His  own  conscience  will 
condemn  him.  The  words  which  I 
have  spoken  will  be  remembered  and 
will  condemn  him,  if  there  were  noth- 
ing farther.  From  this  we  learn,  1st. 
That  a  guilty  conscience  needs  no  ac- 
cuser. 2d.  That  the  words  of  Christ, 
and  the  messages  of  mercy  which  the 
sinner  has  rejected,  will  be  remember- 
ed by  him..  3d.  That  this  will  be  the 
source  of  his  condemnation.  This  will 
make  him  miserable,  and  there  will  be 
no  possibility  of  his  being  happy. 
4  th.  That  the  conscience  of  the  sin- 
ner will  concur  with  the  sentence  of 
Christ  in  the  great  day,  and  that  he 
will  go  to  eternity  self- condemned.  It 
is  this  which  will  make  the  pains  of 
hell  so  intolerable  to  the  sinner.  5th. 
The  word  that  Christ  has  spoken,  the 
doctrines  of  his  Gospel,  and  the  mes- 
sages of  mercy,  will  be  that  by  which 
the  sinner  will  be  judged  in  the  last 
day.  Every  man  will  be  judged  by 
that  message,  and  the  sinner  will  be 
punished  according  to  the  frequency 
and  clearness  with  which  the  rejected 
message  has  been  presented  to  his 
mind.   Matt.  xii.  41. 

49.  Of  myself.    Chap.  vii.  16-18. 

50.  Is  life  everlasting.  Is  the  cause  or 
source  of  everlasting  life.  He  that 
obeys  the  commandment  of  God  shall 
obtain  everlasting  life;  and  this  is 
his  commandment,  that  we  believe  in 
the  name  of  his  only-begotten  Son. 
1  John  iii.  22.  We  see  Iut^  the  rea- 
son of  the  earnestness  and  fidelity  of 
tlie  Lord  Jesus.  It  was  because  he 
saw  that  eternal  life  depended  on  the 
faithful  preaching  of  the  message  of 
God.  He  therefore  proclaimed  it  in 
the  face  of  all  opposition,  contempt, 
and  persecution.  And  we  see  also, 
1st.  That  every  minister  of  religion 
should  have  a  deep  and  abiding  con- 
viction that  he  delivers  a  message  that 
is  to  be  connected  with  the  eternal 

P2 


whatsoever  I  speak,  therefore,  even 
as  the  Father  said  unto  me,  so  I 
speak. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

NOW  *  before  the  feast  of  the 
passover,  when  Jesus  knew 
that  his  hour  was  come  that  he 
should  depart  out  of  this  world 
unto  the  Father,  having  ^  loved  his 

c  c.  17.  1, 11. 

rfJer.31.3.  Eph.  5.  2.   ljno.4. 19.  Rev.  1.5. 

welfare  of  his  hearers.  And,  2d.  Un- 
[  der  the  influence  of  this  belief,  he 
should  fearlessly  deliver  his  message 
ill  the  face  of  bonds,  povert}^,  con- 
tempt, persecution,  and  death. 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  remark 
here  that  this  is  the  close  of  the  public 
preaching  of  Christ.  The  rest  of  his 
ministry  was  employed  in  the  private 
instruction  of  his  apostles,  and  in 
preparing  them  for  his  approaching 
death.  It  is  such  a  close  as  all  his 
ministers  should  desire  to  make — a 
solemn,  deliberate,  firm  exhibition  of 
the  truth  of  God,  under  a  belief  that 
on  it  was  depending  the  eternal  salva- 
tion of  his  hearers,  and  uttering  with- 
out fear  the  solemn  message  of  the 
Most  High  to  a  lost  world. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
1.  The  feast  of  the  Passover.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  2, 17.  T[  His  hour 
was  come.  The  hour  appointed  in  the 
purpose  of  God  for  him  to  die.  Chap, 
xii.  27.  T[  Havhig  loved  his  own.  Hav- 
ing given  to  them  decisive  and  con- 
stant i^roofs  of  his  love.  This  was 
done  by  his  calling  them  to  follow 
him ;  by  patiently  teaching  them ;  by 
bearing  with  their  errors  and  weak- 
nesses ;  and  by  making  them  the  her- 
alds of  his  truth  and  the  heirs  of  eter- 
nal life.  ^  He  loved  them  unto  the  end. 
That  is,  he  continued  the  proofs  of  his 
love  until  he  was  taken  away  from 
them  by  death.  Instances  of  that  love 
John  proceeds  immediately  to  record 
in  his  washing  their  feet  and  in  the  in- 
stitution of  the  Supper.  We  may  re- 
mark that  Jesus  is  the  same  yester- 
day, to-day,  and  forever.  He  does  not 
change ;  he  always  loves  the  same 
traits  of  character ;  nor  does  he  with- 
draw his  love  from  the  soul.  If  his 
people  walk  in  darkness  and  wander 
from  him,  the  fault  is  theirs,  not  his. 
His  is  the  character  of  a  friend  that 
never  leaves  or  forsakes  us ;  a  friend 


346 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


own  wliicli  were  in  the  world,  lie 
loved  them  unto  the  end. 

2  And  supper  being  ended,  the  " 
devil  having  now  put  into  the 
heart  of  Judas  Iscariot,  Simon's 
son^  to  betray  him, 

3  Jesus  knowing  ^  that  the  Fa- 
ther had  given  all  things  into  his 
hands,  and  that  ''he  was  come 
from  God,  and  went  to  God ; 

4  He  riseth  from  supper,  and  laid 

a  Lu.  22.  53.    c.  6.  70. 

b  Matt.  28. 18.  Heb.  2. 8.  c  c.  17. 11. 


that  sticketli  closer  than  a  brother. 
Psalm  xxxvii.  28:  "The  Lord — forsak- 
eth  not  his  saints."  Isa.  xlix.  14^17. 
Prov.  xviii.  24. 

2.  Supper  being  ended.  This  transla- 
tion expresses  too  mucli.  Tlie  orig- 
inal means  while  they  'were  at  supper ; 
and  tliat  tliis  is  tlie  meaning  is  clear 
from  tlie  fact  that  we  tind  tliem  still 
eating  after  this.  The  Arabic  and 
Persic  translations  give  it  this  mean- 
ing. The  Latin  Vulgate  renders  it  like 
the  English.  1[  The  devil.  The  leader 
or  prince  of  evil  spirits.  H  Haviyig 
nov)  put  it  into  the  heart.  Literally, 
having  cast  it  into  the  heart.  Com- 
pare Eph.  vi.  16:  "the  fiery  darts  of 
the  wicked."  See  Acts  v.  3.  Luke 
xxii.  3.  The  meaning  of  this  passage 
is  that  Satan  inclined  the  mind  of  Ju- 
das to  do  this,  or  he  tempted  him  to 
betray  his  Master.  We  know  not  pre- 
cisely how  this  was  done,  but  we 
know  that  it  was  by  means  of  his  av- 
arice. Satan  could  tempt  no  one  un- 
less there  was  some  inclination  of  the 
mind,  some  natural  or  depraved  pro- 
pensity that  he  could  make  use  of 
He  i)resents  objects  in  alluring  forms 
fitted  to  that  propensit}^  and  under 
the  influence  of  a  strong  or  a  corrupt 
inclination  the  soul  yields  to  sin.  In 
the  case  of  Judas  it  was  the  love  of 
money ;  and  it  was  necessary  to  pre- 
sent to  him  only  tlie  possibility  of  ob- 
tainiiig  money,  and  ii  found  him  ready 
for  any  crime. 

3.  Jesus  knowing^  etc.  With  the  full 
understanding  of  his  dignity  and  ele- 
vation of  character,  he  yet  conde- 
scended to  wash  their  feet.  The  evan- 
gelist introduces  his  washing  their 
feet  by  snyiuii,-  tliat  he  was  fully  con- 
scious ol'liis  elevation  above  them,  as 
being  intrusted  with  all  things,  and 
this  made  his  humiliation  the  more 


aside  his  garments,  and  took  a 
towel  and  girded  himself. 

5  After  that  he  poureth  water 
into  a  basin,  and  began  to  wash 
the  disciples'  feet,  and  to  wipe 
tliem  with  the  towel  wherewith  he 
was  girded. 

6  Then  cometh  he  to  Simon  Pe- 
ter ;  and  Peter  ^  said  unto  him, 
Lord,  dost  ^  thou  wash  my  feet  ? 

7  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 

1  he. 

d  Matt.  3. 14. 


striking  and  remarkable.  Had  he  been 
a  mere  human  teacher  or  a  prophet, 
it  would  have  been  remarkable ;  but 
when  we  remember  the  dignity  of  his 
nature,  it  shows  how  low  he  would 
stoop  to  teach  and  save  his  people. 
^  Had  given  all  things.,  etc.  See  Notes 
on  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  1^  Was  come  from 
God.  See  Notes  on  chap.  viii.  42. 
II  We7it  to  God.  Was  about  to  return 
to  heaven.    See  chap.  vi.  61, 62. 

4.  He  riseth  from  supper.  Evidently 
while  they  were  eating.  See  verse  2. 
^  Laid  aside  his  gaymerits.  His  outer 
garment.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  40. 
This  was  his  mantle  or  robe,  which  is 
said  to  have  been  without  seam.  It 
was  customary  to  lay  this  aside  when 
they  worked  or  ran,  or  in  the  heat  of 
summer.  ^  Took  a  towel  and  girded 
himself.  This  was  the  manner  of  a 
servant  or  slave.  See  Notes  on  Luke 
xvii.  8. 

5.  Began  to  wash^  etc.  It  was  uni- 
formly the  office  of  a  servant  to  wash 
the  feet  of  guests.  1  Sam.  xxv.  41.  It 
became  a  matter  of  necessity  where 
they  travelled  without  shoes,  and 
where  they  reclined  on  couches  at 
meals.  It  should  be  remembered  here 
that  the  disciples  were  not  sitti7ig  at 
the  table,  as  we  do,  but  were  lying 
with  their  feet  extended  from  the  ta- 
ble, so  that  Jesus  could  easily  have 
access  to  them.  See  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxiii.  6. 

6.  Dost  thou  wash  my  feet?  Every 
word  here  is  emphatic.  Dost  tJiou — 
the  Son  of  God,  the,  Messiah — per- 
form the  humble  office  of  a  servant — to- 
ward me,  a  sinner  y  This  was  an  ex- 
pression of  Peter's  humility,  of  his 
reverence  for  Jesus,  and  also  a  refusal 
to  allow  him  to  do  it.  It  is  possible^ 
though  not  certain  from  the  text, 
that  he  came  to  Simon  Peter  first. 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


347 


him,  What  I  do  thou  knowest 
not,  but  thou  shalt  know  here- 
after. 

8  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Thou 
shalt  never  wash  my  feet.  Jesus 


Thou  knowest  not  now.  Though 
he  saw  the  action  of  Jesus,  yet  he  did 
not  fully  understand  the  design  of  it. 
It  was  a  symbolical  action,  inculcating 
a  lesson  of  humility,  and  intended  to 
teach  it  to  them  in  such  a  manner 
that  it  would  be  impossible  for  them 
ever  to  forget  it.  Had  he  simply  com- 
manded them  to  be  humble,  it  would 
have  been  far  less  forcible  and  im- 
pressive than  when  they  saw  him  act- 
ually performing  the  office  of  a  serv- 
ant. T[  Shalt  know  hereafter.  Jesus  at 
that  time  partially  explained  it  (ver. 
14,  15) ;  but  he  was  teaching  them  by 
this  expressive  act  a  lesson  which  they 
would  continue  to  learn  all  their  lives. 
Every  day  they  would  see  more  and 
more  the  necessity  of  humility  and  of 
kindness  to  each  other,  and  would 
see  that  they  were  the  servants  of 
Christ  and  of  the  Church,  and  ought 
not  to  aspire  to  honors  and  offices, 
but  to  be  willing  to  perform  the  hum- 
blest service  to  benefit  the  world. 
And  we  may  remark  here  that  God 
often  does  things  which  we  do  not 
full/  understand  now,  but  which  we 
may  hereafter.  He  often  affiicts  us ; 
he  disappoints  us;  he  frustrates  our 
plans.  Why  it  is  we  do  not  know 
now,  but  we  yet  shall  learn  that  it 
was  for  our  good,  and  designed  to 
teach  us  some  important  lesson  of 
humility  and  piety.  So  he  will,  in 
lieaven,  scatter  all  doubts,  remove  all 
difficulties,  and  show  us  the  reason  of 
the  whole  of  his  mysterious  dealings 
in  his  leading  us  in  the  way  to  our  fu- 
ture rest.  We  ought  also,  in  view  of 
this,  to  submit  ourselves  to  him ;  to 
hush  every  murmur,  and  to  believe 
that  he  does  all  things  well.  It  is 
one  evidence  of  piety  when  we  are 
willing  to  receive  affiiction  at  the 
hand  of  God,  the  reason  of  which  we 
can  not  see,  content  with  the  belief 
that  we  may  see  it  hereafter;  or,  even 
if  we  never  do,  still  having  so  much 
confidence  in  God  as  to  believe  that 

WHAT  HE  DOES  IS  RIGHT. 

8.  Thoio  shalt  never  wash  my  feet.  This 
was  a  decided  and  firm  expression  of 
liis  reverence  for  his  Master,  and  yet 


answered  him.  If  ^  I  wash  thee  not, 
thou  hast  no  part  with  me. 

9  Simon  Peter  saith  unto  him. 
Lord,  not  my  feet  only^but  also 
my  hands  and  my  head. 

a  1  Cor.  6. 11.   Eph.  5.  26.   Tit.  3.  5. 

it  was  improper.  Jesus  had  just  de- 
clared that  it  had  a  meaning,  and  that 
he  ought  to  submit  to  it.  We  should 
yield  to  all  the  plain  and  positive  re- 
quirements of  God,  even  if  we  can  not 
now  see  how  obedience  would  promote 
his  glory.  If  I  wash  thee  not.  This 
had  immediate  reference  to  the  act  of 
washing  his  feet ;  and  it  denotes  that 
if  Peter  had  not  so  much  confidence 
in  him  as  to  believe  that  an  act  which 
he  performed  was  proper,  though  he 
could  not  see  its  propriety — if  he  was 
not  willing  to  submit  his  will  to  that 
of  Christ  and  implicitly  obey  him,  he 
had  no  evidence  of  pict}^  As  Christ, 
however,  was  accustomed  to  pass  from 
temporal  and  sensible  objects  to  those 
which  were  spiritual,  and  to  draw  in- 
struction from  whatever  was  before 
him,  some  have  supposed  that  he  here 
took  occasion  to  state  to  Peter  that  if 
his  soul  was  not  made  pure  by  him  he 
could  not  be  his  follower.  Washing 
is  often  thus  put  as  an  emblem  of 
moral  purification.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Ti- 
tus iii.  5,  6.  This  is  the  meaning,  also, 
of  baptism.  If  this  was  the  sense  in 
which  Jesus  used  these  words,  it  de- 
notes that  unless  Christ  should  purify 
Peter,  he  could  have  no  evidence  that 
he  was  his  disciple.  "Unless  by  my 
doctrine  and  spirit  I  shall  purify  you, 
and  remove  your^HtZe  (Matt.  xxvi.  33), 
your  want  of  constant  watchfulness 
(verse  40),  your  anger  (verse  51),  your 
timidity  and  fear  (verses  70,  74),  you 
can  have  no  part  in  me." — Grotius. 
^  Hast  710  part  ivith  me.  Nothing  in 
common  with  me.  No  evidence  of 
possessing  my  spirit,  of  being  inter- 
ested in  my  work,  and  no  participa- 
tion in  my  glory. 

9.  Not  my  feet  only.,  etc.  Peter,  with 
characteristic  readiness  and  ardor,  saw 
now  that  every  thing  depended  on  this. 
His  whole  salvation,  the  entire  ques- 
tion of  his  attachment  to  his  Master, 
was  involved.  If  to  refuse  to  have  his 
feet  washed  was  to  be  regarded  as  evi- 
dence that  he  had  no  part  with  Jesus, 
he  was  not  only  ioilli7i(]^  but  desii^ous 
that  it  should  be  done;'  not  only  anx- 
ious that  his  feet  should  be  cleansed, 


348 


JOHK 


[A.D.  33. 


10  Jesus  saitli  to  him,  He  tliat  is 
Avashed  needetli  not  save  to  wash 
Ms  feet,  but  is  clean  every  whit ; 
and  ye  aipB  clean,  but  not  all. 

11  For  "  he  knew  who  should  be- 
tray him ;  therefore  said  he,  Ye  are 
not  all  clean. 

12  So  after  he  had  washed  their 
feet,  and  had  taken  his  garments, 

a  c.  6.  64. 


but  his  hands  and  his  head — that  is, 
that  he  should  be  cleansed  entirely^ 
thoroughly.  Perhaps  he  saw  the  spir- 
itual meaning  of  the  Saviour,  and  ex- 
pressed his  ardent  wish  that  his  whole 
soul  might  be  made  pure  by  the  worlv 
of  Christ.  A  true  Christian  is  desirous 
of  being^leansed  from  all  sin.  He  has 
no  reserve.  He  wislies  not  merely 
that  one  evil  propensity  should  be  re- 
moved, but  all ;  that  every  thought 
should  he  brought  into  captivity  to  the 
obedience  of  Christ  (2  Cor.  x.  5) ;  and 
that  his  whole  body,  soul,  and  spirit 
should  be  sanctified  loholly,  and  be  pre- 
served blameless  unto  the  coming  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  1  Thess.  v.  23.  His 
intellect,  his  will,  his  affections,  his 
fancy,  memory,  judgment,  he  desires 
should  be  all  brought  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Gospel,  and  every  power 
of  the  body  and  mind  be  consecrated 
unto  God. 

10.  He  that  is  washed.  This  is  a  dif- 
ficult passage,  and  interpreters  have 
been  divided  about  its  meaning.  Some 
have  supposed  that  it  was  customary 
to  bathe  before  eating  the  paschal  sup- 
per, and  tliat  the  apostles  did  it ;  Je- 
sus having  said,  "he  that  hath  bathed 
his  body  is  clean  except  in  regard  to 
his  feet — to  the  dirt  contracted  in  re- 
turning from  the  bath,  and  that  there 
was  need  07dy  that  the  feet  should  be 
washed  in  order  to  prepare  them  prop- 
erly to  receive  the  supper."  They 
suppose,  also,  that  the  lesso7i  which 
Jesus  meant  to  teach  was  that  they 
wci-(;  really  pure  (chap.  xv.  3) ;  that 
they  were  (qualified  to  partake  of  the 
ordinances  of  religion,  and  needed 
(jnly  to  be  purified  from  occasional 
blemishes  and  im|)urities. — Orotius. 
Others  say  that  there  is  not  evidence 
that  the  Jews  bathed  before  partaking 
of  the  paschal  sui)per,  but  that  refer- 
ence is  made  to  the  custom  of  wasli- 
iiif4'  their  hands  and  their /<2ce.  It  is 
known  that  this  was  practiced.  See 


and  was  set  down  again,  he  said 
unto  them,  Know  ye  what  I  have 
done  to  you  ? 

13  Ye  ^  call  me  Master  and  Lord ; 
and  ye  say  well,  for  so  I  am. 

14  If  I,  then,  your  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter, have  washed  your  feet,  ^ 
also  ought  to  wash  one  anothers 
feet. 

5  Matt,  23. 8-10.   Phil.  2. 11. 


Notes  on  Matt.  xv.  2.  Mark  vii.  3,  4. 
Peter  had  requested  him  to  wash  his 
hands  and  his  head.  Jesus  told  him 
that  as  that  had  been  done,  it  was  un- 
necessary to  repeat  it ;  but  to  wash 
the  feet  was  an  act  of  hospitality,  the 
office  of  a  servant,  and  that  all  that 
was  needed  now  was  for  him  to  show 
this  condescension  and  humility. 
Probably  reference  is  had  here  to  in- 
ternal purity,  as  Jesus  was  fond  of 
drawing  illustrations  from  every  quar- 
ter to  teach  them  spiritual  doctrine ; 
as  if  he  had  said,  "You  are  clean  by 
my  word  and  ministry  (chap.  xv.  3) ; 
j^ou  are  my  followers,  and  are  pre- 
pared for  the  scene  before  you.  But 
one  thing  remains.  And  as,  when  we 
come  to  this  rite,  having  washed, 
there  remains  no  need  of  washing  ex- 
cept to  wash  the  feet,  so  there  is  now 
nothing  remaining  but  for  me  to  show 
you  an  example  that  you  will  always 
remember,  and  that  shall  complete  my 
public  instructions  to  you."  If  is 
clean.  This  Vv^ord  may  apply  to  the 
body  or  the  soul.  ^  Every  whit.  Alto- 
gether, wholly.  *[[  Ye  are  chan.  Here 
the  word  has  doubtless  reference  to 
the  mind  and  heart.  Bat  not  all. 
You  are  not  all  my  true  followers, 
and  fitted  for  the  ordinance  before  us. 

11.  Who  should  betray  him.  Greek,- 
"He  knew  him  who  was  about  to  be- 
tray him." 

12.  Know  ye  what,  etc.  Do  you  know 
the  meaning  or  design  of  what  I  have 
done  unto  you  ? 

13.  Ye  call  me  Master.  Teacher. 
H  A7td  Ijprd.  This  word  is  applied  to 
one  who  7'ules,  and  is  often  given  to 
God  as  being  the  Proprietor  and  Hulcr 
of  all  things.  It  is  given  to  Christ 
many  hundred  times  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. ^  Ye  say  well,  etc.  Matt,  xxiii. 
8,  10.  If  So  I  am.  That  is,  he  was 
their  Tenchcr  and  Instructor,  and  he 
was  their  Sovereign  and  King. 

14.  15.  Ye  also  ought  to  wash,  etc. 


A.D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


349 


15  For  « I  have  given  you  an  ex- 
ample, that  ye  should  do  as  I  have 
done  to  you. 

16  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
lord ;  neither  he  that  is  sent  great- 
er than  he  that  sent  him. 

c  1  Pet.  2.  21. 


Some  have  understood  this  literally  as 
instituting  a  religious  rite  which  we 
ought  to  observe;  but  this  was  evi- 
dently not  the  design ;  for,  1st.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  Jesus  intended 
it  as  a  religious  observance,  like  the 
Lord's  Supper  or  the  ordinance  of 
baptism.  2d.  It  was  not  observed  by 
the  apostles  or  tlie  primitive  Chris- 
tians as  a  religious  rite.  3d.  It  was  a 
rite  of  hospitality  among  the  Jews, 
a  common,  well-knowQ  tiling,  and 
performed  by  servants:^BIth.  It  is  the 
manifest  design  of  Jesus  here  to  in- 
culcate a  lesson  of  humility ;  to  teach 
them  by  his  example  that  they  ought 
to  condescend  to  the  most  humble  of- 
lices  for  the  benefit  of  others.  They 
ought  not  to  be  proud,  and  vain,  and 
nnwilling  to  occui^y  a  low  place,  but 
to  regard  themselves  as  the  servants 
of  each  other,  and  as  willing  t5  be- 
friend each  other  in  ever}^  way.  And 
especially  as  they  were  to  be  found- 
ers of  the  Chm'ch,  and  to  be  greatly 
honored,  he  took  this  occasion  of 
warning  them  against  the  dangers  of 
ambition,  and  of  teaching  them,  by  an 
example  that  they  coidd  7 tot  forget^  the 
duty  of  humility. 

10, 17.  The  servant  is  not^  etc.  This 
was  universally  true,  and  this  they 
were  to  remember  always,  that  they 
were  to  manifest  the  same  spirit  that 
lie  did,  and  that  they  were  to  expect 
the  same  treatment  from  the  world. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  24,  25. 

18.  /  speak  not  of  you  all.  That  is, 
in  addressing  you  as  clean^  I  do  not 
mean  to  say  that  you  all  possess  this 
character.  1 1  know  whom  Ihav^  chosen. 
He  here  means  evidently  to  say  that 
he  had  not  chosen  them  all,  implying 
that  Judas  had  not  been  chosen.  As, 
however,  this  word  is  applied  to  Ju- 
das in  one  place  (John  vi.  70),  "have 
not  I  chosen  you  twelve,  and  one  of 
3'ou  is  a  devil  ?"  it  must  have  a  differ- 
ent meaning  here  from  that  which  it 
has  there.  There  it  evidently  refers 
to  the  apostleship.  Jesus  ?iad  chosen 
him  to  be  an  apostle^  and  had  treated 


17  If*  ye  know  these  things, 
happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them. 

18  1  speak  not  of  you  all ;  I  know 
whom  I  have  chosen ;  but  that  the 
^  scripture  may  be  fulfilled,  He  that 
eateth  bread  with  me  hath  lifted 
up  his  heel  against  me. 

&Jas.  1.25.  cPsa.41.9. 

him  as  such.  Here  it  refers  to  purity 
of  hearty  and  Jesus  implies  that,  though 
Judas  had  been  chosen  to  the  office 
of  apostleship,  yet  he  had  not  been 
chosen  to  purity  of  heart  and  life. 
The  remaining  eleven  had  been,  and 
would  be  saved.  It  was  not,  howev- 
er, the  fault  of  Jesus  that  Judas  was 
not  saved,  for  he  was  admitted  to  the 
same  teaching,  the  same  familiarity, 
and  the  same  office ;  but  his  execra- 
ble love  of  gold  gained  the  ascenden- 
cy, and  rendered  vain  all  the  means 
used  for  his  conversion.  \  But  that 
the  Scriptm^e^  etc.  These  things  have 
occurred  in  order  that  the  x^rophecies 
may  receive  their  completion.  It  does 
not  mean  that  Judas  was  compelled  to 
this  course  in  order  that  the  Scripture 
might  be  fulfilled,  but  that  this  was 
foretold,  and  that  hy  this  the  proph- 
ecy did  receive  a  completion.  If  The 
Scripture.  This  is  written  in  Psa.  xli.  9. 
It  is  commonly  understood  of  Ahith- 
ophel,  and  of  the  enemies  of  David 
who  had  been  admitted  to  his  friend- 
ship, and  who  had  now  proved  nn- 

frateful  to  him.  ^  May  be  fulfilled. 
ee  Notes  on  Matt.  i.  22.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  tell  whether  this  prophecy 
had  a  primary  reference  to  Judas,  or 
whether  it  be  meant  that  it  received 
a  more  complete  fulfillment  in  his 
case  than  in  the  time  of  David.  The 
cases  were  similar ;  the  same  words 
would  describe  both  events,  for  there 
was  an  exhibition  of  similar  ingrati- 
tude and  baseness  in  both  cases,  so 
that  the  same  words  would  fitly  de- 
scribe both  events.  T[  He  that  eateth 
bread  with  me.  To  eat  with  one  was  a 
proof  of  friendship.  See  2  Sam.  ix. 
11.  Matt.  ix.  11.  Gen.  xliii.  32.  This 
means  that  Judas  had  been  admitted 
to  all  the  privileges  of  friendship,  and 
had  partaken  of  the  usual  evidences 
of  afl'ection.  It  was  this  which  great- 
ly aggravated  his  offence.  It  was  base 
ingratitude  as  well  as  murder.  Hath 
lifted  up  ?iis  heel.  Snidas  says  tluit  this 
figure  is  taken  from  those  who  are 
running  in  a  race,  when  one  attempts 


350 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


19  Now  ^  I  tell  ^  you  before  it 
come,  that  when  it  is  come  to  pass 
ye  may  believe  that  I  am  Tie, 

20  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
*  He  that  receivetli  whomsoever  I 
send,  receiveth  me ;  and  he  that 
receiveth  me,  receiveth  him  that 
sent  me. 

21  When  "  Jesus  had  thus  said, 
he  was  troubled  in  spirit,  and  tes- 

1  or,  from  henceforth, 

a  c.  U.  29  ;  16. 4.  h  Matt.  10. 40. 


to  trip  the  other  up  and  make  him 
fall.  It  was  a  base  and  migrateful  re- 
turn for  kindness  to  wliieli  the  Lord 
Jesus  referred,  and  it  means  that  he 
who  had  been  admitted  to  the  inti- 
macies of  friendship  had  ungratefully 
and  maliciously  injured  him.  Some 
suppose  the  expression  means  to  lay 
snares  for  one;  others,  to  kick  or  in- 
jure a  man  after  he  is  cast  down. — 
Calvin  on  Psalm  xli.  9.  It  is  clear  that 
it  denotes  great  injury,  and  injury 
aggravated  by  the  fact  of  professed 
friendship.  It  was  not  merely  the 
common  people,  the  open  enemies, 
the  Jewish  nation  that  did  it,  but  one 
who  had  received  all  the  usual  proofs 
of  kindness.  It  was  this  which  great- 
ly aggravated  our  Saviour's  sufferings. 

19.  '  Noio  I  tell  you  before  it  come^  etc. 
They  would  see  by  that  that  he  had  a 
knowledge  of  the  heart  and  the  pow- 
er of  foretelling  future  events,  and 
must  therefore  have  been  sent  by 
God.  This  does  not  imply  that  they 
had  no  faith  before  this,  but  that  their 
faith  would  be  increased  and  strength- 
ened by  it. 

20.  He  that  receiveth,  etc.  This  sen- 
timent is  found  in  the  instructions 
which  Jesus  gave  to  his  disciples  in 
Matt.  X.  40.  Why  he  rei)cats  it  at  this 
time  can  not  now  be  known.  It  is 
certain  that  it  is  not  closely  connect- 
ed with  the  subject  of  his  conversa- 
tion. Perhaps,  however,  it  was  to 
show  how  intimately  united  he,  his 
Fatlicr,  his  apostles,  and  all  who  re- 
ceived them  were.  They  who  received 
tltem  received  /nm,  and,  they  who  re- 
ceived him  received  God.  So  he  who 
betrayed  //im,  betrayed,  for  the  same 
reason,  God.  Hence  Judas,  who  was 
about  to  betray  him^  was  also  about 
to  betray  the  cause  of  religion  in  the 
world,  and  to  betray  God  and  his 
cause.    Every  thing  pertaining  to  re- 


tified,  and  said,  Verily,  verily,  I 
say  unto  you  that  one  of  you  shall 
betray  me. 

22  Then  the  disciples  looked  one 
on  another,  doubting  of  whom  he 
spake. 

23  Now  there  was  leaning  on  Je- 
sus's  bosom  one  ^  of  his  disciples, 
whom  Jesus  loved. 

24  Simon  Peter  therefore  beck- 

c  Matt.  26.21.  Mar.  14. 18.  Lu.22.21. 
d  c.  20.2;  21.7,20. 


ligion  is  connected  together.  A  man 
can  not  do  dishonor  to  one  of  the  in- 
stitutions of  religion  without  injuring 
all;  he  can  not  dishonor  its  ministers 
or  the  Saviour  without  dishonoring 
God.  And  this  shows  that  one  prom- 
inent groundof  the  Saviour's  solici- 
tude was  t^P*  his  Father  might  be 
honored,  and  one  source  of  his  deep 
grief  at  the  treason  of  Judas  was  that 
it  would  bring  injury  upon  the  whole 
cause  of  religion  in  the  world. 

21.  Troubled  in  spirit.  See  cliap.  xii. 
27.  The  reason  of  his  trouble  here 
was  that  Judas,  a  professed  triend, 
was  about  to  betray  him.  He  doubt- 
less •foresaw  the  deep  and  dreadful 
sorrows  of  his  approaching  death,  and 
was  also  deeply  alfected  with  the  in- 
gratitude and  wickedness  of  a  pro- 
fessed friend.  Jesus  was  man  well 
as  God^  and  he  felt  like  other  men. 
His  human  nature  shrank  from  suffer- 
ing, and  his  tender  sensibilities  were 
afl'ccted  not  less  deeply  than  would  be 
those  of  other  men  by  baseness  and 
treason.  H  Testified.  He  bore  wit- 
ness to  the  truth  ;  openly  declared 
what  he  had  before  intimated  —  that 
one  of  them  would  betray  him. 

22.  Doubti7ig  of  whom^  etc.  The  word 
translated  doubting  denotes  that  kind 
of  anxiety  which  a  man  feels  when  he 
is  in  perplexity,  and  knows  not  what 
to  say  or  do.  We  should  say  they 
were  ql  a  loss.  Sec  Notes  on -Matt, 
xxvi.  25 

23.  Leaning  on  Jesus' s  bosom.  This 
does  not  mean  that  he  was  at  that 
time  actually  lying  on  his  bosom,  but 
that  he  occupied  a  situation  next  to 
him  at  the  table,  so  that  his  head  natu- 
rally fell  back  on  his  bosom  when  he 
spoke  to  him.  Sec  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxiii.  0.  t  IF/iom  Jesus  loved.  This 
was  doubtless  John  himself.  The 
evangelists  arc  not  accustomed  to 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


351 


oned  to  him  that  he  should  ask 
who  it  should  be  of  whom  he 
spake. 

25  He  then,  lying  on  Jesus's 
breast,  saith  unto  him,  Lord,  who 
is  it  ? 

26  Jesus  answered,  He  it  is  to 

1  or,  morsel. 

mention  their  own  names  when  any 
mark  of  favor  or  any  good  deed  is  re- 
corded. They  did  not  seek  publicity 
or  notoriety.  In  this  case  the  appel- 
lation is  more  tender  and  honorable 
than  any  mere  name.  John  was  ad- 
mitted to  peculiar  friendship,  perhaps, 
because  the  natural  disposition  of  our 
Saviour  was  more  nearly  like  the  ami- 
ableness  and  mildness  of  John  than 
any  of  the  other  disciples. — Robert 
Hall.  The  highest  honor  that  can  be 
conferred  on  ^ny  man  is  to  say  that 
Jesus  loved  him.  Yet  this  is  an  honor 
which  all  may  possess,  but  which  none 
can  inherit  without  his  spirit  and  with- 
out loving  him.  It  is  an  honor  which 
can  not  be  won  by  wealth  or  learning, 
by  beauty  or  accomplishments,  by 
rank  or  earthly  honors,  but  only  by 
the  possession  of  a  meek  and  quiet 
spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of 
great  price.  1  Pet.  iii.  4.  Comp.  Rom. 
viii.  9. 

25.  He  then^  ly^^^Q  on  Jesus's  breast. 
This  is  a  different  word  from  the  one 
rendered  (verse  23)  leaning.  It  means 
falling  back  or  reclini7ig  on  the  bosom 
of  Jesus.  When  Peter  spake,  John 
laid  his  head  back  on  the  bosom  of  Je- 
sus, so  that  he  could  speak  to  him 
privately  without  being  heard  by 
others. 

26.  Jesns  answered.  That  is,  he  an- 
swered John.  It  does  not  appear  that 
cither  Judas  or  the  other  apostles 
heard  him.  ^  Shall  give  a  sop.  The 
word  translated  sop  means  a  morsel^  a 
piece  of  bread,  or  any  thing  else  eat- 
en— as  much  as  we  are  accustomed  to 
take  at  a  mouthful.  Jesus  was  about 
to  dip  it  in  the  sauce  which  was  used 
at  the  Passover.  The  word  dip,  in  the 
original,  is  that  from  which  is  derived 
the  word  baptize.  It  means  here  that 
Jesus  would  dip  it  into  the  sauce  as 
we  do  a  piece  of  bread.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  it  was  not  an  unusual  thing 
for  the  master  of  a  feast  to  help  oth- 
ers in  this  way,  as  it  docs  not  appear 
to  have  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
others  as  at  all  remarkable.  It  was  an 


whom  I  shall  give  a  ^  sop  when  I 
have  dipped  it.  And  when  he 
had  dipped  the  sop,  he  gave  it 
to  Judas  Iscariot,  the  son  of  Si- 
mon. 

27  And  after  the  sop,  Satan  «  en- 
tered into  him.    Then  said  Jesus 

a  Lu.  22. 3. 

indication  to  John  who  the  betrayer 
was,  and  a  hint  which  Judas  also  prob- 
ably understood. 

27.  After  the  sop.  After  he  had  taken 
and  probably  eaten  it.  By  this  Judas 
saw  that  Jesus  knew  his  design,  and 
that  he  could  not  conceal  his  plan. 
He  saw,  also,  that  the  other  disciples 
would  be  acquainted  with  it;  and, 
aroused  by  sudden  anger,  or  with  the 
apprehension  that  he  should  lose  his 
reward,  or  that  Jesus  might  escape, 
he  resolved  on  executing  his  plan  at 
once.  H  Sata7i  entered  inio  him.  The 
devil  had  before  this  put  it  into  his 
heart  to  betray  Jesus  (verse  2),  but  he 
now  excited  him  to  a  more  decided 
purpose.  See  Luke  xxii.  3 ;  also  Acts 
V.  3:  "Why  hath  Satan  filled  thine 
heart,"  etc.  ^  What  thou  doest,  do 
quickly.  This  showed  to  Judas  that 
Jesus  was  acquainted  with  his  design. 
He  did  not  commaiid  him  to  betray 
him,  but  he  left  him  to  his  own  pur- 
pose. He  had  used  means  enough  to 
reclaim  him  and  lead  him  to  a  "holy 
life,  and  now  he  brought  him  to  a  de- 
cision. He  gave  him  to  understand 
that  he  was  acquainted  with  his  plan, 
and  submitted  it  to  the  consciejice  of 
Judas  to  do  quicklj'  what  he  would 
do.  If  he  relented,  he  called  on  him 
to  do  it  at  once.  If  he  could  still  pur- 
sue his  wicked  plan,  could  go  forward 
when  he  was  conscious  that  the  Sa- 
viour knew  his  design,  he  was  to  do 
it  at  once.  God  adopts  all  means  to 
bring  men  to  a  decision.  He  calls 
upon  them  to  act  decisively,  firmly, 
immediately.  He  does  not  allow  them 
the  privilege  to  deliberate  about  wick- 
ed deeds,  but  calls  on  them  to  act  at 
once,  and  to  show  whether  they  will 
obey  or  disobey  him  ;  whether  they 
will  serve  him,  or  whether  they  will 
betray  his  cause.  He  knows  all  their 
plans,  as  Jesus  did  that  of  Judas,  and 
he  calls  on  men  to  act  under  the  full 
conviction  that  he  knows  all  their 
soul.  Sin  thus  is  a  vast  evil.  When 
men  can  sin  knowing  that  God  sees  it 
all,  it  shows  that  the  heart  is  f  ully  set 


352 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


unto  him,  That  thou  cloest,  do 
quickly. 

28  Now  no  man  ,at  the  table 
knew  for  what  intent  he  spake 
this  unto  him. 

29  For  some  of  them  thought," 
because  Judas  had  the  bag,  that 
Jesus  had  said  unto  him.  Buy 
tliose  things  that  we  have  need  of 
against  the  feast ;  or  that  he  should 
give  something  to  the  poor. 

30  He  then,  having  received  the 

a  c.  12.  6. 


in  them  to  do  evil,  and  that  there  is 
nothmg  that  will  restrain  them. 

28,  29.  No  man  at  the  table  knew.  This 
shows  that  Jesus  had  signitied  to  John 
only  wlio  it  was  that  should  betray 
him.  ^  The  hag.  The  travelliug-bag 
in  which  the}^  put  their  common  prop- 
ert3^  See  Notes  on  ch.  xii.  6.  *f[  Have 
'need  of  against  the  feast.  The  feast  of 
the  Passover.  This  feast  continued 
seven  days,  and  they  supposed  that 
Jesus  had  directed  him  to  make  prep- 
aration for  their  wants  on  those  days. 

30.  It  ivas  night.  It  was  in  the  even- 
ing, or  early  part  of  the  night.  What 
is  recorded  in  the  following  chaj)ters 
took  place  the  same  night. 

31.  JVoiv  is  the  Son.  of  man  glorijied. 
The  last  deed  is  done  that  w^as  neces- 
sary to  secure  the  death  of  the  Son 
of  man,  the  glory  that  shall  result  to 
him  from  that  death,  the  wonderful 
success  of  the  Gospel,  the  exaltation 
of  the  Messiah,  and  the  i)ublic  and 
striking  attestation  of  God  to  him  in 
the  view  of  the  universe.  Sec  Notes 
on  chap.  xii.  32. 

32.  If  God  he  glorified  in  hhn.  If  God 
be  honored  by  him.  If  the  life  and 
death  of  the  Messiah  be  such  as  to 
lead  to  the  honor  of  God,  such  as  shall 
manifest  its  perfections,  and  show  his 
goodness,  truth,  and  justice,  then  he 
will  show  that  he  thus  approves  his 
work.  T[  God  shall  also  glorify  ?iim. 
lie  will  honor  the  Messiah.  He  will 
not  suffer  him  to  go  without  a  proper 
attestation  of  his  acceptance,  and  of 
the  lionor  that  God  puts  on  him.  Je- 
sus here  confidently  anticipated  that 
tlie  Father  would  show  that  he  was 
I)leased  wiCli  what  he  had  done.  He 
did  it  in  the  miracles  that  attended 
his  death,  in  his  resurrection,  ascen- 
sion, exaltation,  and  in  the  success  of 


sop,  went  immediately  out ;  and 
it  was  night. 

31  Therefore,  when  he  was  gone 
out,  Jesus  said.  Now  ^  is  the  Son 
of  man  glorified,  and  God  is  glo- 
rified in  him. 

32  If  God  be  glorified  in  him, 
God  shall  also  glorify  him  in  him- 
self, and  shall  straightway  glorify 
him. 

33  Little  children,  yet  a  little 
while  I  am  with  you.    Ye  shall 

ft  c.  12.23;  17.1-6.  c  c.  14. 13.  lPet.4.11. 


the  Gospel.  We  may  remark  that  God 
will  always^  in  the  proper  time  and 
way,  manifest  his  approbation  of  those 
who  live  so  as  to  promote  the  honor 
of  his  name.  T|  In  h  iniseJf  Or  hy  him- 
self ;  \)y  a  direct  and  public  expression 
of  his  approbation.  Not  by  the  min- 
istry of  a7igels,  or  by  any  other  subor- 
dinate attestation,  but  by  an  expres- 
sion that  shall  be  direct  from  him. 
This  was  done  by  his  direct  interposi- 
tion in  his  resurrection  and  ascension 
to  heaven.  ^  Shall  straightway.  Im- 
mediately, or  without  delay.  This  re- 
fers to  the  fact  that  the  time  when 
God  would  put  this  honor  on  him  was 
at  hand.  His  death,  resurrection,  and 
ascension  were  near. 

33.  Little  children.  An  expression 
of  great  tenderness,  denoting  his  deep 
interest  in  their  welfare.  As  he  was 
about  to  leave  them,  he  endeavors  to 
mitigate  their  grief  by  the  most  ten- 
der expressions  of  attachment,  show- 
ing that  he  felt  for  them  the  deep  in- 
terest in  their  welfare  which  a  parent 
feels  for  his  children.  The  word  chil- 
dren is  often  given  to  Christians  as 
implying,  1st.  That  God  is  their  Fa- 
ther, and  that  they  sustain  toward 
him  that  endearing  relation.  Rom. 
viii.  14, 15.  2d.  As  denoting  their  need 
of  teaching  and  guidance,  as  children 
need  the  aid  and  counsel  of  a  father. 
See  the  corresponding  term  babes 
used  in  1  Cor.  iii.  1.  1  Peter  ii.  2.  3d. 
It  is  used,  as  it  is  here,  as  an  expres- 
sion of  tenderness  and  affection.  See 
Gal.  iv.  19.  1  John  ii.  1,  12,  28;  iii.  7, 
18;  iv.  4;  v.  21.  1  Yet  a  little  while  I 
am  with  you.  He  did  not  conceal  the 
fact  that  he  was  soon  to  leave  them. 
There  is  something  exceedingly  ten- 
der in  this  address.  It  shows  tliat  he 
loved  them  to  the  end ;  that  as  tlu'ir 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


358 


seek  me ;  and, «  as  I  said  unto  the 
Jews,  Whither  I  go  ye  can  not 
come ;  so  now  I  say  unto  you. 

34  A  new  *  commandment  I  give 
unto  you,  that  ye  love  one  anoth- 

a  c.7.34;  8.21. 


friend  and  guide,  as  a  man^  he  felt 
deeply  at  the  thoughts  of  parting 
from  them,  and  leaving  them  to  a 
cold  and  unfeeling  world.  A  parting 
scene  at  death  is  always  one  of  ten- 
derness ;  and  it  is  well  when,  like  this, 
there  is  the  presence  of  the  Saviour  to 
break  the  agony  of  the  parting  pang, 
and  to  console  us  with  the  words  of 
his  grace.  ^  As  I  said  imio  the  Jews. 
See  chap.  vii.  34.  T[  So  now  I  say  unto 
you.  That  is,  they  could  not  follow 
him  then.  Verse  36.  Chap.  xiv.  2.  He 
was  about  to  die  and  return  to  God, 
and  for  a  time  they  must  be  willing 
to  be  separated  from  him.  But  he 
consoled  them  (verse  36)  with  the  as- 
surance that  the  separation  would  be 
only  temporary,  and  that  they  should 
afterward  follow  him. 

34.  A  new  commandment.  This  com- 
mand he  gave  them  as  he  was  about  to 
leave  them,  to  be  a  badge  of  disciple- 
ship,  by  which  they  might  be  known 
as  his  friends  and  followers,  and  by 
which  they  might  be  distinguished 
from  all  others.  It  is  called  new^  not 
because  there  was  no  command  before 
which  required  men  to  love  their  fel- 
low-men, for  one  great  precept  of  the 
law  was  that  they  should  love  their 
neighbor  as  themselves  (Lev.  xix.  18); 
but  it  was  neio  because  it  had  never 
before  been  made  that  by  which  any 
class  or  body  of  men  had  been  known 
and  distinguished.  The  Jew  was  known 
by  his  external  rites,  by  his  peculiari- 
ty of  dress,  etc. ;  the  philosopher  by 
some  other  mark  of  distinction ;  the 
military  man  by  another,  etc.  In 
none  of  these  cases  had  love  for  each 
other  been  the  distinguishing  and  pe- 
culiar badge  by  which  they  were 
known.  But  in  the  case  of  Christians 
they  were  not  to  be  known  by  dis- 
tinctions of  wealth,  or  learning,  or 
fame;  they  were  not  to  aspire  to 
earthly  honors;  they  were  not  to 
adopt  any  peculiar  style  of  dress  or 
hadge^  but  they  were  to  be  distinguish- 
ed by  tender  and  constant  attachment 
to  each  other.  This  was  to  surmount 
all  distinction  of  country,  of  color,  of 


er;  as  I  have  loved  you,  that  ye 
also  love  one  another. 

35  By  this  shall  all  men  know 
that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have 
love  one  to  another. 

ftLev.  19. 18.  c.  15. 12, 17.  Eph.  5.  2.  lThess.4.9. 
Jas.2.8.   lPet.1.22.  IJno.  2.  7,  8  ;  3..11,  23  ;  4.  20, 21. 


rank,  of  office,  of  sect.  Here  they 
were  to  feel  that  they  were  on  .a  level, 
that  they  had  common  wants,  were 
redeemed  by  the  same  sacred  blood, 
and  were  going  to  the  same  heaven. 
They  were  to  befriend  each  other  in 
trials;  be  careful  of  each  other's  feel- 
ings and  reputation ;  deny  themselves 
to  promote  each  other's  welfare.  See 
1  John  iii.  23.  1  Thess.  iv.  9.  1  Peter 
i.  23.  2  Thess.  i.  3.  Gal.  vi.  2.  2  Peter 
i.  7.  In  all  these  places  the  command 
of  Jesus  is  repeated  or  referred  to,  and 
it  shows  that  the  first  disciples  con- 
sidered this  indeed  as  the  peculiar  law 
of  Christ.  This  command  or  law  was, 
moreover,  7iew  in  regard  to  the  extent 
to  which  this  love  was  to  be  carried ; 
for  he  immediately  adds,  "^s  /  have 
loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  another.'''' 
His  love  for  them  was  strong,  contin- 
ued, unremitting,  and  he  was  now 
about  to  show  his  love  for  them  in 
death.  Chap.  xv.  13:  "Greater  love 
hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay 
down  his  life  for  his  friends."  So  in 
1  John  iii.  16  it  is  said  that  "we  ought 
also  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the 
brethren."  This  was  a  new  expression 
of  love ;  and  it  showed  the  strength 
of  attachment  which  we  ought  to  have 
for  Christians,  and  how  ready  we 
should  be  to  endure  hardships,  to  en- 
counter dangers,  and  to  practice  self- 
denial,  to  benefit  those  for  whom  the 
Son  of  God  laid  down  his  life. 

35.  By  this  shall  all  men,  etc.  That 
is,  your  love  for  each  other  shall  be  so 
decisive  evidence  that  you  are  like  the 
Saviour,  that  all  men  shall  see  and 
know  it.  It  shall  be  the  thing  by 
which  you  shall  be  known  among  all 
men.  You  shall  not  be  known  by  pe- 
culiar rites  or  habits ;  not  by  a  pecu- 
liar form  of  dress  or  manner  of  speech; 
xroi  by  peculiar  austerities  and  unu- 
sual customs,  like  the  Pharisees,  the 
Essenes,  or  the  scribes,  but  by  deep, 
genuine,  and*tender  aflection.  And  it 
is  well  known  it  was  this  which  emi- 
nently distinguished  the  first  Cliris- 
tians,  and  was  the  subject  of  remark 
by  the  surrounding  Pagans.  "See," 


354 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


36  Simon  Peter  said  unto  Mm, 
Lord,  wMtlier  goest  tliou  ?  Jesus 
answered  Mm,  Whitlier  I  go  thou 
canst  not  follow  me  now ;  but 
thou  shalt  follow  me  afterward. 

37  Peter  said  unto  him,  Lord, 
why  can  not  I  follow  thee  now? 
I  will  ^  lay  down  my  life  for  thy 
sake. 

38  Jesus  answered  him,  Wilt 

a  c.  21. 18.  2  Pet.  1.14. 

b  Matt.  26. 33,  etc.  Mar.  14.  29,  etc.  Lu.  22. 33,  etc. 


said  the  fieathen,  "see  how  they  love 
one  another„  They  are  ready  to  lay 
down  their  lives  for  each  other." 
Alas  !  how  changed  is  the  spirit  of 
the  Christian  world  since  then  !  Per- 
haps, of  all  the  commands  of  Jesus, 
the  observance  of  this  is  that  which 
is  least  apparent  to  a  surrounding 
world.  It  is  not  so  much  that  they 
are  divided  into  different  sects,  for 
this  may  he  consistent  with  love  for 
each  otlier ;  but  it  is  the  want  of 
deep-felt,  genuine  love  toward  Chris- 
tians even  of  our  own  denomination; 
the  absence  of  genuine  self-denial; 
the  pride  of  rank  and  wealth ;  and  the 
fact  tliat  professed  Christians  are  oft- 
en known  by  any  tiling  else  rather 
than  by  true  attacliment  to  those  who 
bear  tlie  same  Christian  name  and  im- 
age. The  true  Christian  loves  relig- 
ion wherever  it  is  found — equally  in  a 
•  jjrince  or  in  a  slave,  in  the  mansion  of 
wealth  or  in  the  cottage  of  poverty, 
on  the  throne  or  in  the  hut  of  want. 
He  overlooks  the  distinction  of  sect, 
of  color,  and  of  nations  ;  and  wherev- 
er lie  finds  a  man  who  bears  the  Chris- 
tian name  and  manifests  the  Christiaii 
spirit,  he  loves  him.  And  this,  more 
and  more  as  the  millennium  draws 
near,  will  be  the  peculiar  badge  of  the 
professed  children  of  God.  Christians 
will  love  their  own  denominations  less 
than  thc}^  love  the  spirit  and  temper 
of  the  Christian^  wherever  it  may  be 
found. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
1.  Let  not  your  heart  he  trouhled.  The 
disciples  had  been  greatly  distressed 
at  what  Jesus  had  said  about  leaving 
them.  Compare  chap,  xvi,  6, 22.  Per- 
haps they  had  indicated  their  distress 
to  him  in  some  manner  b}^  their  coun- 
tenance or  their  expressions,  and  he 
proceeds  now  to  administer  to  them 
such  consolations  as  their  circum- 


thou  lay  down  thy  life  for  my 
sake?  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
thee,  The  cock  shall  not  crow  till 
thou  hast  denied  me  thrice. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

LET  "  not  your  heart  be  troub- 
led ;  ye  believe  in  God,  be- 
lieve  also  in  me. 
2  In  my  Father's  house  are  many 

c  Isa.  43. 1 , 2.  ver.  27.  2  Thess.  2.  2. 
rflsa.  12.2,3.  Eph.1.12,13.  1  Pet.  1.21. 


stances  made  proper.  The  discourse 
in  this  chapter  was  delivered,  doubt- 
less, while  they  were  sitting  at  the  ta- 
ble j)artaking  of  the  supper  (see  verse 
31) ;  that  in  the  two  following  chap- 
ters, and  the  prayer  in  the  17th  chap- 
ter, were  while  they  were  on  their 
way  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  There  is 
nowhere  to  be  found  a  discourse  so 
beautiful,  so  tender,  so  full  of  weighty 
thoui^hts,  and  so  adapted  to  produce 
comfort,  as  that  which  occurs  in  these 
three  chapters  of  J olm.  It  is  the  con- 
solatory i^art  of  our  religion,  where 
Christ  brings  to  bear  on  the  mind  full 
of  anxiety,  and  perplexity,  and  care, 
the  tender  and  inimitably  beautiful 
truths  of  his  Gospel — truths  fitted  to 
allay  every  fear,  silence  every  mur- 
mur, and  give  every  needed  consola- 
tion to  the  soul.  In  the  case  of  the 
disciples  there  was  much  to  trouhle 
them.  They  were  about  to  part  with 
their  beloved,  tender  friend.  They 
were  to  be  left  alone  to  meet  perse- 
cutions and  trials.  They  were  with- 
out wealth,  without  friends,  without 
honors.  And  it  is  not  improbable 
that  they  felt  that  his  death  would  de- 
molish all  their  schemes,  for  they  had 
not  yet  fully  learned  the  doctrine 
that  the  Messiah  must  suffer  and  die. 
Luke  xxiv.  21.  H  Ye  believe  in  God. 
This  may  be  read  either  in  the  indica- 
tive mood  or  the  imperative.  Proba- 
bly it  should  be  read  in  the  impera- 
tive— "Believe  on  God,  and  believe  on 
me."  If  there  were  no  other  reason 
for  it,  this  is  sufficient,  that  there  was 
no  more  evidence  that  they  did  be- 
lieve in  God  than  that  they  believed 
in  Jesus.  All  the  ancient  versions  ex- 
cept the  Latin  read  it  thus.  The  Sa- 
viour told  them  that  their  consolation 
was  to  be  found  at  this  time  in  confi- 
dence in  God  and  in  liini ;  and  he  in- 
timated what  he  had  so  often  told 


A.D.  88.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


855 


mansions :  if  it  were  not  so  I  would 
have  told  you.  I  go  «  to  prepare 
a  place  for  you. 

a  Heb.  6.  20  ;  9. 8, 24.    Rev.  21.2. 

them  and  the  Jews,  that  there  was 
an  indissoluble  union  between  him  and 
the  Father.  This  union  he  takes  oc- 
casion to  explain  to  them  more  fully. 
Verses  7-12.  Believe  in.  Put  confi- 
dence in,  rely  on  for  support  and 
consolation. 

2, 3.  In  my  Father's  house.  Most  in- 
terpreters understand  this  of  heaven, 
as  the  peculiar  dwelling-place  or  palace 
of  God ;  but  it  may  include  the  uni- 
verse^ as  the  abode  of  the  omnipresent 
God.  U  Are  many  mansions.  The 
Avord  rendered  mansions  means  either 
the  act  of  dwelling  in  anyplace  (verse 
23,  "we  will  make  our  abode  with 
him"),  or  it  means  the  place  where  one 
dwells.  It  is  taken  from  the  verb  to 
7'emain^  and  signifies  the  place  where 
one  dwells  or'remains.  It  is  applied 
by  the  Greek  writers  to  the  tents  or 
temporary  habitations  which  soldiers 
pitch  in  their  marches.  It  denotes  a 
dwelling  of  less  permaimicy  than  the 
word  house.  It  is  commonly  under- 
stood as  affirming  that  in  heaven  there 
is  ample  room  to  receive  all  who  will 
come;  that  therefore  the  disciples 
might  be  sure  that  they  would  not  be 
excluded.  Some  have  understood  it 
as  affirming  that  tliere  will  be  differ- 
ent grades  in  the  joys  of  heaven ;  that 
some  of  the  mansions  of  the  saints 
will  be  nearer  to  God  than  others, 
agreeably  to  1  Cor.  xv.  40,  41.  But 
perhaps  tiiis  passage  may  have  a  mean- 
ing which  has  not  occurred  to  inter- 
preters. Jesus  was  consoling  his  dis- 
ciples, who  were  affected  with  grief 
at  the  idea  of  his  separation.  To  com- 
fort them  he  addresses  them  in  this 
language:  "The universe  is  the  dwell- 
ing-place of  my  Father.  All  is  his 
Jiouse.  Whether  on  earth  or  in  heav- 
en, we  are  still  in  his  habitation.  In 
that  vast  abode  of  God  there  are  many 
mansions^  The  earth  is  one  of  them, 
heaven  is  another.  Whether  here  or 
there,  we  are  still  in  the  house,  in  one 
of  the  mansions  of  our  Father,  in  one 
of  the  apartments  of  his  vast  abode. 
This  we  ought  continuallj^  to  feel,  and 
to  rejoice  that  we  are  permitted  to  oc- 
cupy any  part  of  his  dwelling-place. 
Nor  does  it  differ  much  whether  we 
are  in  this  mansion  or  another.  It 
should  not  be  a  matter  of  grief  when 


8  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a 
place  for  you,  I  will  ^  come  again, 
and  receive  you  unto  myself ; 

b  Heb.  9.  28. 

we  are  called  to  pass  from  one  part  of 
this  vast  habitation  of  God  to  anoth- 
er. I  am  indeed  about  to  leave  you, 
but  I  am  going  only  to  another  part 
of  the  vast  dwelling-place  of  God.  I 
shall  still  be  in  the  same  universal 
habitation  with  you;  still  in  the 
house  of  the  same  God ;  and  am  go- 
ing for  an  important  purpose — to  fit 
up  another  abode  for  your  eternal 
dwelling."  If  this  be  the  meaning, 
then  there  is  in  the  discourse  true 
consolation.  We  see  that  the  death 
of  a  Christian  is  not  to  be  dreaded, 
nor  is  it  an  event  over  which  we  should 
immoderately  weep.  It  is  but  remov- 
ing from  one  apartment  of  God's  uni- 
versal dwelling-place  to  another — one 
where  we  shall  still  be  in  his  house, 
and  still  feel  the  same  interest  in  all 
that  pertains  to  his  kingdom.  And 
especially  the  removal  of  the  Saviour 
from  the  earth  was  an  event  over 
which  Christians  should  rejoice,  for 
he  is  stlil  in  the  house  of  God,  and 
still  preparing  mansions  of  rest  for 
his  people.  If  it  were  not  so^  etc.  "I 
have  concealed  from  you  no  truth. 
You  have  been  cherishing  this  hope 
of  a  future  abode  with  God.  Had  it 
been  ill  founded  I  would  have  told 
you  plainly,  as  I  have  told  you  oth- 
er things.  Had  any  of  you  been  de- 
ceived, as  Judas  was,  I  would  have 
made  it  known  to  you,  as  I  did  to 
him."  *^  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you.  By  his  going  is  meant  his  death 
and  ascent  to  heaven.  The  figure  here 
is  taken  from  one  who  is  on  a  jour- 
ney, who  goes  before  his  companions 
to  provide  a  place  to  lodge  in,  and  to 
make  the  necessary  preparations  for 
their  entertainment.  It  evidently 
means  that  he,  by  the  work  which  he 
was  yet  to  perform  in  heaven,  would 
secure  their  admission  there,  and  ob- 
tain for  them  the  blessings  of  eternal 
life.  That  work  would  consist  main- 
ly in  his  intercession.  Heb.  x.  12, 13, 
19-22;  vii.  25-27;  iv.  14,  16.  ^  That 
where  I  am.  This  language  could  be 
used  by  no  one  who  was  not  then  in 
the  place  of  which  he  was  speaking, 
and  it  is  just  such  language  as  one 
would  naturally  use  who  was  both 
God  and  man — in  reference  to  his  hu- 
man nature,  speaking  of  his  goi7ig  to 


356 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


that  ^  wliere  I  am,  there  ye  may  be 
also. 

4  And  whither  I  go  ye  know,  and 
the  way  ye  know. 

a  c.  12.  26  ;  17.  24.   1  Thess.  4. 17. 


liis  Father ;  and  m  reference  to  his  di- 
vine nature,  speaking*  as  if  he  was  thm, 
\ni\\  God.  ^  Te  may  he  also.  Tliis 
was  language  eminently  fitted  to  com- 
fort them.  Though  about  to  leave 
them,  yet  he  would  not  ahvays  be  ab- 
sent. He  would  come  again  at  the 
day  of  judgment  and  gather  all  his 
friends  to  himself,  and  they  should  be 
ever  with  him.  Heb.  ix.  28.  So  shall 
all  Christians  be  with  him.  And  so, 
when  we  part  with  a  beloved  Chris- 
tian friend  by  death,  we  may  feel  as- 
sured that  the  separation  will  not  be 
eternal.  We  shall  meet  again,  and 
dwell  in  a  place  where  there  shall  be 
no  more  separation  and  no  more  tears. 

4.  Whither  I  go  ye  know.  He  had  so 
often  told  them  that  he  was  to  die, 
and  rise,  and  ascend  to  heaven,  that 
they  could  not  but  understand  it. 
Matt.  xvi.  21.  Luke  ix.  22 ;  xviii.  31, 
32.  ^  The  way  ye  know.  That  is,  the 
way  that  leads  to  the  dwelling-place  to 
which  he  was  going.  The  way  which 
they  were  to  tread  was  to  obey  his 
precepts,  imitate  his  example,  and  fol- 
low him.  Verse  6. 

5.  We  know  7iot  whither  thou  goest. 
Though  Jesus  had  so  often  told  them 
of  his  apin-oaching  death  and  resur- 
rection, yet  it  seems  they  did  not  un- 
derstand him,  nor  did  they  fully  com- 
X)reliend  liim  until  after  his  resurrec- 
tion. See  Luke  xxiv.  21.  They  en- 
tertained the  common  notions  of  a 
temporal  kingdom;  they  supposed  still 
that  he  was  to  be  an  earthly  prince 
and  leader,  and  they  did  not  compre- 
licnd  the  reason  why  he  should  die. 
Thomas  confessed  his  ignorance,  and 
the  Saviour  again  i)atieritly  explained 
his  meaning.  All  this  shows  the  dif- 
ficulty of  believing  when  the  mind  is 
full  of  prejudice  and  of  contrary  opin- 
ions. Had  Thomas  laid  aside  his  pre- 
vious opinions— had  he  been  willing 
to  receive  the  truth  as  Jesus  plainly 
spoke  it,  there  would  have  been  no 
difficulty.  Faith  would  have  been  an 
easy  and  natural  exercise  of  the  mind. 
And  so  with  the  sinner.  It'  he  were 
willing  to  receive  the  plain  and  un- 
equivocal doctrines  of  the  Bible,  there 
would  be  no  difficulty ;  but  his  mind 


5  Thomas  saith  unto  Inm,  Lord, 
we  know  not  whither  thou  goest, 
and  how  can  we  know  the  way  ? 

6  J esus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the 


is  full  of  opposite  'opinions  and  plans, 
occupied  with  errors  and  vanities,  and 
these  are  the  reasons,  and  the  only 
reasons,  why  he  is  not  a  Christian. 
Yet  who  would  say  that,  after  the 
plain  instructions  of  Jesus,  Thomas 
might  not  have  understood  him  ?  And 
who  will  dare  to  say  that  any  sinner 
may  not,  lay  aside  his  prejudices  and 
improper  views,  and  receive  tlie  plain 
and  simple  teaching  of  the  Bible? 

6.  /  am  the  way.  See  Isa.  xxxv.  8. 
By  this  is  meant,  doubtless,  thfit  they 
and  all  others  were  to  have  access  to 
God  only  by  obeying  the  instructions, 
imitating  the  example,  and  depend- 
ing on  the  merits  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  He  was  the  leader  in  the  road, 
the  guide  to  the  wandering,  the  teach- 
er ol'  the  ignorant,  and  the  example 
to  all.  See  chap.  vi.  68:  "Thou  hast 
the  words  of  eternal  life."  1  Peter  ii. 
21:  "Christ  —  sufiered  for  us,  leaving 
us  an  example  that  ye  should  follow 
his  steps."  Heb.  ix.  8,9.  Thetrutlu 
The  source  of  truth,  or  he  who  orig- 
inates and  communicates  truth  for 
the  salvation  of  men.  Truth  is  a  rep- 
resentation of  things  as  they  are.  The 
life,  the  purity,  and  the  teaching  of 
Jesus  Christ  was  the  most  complete 
and  perfect  representation  of  the 
things  of  the  eternal  world  that  has 
been  or  can  be  presented  to  man. 
The  ceremonies  of  the  Jews  were 
shadows;  the  life  of  Jesus  was  the 
truth.  The  opinions  of  men  are  fan- 
cy, but  the  doctrines  of  Jesus  were 
nothing  more  than  a  repreisentation 
of  facts  as  they  exist  in  the  govern- 
ment of  God.  It  is  implied  in  this, 
also,  that  Jesus  was  the  fountain  of 
all  truth ;  that  by  ?iis  inspiration  the 
prophets  spoke,  and  that  by  him  all 
truth  is  communicated  to  men.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  i.  17.  ^  The  life.  See 
chap.  xi.  25,  and  Notes  on  cliap.  i.  4. 
y  No  man  comcth  to  the  Father  but  by 
me.  To  come  to  the  Father  is  to  ob- 
tain his  favor,  to  have  access  to  his 
throne  by  prayer,  and  finally  to  enter 
his  kingdom.  No  man  can  obtain  any 
of  these  things  except  by  the  merits 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  B}'  coming 
by  him  is  meant  coming  in  his  name 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


357 


«  way,  and  the  truth,  *  and  the  life, 
no  ^  man  cometh  unto  the  Father 

but  by  me. 
7  If  ye  had  known  me,  ye  should 

have  known  my  Father  also ;  and 

from  henceforth  ye  know  him  and 

have  seen  him. 

a  Isa.  35.  8, 9.   c.  1 0.  9.    Heb.  10. 19,  20. 
6  c.  1.17;  15.1. 

and  depending  on  his  merits.  We  are 
ignorant,  and  he  alone  can  guide  us. 
We  are  sinful,  and  it  is  only  by  his 
merits  that  we  can  be  pardoned.  We 
are  blind,  and  he  only  can  enlighten 
us.  God  has  appointed  hini  as  the 
Mediator,  and  has  ordained  that  all 
blessings  shall  descend  to  this  world 
through  him.  Hence  he  has  put  the 
world  under  his  control ;  has  given 
the  affairs  of  men  into  his  hand,  and 
has  appointed  him  to  dispense  what- 
ever may  be  necessary  for  our  peace, 
pardon,  and  salvation.  Acts  iv.  12: 
V.  31. 

7.  If^Je  had  known  me.  By  this  Jesus 
does  not  intend  to  say  that  they  were 
not  truly  his  disciples,  but  that  they 
had  not  ?[,full  and  accurate  knowledge 
of  his  character  and  designs.  They 
still  retained,  to  a  large  extent,  the 
Jewish  notions  respecting  a  temporal 
Messiah,  and  did  not  fully  understand 
that  he  was  to  die  and  be  raised  from 
the  dead.  ^  Ye  sJiould  have  known  my 
Father  also.  You  would  have  known 
the  counsels  and  designs  of  my  Father 
respecting  my  death' and  resurrection. 
If  you  had  been  divested  of  your  Jew- 
ish prejudices  about  the  Messiah,  if 
you  had  understood  that  it  was  prop- 
er for  me  to  die,  you  would  also  have 
understood  the  purposes  and  plans  of 
God  in  my  death ;  and,  knowing  that^ 
you  would  have  seen  that  it  was  wise 
and  best.  We  see  here  that  a  correct 
knowledge  of  the  character  and  work 
of  Christ  is  the  same  as  a  correct 
knowledge  of  the  counsels  and  plans 
of  God;  and  we  see,  also,  that  the 
reasons  why  we  have  not  such  a 
knowledge  are  our  previous  preju- 
dices and.  erroneous  views.  ^  From 
henceforth.  From  this  time.  From 
my  death  and  resurrection  you  shall 
understand  the  plans  and  counsels  of 
God.  ^  Ye  know  him.  You  shall  have 
just  views  of  his  plans  and  designs. 
^  Have  seen  him.  That  is,  they  had 
seen  Jesus  Christ,  his  image,  and  the 
brightness  of  his  glory  (Heb.  i.  3), 


8  Philip  saith  unto  him,  Lord, 
show  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth 
us. 

9  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have  I 
been  so  long  with  you,  and  yet 
hast  thou  not  known  me,  Philip  ? 
He  ^  that  hath  seen  me  hath  seen 

c  c.  1.4;  11.25.  d  Acts  4. 12. 

e  Col.  1.15. 


which  was  the  same  as  having  seen  the 
Father.  Verse  9. 

8.  Lord^  show  us  the  Father.  Philip 
here  referred  to  some  outward  and 
visible  manifestation  of  God.  God 
had  manifested  himself  in  various 
ways  to  the  prophets  and  saints  of 
old,  and  Philip  affirmed  that  if  some 
such  manifestation  should  be  made 
to  them  they  would  be  satisfied.  It 
was  right  to  desire  evidence  tliat  Je- 
sus was  the  Messiah,  but  such  evi- 
dence had  been  afforded  abundantly  in 
the  miracles  and  teaching  of  Jesus, 
and  that  should  have  sufficed  them. 

9.  So  long  time.  For  more  than  three 
years  Jesus  had  been  with  them.  He 
had  raised  the  dead,  cast  out  devils, 
healed  the  sick,  done  those  things 
which  no  one  could  have  done  w^ho 
had  not  come  from  God.  In  that  time 
they  had  had  full  opportunity  to  learn 
his  character  and  his  mission  from 
God.  Nor  was  it  needful,  after  so 
many  proofs  of  his  divine  mission, 
that  God  should  visibly  manifest  him- 
self to  them  in  order  that  they  might 
be  convinced  that  he  came  from  him. 
^  He  that  hath  seen  me.  He  that  has 
seen  my  works,  heard  my  doctrines, 
and  understood  my  character.  He 
that  has  given  proper  attention  to  the 
proofs  that  I  have  afforded  that  I  came 
from  God.  Hath  seen  the  Father. 
The  word  Father  in  these  passages 
seems  to  be  used  with  reference  to 
the  divine  nature,  or  to  God  repre- 
sented as  a  Father,  and  not  particu- 
larly to  the  distinction  in  the  trinity 
of  Father  and  Son.  The  idea  is  that  * 
God,  as  God,  or  as  a  Father,  had  been 
manifested  in  the  incarnation,  the 
works,  and  the  teachings  of  Christ, 

so  that  they  who  had  seen  and  heard 
him  might  be  said  to  have  had  a  real 
view  of  God.  When  Jesus  says,  "hath 
seen  the  Father,"  this  can  not  refer  to 
the  essence  or  substance  of  God,  for  he 
is  invisible,  and  in  that  respect  no 
man  has  seen  God  at  any  time.  All 
that  is  meant  when  it  is  said  that  Ood 


358 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  83. 


the  Father ;  and  how  sayest  thou, 
then^  Show  us  the  Father  ? 

10  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am 
in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
me  ?  The  words  that  I  speak  unto 
you  I  speak  not  of  myself ;  but  the 
Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  he  do- 
eth  the  works. 

11  Believe  me  that  I  am  in  the 


is  seen^  is  that  some  manifestation  of 
him  lias  been  made,  or  some  such  ex- 
hibition as  that  we  may  learn  his  c/iar- 
acter^  his  will^  and  his  plans.  In  this 
case  it  can  not  mean  that  he  that  had 
seen  Jesus  with  the  bodily  eyes  had 
in  the  same  sense  seen  God ;  but  he  that 
had  been  a  witness  of  his  miracles  and 
of  his  transfiguration — that  had  heard 
his  doctrines  and  studied  his  charac- 
ter— had  had  full  evidence  of  his  di- 
vine mission,  and  of  the  will  and  pur- 
pose of  the  Fatlier  in  sending  him. 
The  knowledge  of  the  Son  was  itself, 
of  course,  the  knowledge  of  the  Fa- 
ther. There  was  such  an  intimate 
union  in  their  nature  and  design  that 
he  who  understood  the  one  under- 
stood also  the  other.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xi.  27 ;  also  Luke  x.  22.  John  i. 
18. 

10.  I  am  in  the  Father.  See  Notes 
on  cliap.  X.  38.  1  The  words  that  I 
speak^  etc.  Sec  Notes  on  chap.  vii.  16, 
17.  ^  The  Father  that  dwelleth  ioi  me. 
Literally  "The  Fatlier  remaming  in 
me."  This  denotes  most  intimate 
union.,  so  that  the  works  which  Jesus 
did  might  be  said  to  be  done  by  the 
Father.  It  imx)lies  a  more  intimate 
union  than  can  subsist  between  a  mere 
man  and  God.  Had  Jesus  been  a  mere 
7nan^  like  the  prophets,  he  would  have 
said,  "The  Father  who  sent  or  com- 
missioned me  doeth  the  works;"  but 
liere  there  is  reference,  doubtless,  to 
that  mysterious  and  peculiar  union 
which  subsists  between  the  Father 
51  nd  the  Son.  T[  lie  doeth  the  works. 
The  miracles  which  had  been  wrought 
by  Jesus.  The  Father  could  be  said 
to  do  them  on  account  of  the  intimate 
union  between  him  and  the  Son.  See 
chap.  V.  17, 19,  36 ;  x.  30. 

11.  Believe  me^  etc.  Believe  my  dec- 
larations that  I  am  in  the  Father,  etc. 
There  were  two  grounds  on  which 
they  might  believe ;  one  was  his  owm 
testimony^  the  other  was  his  v)orks. 


Father,  and  the  Father  in  me ;  or 
else  believe  me  for  the  very  w^orks' 
sake. 

12  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
He  «  that  believeth  on  me,  the 
works  that  I  do  shall  he  do  also ; 
and  greater  worlcs  than  these  shall 
he  do,  because  I  go  unto  my  Fa- 
ther. 

a  Matt.  21.21. 


II  Or  else.  If  credit  is  not  given  to  my 
words.,  let  there  be  to  my  miracles. 
^  For  the  very  works'^  sake.  On  account 
of  the  works ;  or,  be  convinced  by  the 
miracles  themselves.  Either  his  own 
testimony  was  sufficient  to  convince 
them,  or  the  many  miracles  which  he 
had  wrought  in  healing  the  sick, 
raising  the  dead,  etc. 

12.  He  that  believeth  on  me.  This 
promise  had  doubtless  peculiar  ref- 
erence to  the  apostles  themselves. 
They  were  full  of  grief  at  his  depart- 
ure, and  Jesus,  in  order  to  console 
them,  directed  them  to  the  great 
honor  which  w^as  to  be  conferred  on 
them,  and  to  the  assurance  that  God 
would  not  leave  them,  but  would  at- 
tend them  in  their  ministry  with  the 
demonstrations  of  his  mighty  power. 
It  can  not  be  understood  of  all  his 
followers,  for  the  circumstances  of 
the  promise  do  not  require  us  to  un- 
derstand it  thus,  and  it  has  not  been 
a  matter  of  fact  that  all  Christians 
have  possessed  power  to  do  greater 
works  than  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  is  a 
general  promise  that  greater  works 
than  he  performed  should  be  done  by 
his  followers,  without  specifying  that 
all  his  followers  would  be  instrument- 
al in  doing  them.  ^  The  works  that  I 
do.  The  miracles  of  healing  the  sick, 
raising  the  dead,  etc.  This  was  done 
by  the  apostles  in  many  instances. 
See  Acts  v.  15 ;  xix.  12 ;  xiii.  11 ;  v.  1- 
10.  ^  Greater  works  than  these  shall  he 
do.  Interpreters  have  been  at  a  loss 
in  what  way  to  understand  this.  The 
most  probable  meaning  of  the  passage 
is  the  following:  The  word  "great- 
er" can  not  refer  to  the  miracles  them- 
selves, for  tlie  works  of  the  apostles 
did  not  exceed  those  of  Jesus  in  power. 
No  higher  exertion  of  power  was  put 
forth,  or  could  be,  than  raising  the 
dead.  But,  though  not  greater  in 
t/iemselves  considered^  yet  they  wcri; 
greater  in  their  effects.    They  made  a 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


359 


13  And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask 
in  my  name,  that  will  I  do,  that 
the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the 
Son. 

14  If  ye  shall  ask  any  thing  in 
my  name,  I  will  do  it. 

a  1  Jno.  5. 14. 

deeper  impression  on  mankind.  They 
were  attended  with  more  extensive 
results.  They  were  the  means  of 
the  conversion  of  more  sinners.  The 
works  of  Jesus  were  confined  to  Ju- 
dea.  They  were  seen  by  few.  The 
works  of  the  apostles  were  witnessed 
by  many  nations,  and  the  effect  of 
their  miracles  and  preaching  was  that 
thousands  from  among  the  Jews  and 
Gentiles  were  converted  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith.  The  word  greater  here  is 
used,  therefore,  not  to  denote  the  ab- 
solute exertion  of  power ^  but  the  effect 
which  the  miracles  would  have  on 
mankind.  The  word  "works"  here 
probably  denotes  not  merely  miracles^ 
but  all  things  that  the  apostles  did  that 
made  an  impression  on  mankind,  in- 
cluding their  travels,  their  labors, 
their  doctrine,  etc.  T[  Because  I  go 
unto  my  Father,  He  would  there  in- 
tercede for  them,  and  especially  by 
his  going  to  the  Father  the  Holy  Spir- 
it would  be  sent  down  to  attend  them 
in  their  ministry.  Ver.  26,  28 ;  xvi.  7- 
14.  See  Matt,  xxviii.  18.  By  his  going 
to  the  Father  is  particularly  denoted 
his  exaltation  to  heaven,  and  his  being 
placed  as  head  over  all  things  to  his 
Church.  Eph.  i.  20-23.  Phil.  ii.  9-11. 
By  his  being  exalted  there  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  given  (chap.  xvi.  7),  and  by 
his  power  thus  put  forth  the  Gentiles 
were  brought  to  hear  and  obey  the 
Gospel. 

13.  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask.  This 
promise  referred  particularly  to  the 
apostles  in  their  work  of  spreading 
the  Gospel ;  it  is,  however,  true  of  all 
Christians,  if  what  thej^  ask  is  m  faith, 
and  according  to  the  will  of  God. 
James  i.  6.  1  John  v.  14.  ^  In  my 
name.  This  is  equivalent  to  saying 
on  my  account,  or  for  my  sake.  If  a 
man  who  has  money  in  a  bank  author- 
izes us  to  draw  it,  we  are  said  to  do  it 
in  his  name.  If  a  son  authorizes  us 
to  apply  to  his  father  for  aid  because 
we  arc  his  friends,  we  do  it  in  the 
name  of  the  son,  and  the  favor  will  be 
bestowed  on  us  from  the  regard  which 
the  parent  has  to  his  son,  and  through 


15  If  *  ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments. 

16  And  I  will  pray  the  Father, 
and  he  shall  give  you  another 
Comforter,  that  he  may  abide 
with  you  forever ; 

6  c.  15. 10, 14.  ver.  21, 23.  ljno.5.3.  cc.15.26. 


him  to  all  his  friends.  So  we  are  per- 
mitted to  apply  to  God  in  the  name 
of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  because  God 
is  in  him  well  pleased  (Matt.  iii.  17), 
and  because  we  are  the  friends  of  his 
Son  he  answers  our  requests.  Though 
we  are  undeserving,  yet  he  loves  us  on 
account  of  his  Son,  and  because  he 
sees  in  us  his  image.  No  privilege  is 
greater  than  that  of  approaching  God 
in  the  name  of  his  Son;  no  blessings 
of  salvation  can  be  conferred  on  any 
who  do  not  come  in  his  name.  11  That 
will  I  do.  Being  exalted,  he  will  be 
possessed  of  all  power  in  heaven  and 
earth  (Matt,  xxviii.  18),  and  he  there- 
fore could  fulfill  all  their  desires. 
1i[  T?iat  the  Father  may  he  glorified  in 
the  Son.    See  Notes  on  chap.  xiii.  31. 

15.  If  ye  love  me.  Do  not  show  your 
love  by  grief  at  my  departure  merely, 
or  by  profession,  but  by  obedience. 
^  Keep  my  commandments.  This  is  the 
only  proper  evidence  of  love  to  Jesus, 
for  mere  profession  is  no  proof  of 
love;  but  that  love  for  him  which 
leads  us  to  do  all  his  will,  to  love  each 
other,  to  deny  ourselves,  to  take  up 
our  cross,  and  to  follow  him  through 
evil  report  and  through  good  report, 
is  true  attachment.  The  evidence 
which  we  have  that  a  child  loves  its 
parents  is  when  that  child  is  willing, 
without  hesitation,  gainsaying,  or 
murmuring,  to  do  all  that  the  parent 
requires  him  to  do.  So  the  disciples 
of  Christ  are  required  to  show  that 
they  are  attached  to  him  supremely 
by  yielding  to  all  his  requirements, 
and  by  patiently  doing  his  will  in  the 
face  of  ridicule  and  opposition.  1  John 
V.  2,  3. 

16. 1  will  pray  the  Father.  This  refers 
to  his  intercession  after  his  death  and 
ascension  to  heaven,  for  this  prayer 
was  to  be  connected  with  their  keep- 
ing his  commandments.  In  what  way 
he  makes  intercession  in  heaven  for  his 
people  we  do  not  know.  The  fact, 
however,  is  clearly  made  known. 
Rom.  viii.  34.  Heb.  iv.  14,  15  ;  vii.  25. 
It  is  as  the  result  of  his  intercession 
in  heaven  that  we  obtain  all  our  bless- 


360 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


17  Mcen  the  Spirit  of  trutli;  whom 
''the  world  can  not  receive,  be- 
cause it  seeth  him  not,  neither 

a  1  Cor.  2. 14. 


ings,  and  it  is  tlirough  him  tliat  our 
prayers  are  to  be  presented  and  made 
efficacious  before  God.  ^  Another 
Comforter.  Jesus  had  been  to  them 
a  counselor,  a  guide,  a  friend,  while 
he  was  with  them.  He  had  instruct- 
ed them,  had  borne  with  their  preju- 
dices and  ignorance,  and  had  admin- 
istered consolation  to  them  in  the 
times  of  despondency.  But  he  was 
about  to  leave  them  now  to  go  alone 
into  an  unfriendly  world.  The  other 
Comforter  was  to  be  given  as  a  com- 
pensation for  his  absence,  or  to  per-, 
form  the  offices  toward  them  which 
he  would  have  done  if  he  had  remain- 
ed personally  witli  them.  And  from 
this  we  may  learn,  in  part,  what  is  the 
office  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  to  furnish  to 
all  ChtnstUms  the  instruction  and  conso- 
lation which  ivould  be  given  by  the  per- 
sonal presence  of  Jesiis.  Chap.  xvi.  14. 
To  the  apostles  it  was  particularly  to 
inspire  them  with  the  knowledge  of 
all  truth.  Chap.  xiv.  26 ;  xv.  26.  Be- 
sides this,  he  came  to  convince  men 
of  sin.  See  Notes  on  chap.  xvi.  8-11. 
It  was  proper  that  such  an  agent 
should  be  sent  into  the  world — 1st. 
Because  it  was  a  part  of  the  plan  that 
Jesus  should  ascend  to  heaven  after 
his  death.  2d.  Unless  some  heavenly 
agent  sliould  be  sent  to  carry  forward 
the  work  of  salvation,  man  would  re- 
ject it  and  perish.  3d.  Jesus  could 
not  be  personally  and  bodily  present 
in  all  places  with  the  vast  multitudes 
who  should  believe  on  him.  The 
Holy  Spirit  is  omnipresent,  and  can 
reach  them  all.  See  Notes  on  chap, 
xvi.  7.  4th.  It  was  manifestly  a  part 
of  the  plan  of  redemption  that  each 
of  the  persons  of  the  trinity  should 
perform  his  api^ropriate  work  —  the 
Father  in  sending  his  Son,  the  Son  in 
making  atonement  and  interceding, 
and  the  Spirit  in  ap]plying  the  work 
to  the  hearts  of  men. 

The  word  translated  Comforter  is 
used  in  the  New  Testament  five  times. 
In  four  instances  it  is  applied  to  the 
Holy  Spirit— John  xiv.  16,  26;  xv.  26; 
xvi.  7.  In  the  other  instance  it  is  ap- 
plied to  the  Lord  Jesus — 1  John  ii.  1 : 
"We  have  an  advocate  (Paraclete — 
Comforter)  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
'Christ  the  righteous.'*    It  is  used. 


knoweth  him ;  but  ye  know  him, 
for  he  dwelleth  with  you,  and^ 
shall  be  in  you. 

b  Rom.  8.  9.    1  Jno.  2.  27. 


therefore,  only  by  John.  The  verb 
from  which  it  is  taken  has  many  sig- 
nifications. Its  proper  meaning  is  to 
call  one  to  us  (Acts  xxvii.  20) ;  then  to 
call  one  to  aid  its,  as  an  a'dvocate  in  a 
court ;  then  to  exhort  or  entreat,  to 
pray  or  implore,  as  an  advocate  does, 
and  to  comfort  or  console,  by  suggest- 
ing reasons  or  arguments  for  consola- 
tion. The  word  "comforter"  is  fre- 
quently used  by  Greek  writers  to  de- 
note an  advocate  in  a  court ;  one  who 
intercedes  ;  a  monitor,  a  teacher,  an 
assistant,  a  helper.  It  is  somewhat 
difficult,  therefore,  to  fix  the  precise 
meaning  of  the  word.  It  may  be 
translated  either  advocate,  monitor, 
teacher,  or  helper.  What  the  office 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  this  respect  is, 
is  to  be  learned  from  what  we  are 
elsewhere  told  he  does.  We  learn 
particularly  from  the  accounts  that 
our  Saviour  gives  of  his  work  that 
that  office  was,  1st.  To  comfort  the 
disciples ;  to  be  with  them  in  his  ab- 
sence and  to  supply  his  place ;  and 
this  is  properly  expressed  by  the  word 
Comforter.  2d.  To  teach  them.,  or  re- 
mind them  of  truth ;  and  this  might 
be  expressed  by  the  word  monitor  or 
teacher.  Verse  26 ;  xv.  26,  27.  3d.  To 
aid  them  in  their  work ;  to  advocate 
their  cause,  or  to  assist  them  in  ad- 
vocating the  cause  of  religion  in  the 
world,  and  in  bringing  sinners  to 
repentance ;  and  this  may  be  express- 
ed by  the  word  advocate.  Chap.  xvi. 
7-13.  It  was  also  by  the  Spirit  that 
they  were  enabled  to  stand  before 
kings  and  magistrates,  and  boldly  to 
speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Matt.  x. 
20.  These  seem  to  comprise  all  the 
meanings  of  the  word  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, but  no  single  word  in  our  lan- 
guage expresses  fully  the  sense  of  the 
original.  T[  That  he  may  abide  with 
you  forever.  Not  that  he  should  re- 
main with  you  for  a  few  years,  as  I 
have  done,  and  then  leave  you,  but  be 
with  you  in  all  places  to  the  close  of 
your  life.  He  shall  be  your  constant 
guide  and  attendant. 

17.  The  Spirit  of  truth.  He  is  thus 
called  here  because  he  would  teach 
them  the  truth,  or  would  guide  them 
into  all  truth.  Chap.  xvi.  13.  He 
would  keep  thera  from  all  error,  and 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


361 


18  1  mil  not  leave  you  ^  comfort- 
less ;  I  ^  will  come  to  you. 

1  or,  orphans. 

teach  them  the  truth,  which,  either  by 
writing  or  preaching,  they  were  to 
communicate  to  others.  ^  The  world. 
The  term  world  is  often  used  to  denote 
all  who  are  entirely  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  things  of  this  world — 
pride,  ambition,  and  pleasure ;  all  who 
are  not  Christians,  and  especially  all 
who  are  addicted  to  gross  vices  and 
pursuits.  1  Cor.  i.  21 ;  xi.  32.  John 
xii.  31.  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  T[  Can  not  receive. 
Can  not  admit  as  a  teacher  or  com- 
forter, or  can  not  receive  in  his  offices 
of  enlightening  and  purifying.  The 
reason  why  they  could  not  do  this  is 
immediately  added.  1"  Because  it  seeth 
him  not.  The  men  of  the  world  are 
under  the  influence  of  the  senses. 
They  walk  by  sights  and  not  hy  faith. 
Hence  what  they  can  not  perceive  by 
their  senses,  what  does  not  gratify 
their  sight,  or  taste,  or  feeling,  makes 
no  impression  on  them.  As  they  can 
not  see  the  operations  of  the  Spirit 
(John  iii.  8),  they  judge  that  all  that 
is  said  of  his  influence  is  delusive,  and 
hence  they  can  not  receive  him.  They 
have  an  erroneous  mode  of  judging 
of  what  is  for  the  welfare  of  man. 
*if  Neither  knoweth  him.  To  know^  in 
the  Scriptures,  often  means  more  than 
the  act  of  the  mind  in  simply  under- 
stajiding  a  thing.  It  denotes  every  act 
or  emotion  of  the  mind  that  is  requi- 
site in  receiving  the  proper  impressio7i 
of  a  truth.  Hence  it  often  includes 
the  idea  of  approbation^  of  love^  of  cor- 
,  dial  feeling.  Psalm  i.  6 ;  xxxvii.  18 ; 
cxxxviii.  6.  Nahum  i.  7.  2  Tim.  ii. 
19.  In  this  place  it  means  the  appro- 
bation of  the  heart ;  and  as  the  peo- 
ple of  the  world  do  not  approve  of  or 
desire  the  aid  of  the  Spirit,  so  it  is 
said  they  can  not  receive  him.  They 
have  no  love  for  him,  and  they  reject 
him.  Men  often  consider  his  work  in 
the  conversion  of  sinners  and  in  re- 
vivals as  delusion.  They  love  the 
world  so  much  that  they  can  not  un- 
derstand his  work  or  embrace  him. 
T  He  dwelleth  in  you.  The  Spirit  dwells 
in  Christians  by  his  sacred  influences. 
There  is  no  personal  union,  no  phys- 
ical indwelling,  for  God  is  essentially 
present  in  one  place  as  much  as  in  an- 
other ;  but  he  works  in  us  repentance, 
peace,  joy,  meekness,  etc.  He  teach- 
es us,  guides  us,  and  comforts  us. 
IL— Q 


19  Yet  a  little  while,  and  the 
world  seeth  me  no  more ;  but  ye 

a  ver.  3,  28. 

See  Notes  on  Gal.  v.  22-24.  Thus  he 
is  said  to  dwell  in  us  when  we  are  made 
pure,  peaceable,  holy,  humble  ;  when 
we  become  like  him^  and  cherish  his 
sacred  influences.  The  word  "  dwell- 
eth" means  to  remain  with  them.  Je- 
sus was  to  be  taken  away,  but  the 
Spirit  would  remain.  It  is  also  im- 
plied that  they  would  know  his  pres- 
ence, and  have  assurance  that  they 
were  under  his  guidance.  This  was 
true  of  the  apostles  as  inspired  men^ 
and  it  is  true  of  all  Christians  that  by 
ascertaining  that  they  have  the  graces 
of  the  Spirit — joy,  peace,  long-suffer- 
ing, etc. — they  knoiv  that  they  are  the 
children  of  God.  1  John  iii.  24;  v.  10. 

18.  Comfortless.  Greek,  orphans.  Je- 
sus here  addresses  them  as  children. 
Chap.  xiii.  33.  He  says  that  he  would 
show  them  the  kindness  of  a  parent, 
and,  though  he  was  going  away,  he 
would  provide  for  their  future  wel- 
fare. And  even  while  he  was  absent, 
yet  they  would  sustain  to  him  still  the 
relation  of  children.  Though  he  was 
to  die,  yet  he  would  live  again ;  though 
absent  in  body,  yet  he  would  be  pres 
ent  with  them  by  his  Spirit ;  though 
he  was  to  go  away  to  heaven,  yet  he 
would  return  again  to  them.  See 
verse  3. 

19.  A  little  while.  This  was  the  day 
before  his  death.  1"  Seeth  me  no  more. 
No  more  until  the  day  of  judgment. 
The  men  of  the  w^orld  would  not  see 
him  visibly,  and  they  had  not  the  eye  of 
faith  to  discern  him.  ^  But  ye  see  me. 
Ye  shall  continue  to  see  me  by  faith, 
even  when  the  world  can  not.  You 
will  continue  to  see  me  by  the  eye  of 
faith  as  still  your  gracious  Saviour  and 
Friend.  *^  Because  I  live.  Though  the 
Saviour  was  about  to  die,  yet  was  he 
also  about  to  be  raised  from  the  dead. 
He  was  to  continue  to  live,  and  though 
absent  from  them,  yet  he  would  feel 
the  same  interest  in  their  welfare  as 
when  he  was  with  them  on  earth. 
This  expression  does  not  refer  partic- 
ularly to  his  resurrection,  but  his  con- 
tinuing to  live.  He  had  a  nature  which 
could  not  die.  As  Mediator  also  he 
would  be  raised  and  continue  to  live ; 
and  he  would  have  both  power  and 
inclination  to  give  them  also  life,  to 
defend  tliem,  and  bring  them  with 
him.  ^  Ye  shall  live  also.  This  doubt- 


362 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


see  me.  Because  *  I  live,  ye  shall 
live  also. 

20  At  that  day  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in 
me,  and  I  in  you. 

21  He  ^  that  hath  my  command- 
ments, and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is 
that  loveth  me ;  and  he  that  loveth 

aHeb.7. 25.  6  ver.l5,23. 


less  refers  to  their  future  life.  And 
we  learn  from  this,  1st.  That  the  life 
of  the  Christian  depends  on  that  of 
Christ.  They  are  united ;  and  if  they 
were  separated,  the  Christian  could 
neither  enjoy  spiritual  life  here  nor 
eternal  joy  hereafter.  2d.  The  fact 
that  Jesus  lives  is  a  pledge  that  all 
who  believe  in  him  shall  be  saved. 
He  has  power  over  all  our  spiritual 
foes,  and  he  can  deliver  us  from  the 
hands  of  our  enemies,  and  from  all 
temptations  and  trials. 

20.  At  that  day.  In  the  time  when 
my  life  shall  be  fully  manifested  to 
you,  and  you  shall  receive  the  assur- 
ance that  I  live.  This  refers  to  the 
time  after  his  resurrection,  and  to  the 
manifestations  which  in  various  ways 
he  would  make  that  he  was  alive. 

TJiat  I  am  i7i  my  Father^  etc.  That 
we  are  most  intimately  and  indissolu- 
bly  united.  Sec  Notes  on  chap.  x.  38. 
If  Ye  in  me.  That  there  is  a  union  be- 
tween us  which  can  never  be  severed. 
See  Notes  on  chap.  xv.  1-7. 

21.  He  that  hath^  etc.  This  intimate 
union  is  farther  manifested  by  these 
facts :  1st.  That  true  love  to  Jesus  will 
produce  obedience.  See  verse  15.  2d. 
That  those  who  love  him  will  be  loved 
of  the  Father.,  showing^  that  there  is 
a  union  between  the  Father  and  the 
Son.  3d.  That  Jesus  also  will  love 
them,  evincing  still  the  same  union. 
Religion  is  love.  The  love  of  one 
holy  being  or  object  is  the  love  of  all. 
The  kingdom  of  God  is  one.  His  peo- 
ple, though  called  by  different  names, 
are  one.  They  are  united  to  each  oth- 
er and  to  God,  and  the  bond  which 
unites  the  whole  kingdom  in  one  is 
love.  U  Will  manifest  myself  to  him. 
To  manifest  is  to  show,  to  make  ap- 
pear, to  place  before  the  eyes  so  that 
an  object  may  be  seen.  This  means 
that  Jesus  would  so  show  himself  to 
his  followers  that  they  should  see  and 
know  that  he  was  their  Saviour.  In 
what  way  tliis  is  done,  see  verse  23.  | 


me  shall  be  loved  of  my  Father ; 
and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  man- 
ifest myself  to  him. 

22  Judas  saith  unto  him  (not 
Iscariot),  Lord,  how  is  it  that  thou 
wilt  manifest  thyself  unto  us,  and 
not  unto  the  world  ? 

23  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 

c  Lu.  6.16. 


22.  Judas  saith  unto  him.  This  was 
the  same  as  Lebbeus  or  Thaddeus. 
See  Matt.  x.  3.  He  was  the  brother  of 
James,  and  the  author  of  the  Epistle 
of  Jude.  ^  How  is  it^  etc.  Probably 
Judas  thought  that  he  spake  only  of 
his  resurrection,  and  he  did  not  read- 
ily see  how  it  could  be  that  he  could 
show  himself  to  them,  and  not  be  seen 
also  by  others. 

23.  Will  keep  my  words.  See  verse 
15.  ^  We  will  come  to  him.  We  will 
come  to  him  with  the  manifestation 
of  pardon,  peace  of  conscience,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  means  that 
God  will  manifest  himself  to  the  soul 
as  a  Father  and  Friend ;  that  Jesus 
will  manifest  himself  as  a  Saviour ; 
that  is,  that  there  will  be  shed  abroad 
in  the  heart  just  views  and  proper 
feelings  toward  God  and  Christ.  The 
Christian  will  rejoice  in  the  perfec- 
tions of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  will 
delight  to  contemplate  the  glories  of 
a  present  Savioitr.  The  condition  of 
a  sinner  is  represented  as  one  who  has 
gone  astray  from  God,  and  from  whom 
God  has  withdrawn.  Psalm  Iviii.  3. 
Prov.  xxviii.  10.  Ezek.  xiv.  11.  He  is 
alienated  from  God.  Eph.  ii.  12.  Isa. 
i.  4.  Eph.  iv.  18.  Col.  i.  21.  Religion 
is  represented  as  God  returning  to  the 
soul,  and  manifesting  himself  as  rec- 
onciled through  Jesus  Christ.  2  Cor. 
V.  18.  Col.  i.  21.  1i  Make  our  abode. 
This  is  a  figurative  expression  Imply- 
ing that  God  and  Christ  would  ma7ii- 
fest  themselves  In  no  tempo7'ary  way, 
but  that  it  would  be  the  privilege  of 
Christians  to  enjoy  their  presence 
continually.  They  would  take  up 
their  residence  in  the  heart  as  their 
dwelling-place,  as  a  temple  fit  for 
their  abode.  See  1  Cor.  iii.  10:  "Ye 
are  the  temple  of  God;"  vi.  19 : 
"Your  body  is  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost."  2  Cor.  vi.  l(i :  Ye  are 
the  temple  of  the  Jiving  God."  This 
does  not  mean  that  there  is  any 
sonal  union  between  Christians  and 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


363 


him,  If  a  man  love  me  he  will  keep 
my  words ;  and  my  Father  will  love 
him,  and  "  we  will  come  unto  him, 
and  make  our  abode  with  him. 

24  He  that  loveth  me  not,  keep- 
eth  not  my  sayings ;  and  the  word 
which  ye  hear  is  not  mine,  but  the 
Father's  which  sent  me. 

25  These  things  have  I  spoken 

a  1  Jno.  2. 24.   Rev.  3.  20. 
b  ver.  16. 


God  —  that  there  is  any  peculiar  in- 
dwelling of  the  essence  of  God  m  us — 
for  God  is  essentially  present  in  all 
places  in  the  same  way;  but  it  is  a 
figurative  mode  of  speaking,  denoting 
that  the  Christian  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  God ;  that  he  rejoices  in  his 
presence,  and  that  he  has  the  views, 
the  feelings,  the  joys  which  God  pro- 
duces in  a  redeemed  soul,  and  with 
which  he  is  pleased. 

24.  The  word  which  ye  hear  is  not 
mine.    See  Notes  on  ch.  v.  19 ;  vii.  16. 

25.  Have  I  spoken.  For  your  conso- 
lation and  guidance.  But,  though  he 
had  said  so  many  things  to  console 
them,  yet  the  Spirit  would  be  given 
also  as  their  Comforter  and  Guide. 

26.  Will  send  in  my  name.  On  my 
account.  To  perfect  my  work.  To 
execute  it  as  I  would  in  applying  it 
to  the  hearts  of  men.    See  verse  13. 

Hhall  teach  you  all  things.  All  things 
which  it  was  needful  for  them  to  un- 
derstand in  the  apostolic  office,  and 
liarticularly  those  things  which  they 
were  not  prepared  then  to  hear  or 
could  not  then  understand.  See  chap, 
xvi.  12.  Compare  Notes  on  Matt.  x. 
19,  20.  This  was  a  full  promise  that 
they  would  be  inspired,  and  that  in 
organizing  the  Church,  and  in  record- 
ing the  truths  necessary  for  its  edifi- 
cation, they  would  be  under  the  infal- 
lible guidance  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
T[  Bring  all  things  to  your  remembrance. 
This  probably  refers  to  two  things : 
1st.  He  would  seasonably  remind  them 
of  the  sayings  of  Jesus,  which  they 
might  otherwise  have  forgotten.  In 
the  organization  of  the  Church,  and 
in  composing  the  sacred  history,  he 
would  preside  over  their  memories^ 
and  recall  such  truths  and  doctrines 
as  were  necessary  either  for  their  com- 
fort or  the  edification  of  his  people. 
Amid  the  multitude  of  things  which 
Jesus  spake  during  a  ministry  of  more 
than  three  years,  it  was  to  be  expect- 


unto  you,  being  yet  present  with 
you. 

26  But  ^  the  Comforter,  which  is 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father 
will  send  in  my  name,  he  ^  shall 
teach  you  all  things,  and  bring  all 
things  to  your  remembrance,  what- 
soever I  have  said  unto  you. 

27  Peace  ^  I  leave  with  you,  my 

cc.  16. 13.    IJno.  2.  20,27. 
Eph.  2. 14, 17.    Phil.  4.  7. 

ed  that  many  things  which  he  had  ut- 
tered, that  would  be  important  for  the 
edification  of  the  Church,  would  be 
forgotten.  We  see,  hence,  the  nature 
of  their  inspiration.  The  Holy  Spirit 
made  use  of  their  memories,  and  doubt- 
less of  all  their  natural  faculties.  He 
so  presided  over  their  memories  as  to 
recall  what  they  had  forgotten,  and 
then  it  was  recorded  as  a  thing  which 
they  distinctly  remembered,  in  the 
same  way  as  we  remember  a  thing 
which  would  have  been  forgotten  had 
not  some  friend  recalled  it  to  our  rec- 
ollection. 2d.  The  Holy  Spirit  would 
teach  them  the  meaning  of  i\\o^Q  things 
which  the  Saviour  had  spoken.  Thus 
they  did  not  understand  that  he  ought 
to  be  put  to  death  till  after  his  resur- 
rection, though  he  had  repeatedly  told 
them  of  it.  Luke  xxiv.  21,  25,  20.  So 
they  did  not  till  then  understand  that 
the  Gospel  was  to  be  preached  to  the 
Gentiles,  though,  this  was  also  de- 
clared before.  Compare  Matt.  iv.  15, 
16 ;  xii.  21,  with  Acts  x.  44-48. 

27.  Peace  I  leave  with  you.  Tliis  was 
a  common  form  of  benediction  among 
the  Jews.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  x.  13. 
It  is  the  invocation  of  the  blessings 
of  peace  and  happiness.  In  this  place 
it  was,  however,  much  more  than  a 
mere/orm  or  an  empty  wish.  It  came 
from  Him  who  had  power  to  make 
peace  and  to  confer  it  on  all.  Eph.  ii. 
15.  It  refers  here  particularly  to  the 
consolations  which  he  gave  to  his 
disciples  in  view  of  his  approaching 
death.  He  had  exhorted  them  not  to 
be  troubled  (verse  1),  and  he  had  stat- 
ed reasons  why  they  should  not  be. 
He  explained  to  them  why  he  was 
about  to  leave  them ;  he  promised 
them  that  he  would  return ;  he  as- 
sured them  that  the  Holy  Ghost  would 
come  to  comfort,  teach,  and  guide 
them.  By  all  these  truths  and  prom- 
ises he  provided  for  their  peace  in 
the  time  of  his  approaching  depart- 


364 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


peace  I  give  unto  you :  not  as 
the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you. 
Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled, 
neither  let  it  be  afraid. 
28  Ye  have  heard  how  I  said 

a  ver.  12. 


ure.  But  the  expression  refers  also, 
doubtless,  to  the  peace  which  is  given 
to  all  who  love  the  Saviour.  They 
are  by  nature  enmity  against  God. 
Rom.  viii.  7.  Their  minds  are  like 
the  troubled  sea,  which  can  not  rest, 
whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt. 
Isa.  Ivii.  20.  They  were  at  war  with 
conscience,  with  the  law  and  perfec- 
tions, of  God,  and  with  all  tlie  truths 
of  religion.  Their  state  after  conver- 
sion is  described  as  a  state  of  peace. 
They  are  reconciled  to  God;  they  ac- 
quiesce in  all  his  claims ;  and  they 
have  a  joy  which  the  world  knows 
not  in  the  word,  the  promises,  the 
law,  and  the  perfections  of  God,  in 
the  plan  of  salvation,  and  in  the  hopes 
of  eternal  life.  See  Rom.  i.  7;  v.  1; 
viii.  6 ;  xiv.  7.  Gal.  v.  22.  Eph.  ii.  17 ; 
vi.  15.  Phil.  iv.  7.  Col.  iii.  15.  H  My 
peace.  Such  as  I  only  can  impart. 
The  x)eculiar  peace  which  my  religion 
is  fitted  to  impart.  H  Not  as  the  loorld. 
1st.  Not  as  the  objects  which  men 
commonly  pursue — pleasure,  fame, 
wealth.  They  leave  care,  anxiety,  re- 
morse. They  do  not  meet  the  de- 
sires of  the  immortal  mind,  and  they 
are  incapable  of  affording  that  peace 
which  the  soul  needs.  2d.  Not  as  the 
men  of  the  world  give.  They  salute 
you  with  empty  and  flattering  words, 
but  their  professed  friendship  is  often 
feigned  and  has  no  sincerity.  You  can 
not  be  sure  that  they  are  sincere,  but 
I  am.  3d.  Not  as  systems  of  philoso- 
phy and  false  religion  give.  They  pro- 
fess to  give  peace,  but  it  is  not  real. 
It  does  not  still  the  voice  of  con- 
science ;  it  does  not  take  away  sin ; 
it  does  not  reconcile  the  soul  to  God. 
4th.  My  peace  is  such  as  meets  all  the 
wants  of  the  soul,  silences  the  alarms 
of  conscience,  is  fixed  and  sure  amid 
all  external  changes,  and  will  abide  in 
the  hour  of  death  and  forever.  How 
desirable,  in  a  world  of  anxiety  and 
care,  to  possess  this  peace  !  and  how 
should  all  who  have  it  not,  seek  that 
which  the  world  can  neither  give  nor 
take  away  !  K  Neither  let  it  he  afraid. 
Of  any  pain,  persecutions,  or  trials. 
You  have  a  Friend  who  will  never 


unto  you,  I  go  away,  and  come 
again  unto  you.  If  ye  loved  me, 
ye  would  rejoice,  because  I  said,  I 
"  go  unto  the  Father ;  for  ^  my  Fa- 
ther is  greater  than  I. 

b  1  Cor.  15.  27,  28. 


leave  you ;  a  peace  that  shall  always 
attend  you.    See  verse  1. 

28.  Ye  have  heard^  etc.  Verses  2,  3. 
^  If  ye  loved  me.  The  expression  is 
not  to  be  construed  as  if  they  had 
then  no  love  to  him,  for  they  evident- 
ly had ;  but  they  had  also  low  views 
of  him  as  the  Messiah ;  they  had  many 
Jewish  prejudices,  and  they  were  slow 
to  believe  his  plain  and  positive  dec- 
larations. This  is  the  slight  and  ten- 
der reproof  of  a  friend,  meaning  man- 
ifestly if  you  had  proper  love  for  me ; 
if  you  had  the  highest  views  of  my 
character  and  work ;  if  you  would  lay 
aside  your  Jewish  prejudices,  and  put 
e7itire^  implicit  confidence  in  what  1 
say.  Ye  woidd  rejoice.  Instead  of 
grieving,  you  would  rejoice  in  the 
completion  of  the  plan  which  requires 
me  to  return  to  heaven,  that  greater 
blessings  may  descend  on  you  by  the 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  ^  JJyito 
the  Father.  To  heaven ;  to  the  imme- 
diate presence  of  God,  from  whom  all 
the  blessings  of  redemption  are  to  de- 
scend. ^  For  my  Father  is  greater  than 
I.  The  object  of  Jesus  here  is  not  to 
compare  his  nature  with  that  of  the 
Father,  but  his  condition.  Ye  would 
rejoice  that  I  am  to  leave  this  state 
of  suffering  and  humiliation,  and  re- 
sume that  glory  which  I  had  with  the 
Father  before  the  world  was.  You 
ought  to  rejoice  at  my  exaltation  to 
bliss  and  glory  with  the  Father. — Pt^o- 
fessor  Stuart.  The  object  of  this  ex- 
pression is  to  co7isole  the  disciples  in 
view  of  his  absence.  This  he  does  by 
saying  that  if  he  goes  away,  the  Holy 
Spirit  will  descend,  and  great  success 
will  attend  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel. Chap.  xvi.  7-10.  In  the  plan  of 
salvation  the  Father  is  represented 
as  giving  the  Son,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
the  various  blessings  of  the  Gospel. 
As  the  Appointer^  the  Giver^  the  Orig- 
inator^ he  may  be  represented  as  in  of- 
fice superior  to  the  Son  and  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  discourse  has  no  refer- 
ence, manifestly,  to  the  nature  of 
Christ,  and  can  not  therefore  be  ad- 
duced to  prove  that  he  is  not  divine. 
Its  whole  connection  demands  that  wc 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


365 


29  And  now  I  have  told  you] 
])efore  it  come  to  pass,  that  when 
it  is  come  to  pass  ye  might  be- 
lieve. 

30  Hereafter  I  will  not  talk  much 
with  you ;  for  the  prince  ^  of  this 
world  Cometh,  and  hath  nothing  ^ 
in  me. 

a  c.  16.11.    Eph.  2.2. 

6  2Corr5.  21.   Heb.4. 15.  ljno.3.5. 


interpret  it  as  relating  solely  to  the  im- 
X^arting  of  the  blessings  connected  with 
redemption,  in  which  the  Son  is  repre- 
sented all  along  as  having  been  sent  or 
given^  and  in  this  respect  as  sustaining 
a  relation  subordinate  to  the  Father. 

29.  Before  it  come  to  pass.  Before  my 
death,  resurrection,  and  ascension. 
H  Ye  might  believe.  You  might  be  con- 
firmed or  strengthened  in  faith  by  the 
evidence  which  I  gave  that  I  came 
from  God — the  power  of  foretelling 
future  events. 

30.  Will  not  talk  much.  The  time 
of  my  death  draws  nigh.  It  occurred 
the  next  day.  1[  The  prince  of  this 
world.  See  Notes  on  chap.  xii.  31. 
^  Cometh.  Satan  is  represented  as  ap- 
proaching him  to  try  him  in  his  suf- 
ferings, and  it  is  commonly  supposed 
that  no  small  part  of  the  pain  endured 
in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  was  from 
some  dreadful  conflict  with  the  great 
enemy  of  man.  See  Luke  xxii.  53 : 
"This  is  your  hour  and  the  power  of 
darkness.''''  Compare  Luke  iv.  13. 
If  Hath  nothing  in  me.  There  is  in  me 
no  principle  or  feeling  that  accords 
with  his,  and  nothing,  therefore,  by 
which  he  can  prevail.  Temptation 
has  only  power  because  there  are 
some  principles  in  us  which  accord 
with  the  designs  of  the  tempter,  and 
which  may  be  excited  by  presenting 
corresponding  objects  till  our  Virtue 
be  overcome.  Where  there  is  no  such 
propensity,  temptation  has  no  power. 
As  the  principles  of  Jesus  were  wholly 
on  the  side  of  virtue,  the  meaning  here 
may  be  that,  though  he  had  the  natu- 
ral appetites  of  man,  his  virtue  was  so 
supreme  that  Satan  "had  nothing  in 
him"  which  could  constitute  any  dan- 
ger that  he  would  be  led  into  sin,  and 
that  there  was  no  fear  of  the  result  of 
the  conflict  before  him. 

31.  That  the  world  may  know  that  I 
love  the  Father.  That  it  might  not  be 
alleged  that  his  virtue  had'  not  been 
subjected  io  trial.   It  was  subjected. 


31  But  that  the  w^orld  may  know 
that  I  love  the  Father ;  and  as  the 
Father  gave  me  commandment, 
even  so  I  do.  Arise,  let  us  go 
hence. 

CHAPTER  XY. 

I AM  the  true  vine,  ^  and  my  Fa- 
ther is  the  husbandman.* 

cPsa.40.8.   Phil.  2.8. 

<Zl8a.4.2.  c  Cant.  8. 12. 

He  was  tempted  in  all  points  like  as 
we  are,  yet  without  sin.  Heb.  iv.  15. 
He  passed  through  the  severest  forms 
of  temptation,  that  it  might  be  seen 
and  known  that  his  holiness  was  proof 
to  all  trial,  and  that  human  nature 
might  he  so  pure  as  to  resist  all  forms 
of  temptation.  This  will  be  the  case 
with  all  the  saints  in  heaven,  and  it  was 
the  case  with  Jesus  on  earth.  H  Even 
so  I  do.  In  all  things  he  obeyed ;  and 
he  showed  that,  in  the  face  of  calami- 
ties, persecutions,  and  temptations, 
he  was  still  disposed  to  obey  his  Fa- 
ther. This  he  did  that  the  world 
might  know  that  he  loved  the  Father. 
So  should  we  bear  trials  and  resist 
temptation ;  and  so,  through  perse- 
cution and  calamity,  should  we  show 
that  we  are  actuated  by  the  love  of 
God.  H  Arise^  let  us  go  hence.  It  has 
been  commonly  supposed  that  Jesus 
and  the  apostles  now  rose  from  the 
paschal  supper  and  went  to  the  Mount 
of  Olives,  and  that  the  remainder  of 
the  discourse  in  chaps,  xv.,  xvi.,  to- 
gether with  the  prayer  in  chap,  xvii., 
was  delivered  while  on  the  way  to 
the  garden  of  Gethsemane  ;  but  some 
have  supposed  that  they  merely  rose 
from  the  table,  and  that  the  discourse 
was  finished  before  they  left  the  room. 
The  former  is  the  more  correct  opin- 
ion. It  was  now  probably  toward 
midnight,  and  the  moon  was  at  the 
full,  and  the  scene  was  one,  therefore, 
of  great  interest  and  tenderness.  Je- 
sus, with  a  little  band,  was  himself 
about  to  die,  and  he  went  forth  in  tlie 
stillness  of  the  night,  counseling  his 
little  company  in  regard  to  their  du- 
ties and  dangers,  and  invoking  the 
protection  and  blessing  of  God  his 
Father  to  attend,  to  sanctify,  and 
guide  them  in  the  arduous  labors,  the 
toils,  and  the  persecutions  they  were 
yet  to  endure.    Chap.  xvii. 

CHAPTER  XV. 
1.  /  am  the  true  vine.    Some  have 


366 


JOHK 


[A.D.  33. 


2  Every branch  in  me  that  bear- 
eth  not  fruit  he  taketh  away ;  and 
every  Iranch  that  *  beareth  fruit,  he 

a  Matt.  15. 13.  h  Heb.  12. 15.    Rev.  3. 19. 

supposed  that  this  discourse  was  de- 
Uvered  in  the  room  where  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  instituted,  and  that,  as 
they  had  made  use  of  wiiie^  Jesus  took 
occasion  from  that  to  say  that  he  was 
the  true  vine,  and  to  intimate  that  his 
blood  was  the  real  wine  that  was  to 
give  strength  to  the  soul.  Others 
have  supposed  that  it  was  delivered 
in  the  Temple,  the  entrance  to  which 
was  adorned  with  a  golden  vine  (Jose- 
phus),  and  that  Jesus  took  occasion 
thence  to  say  that  he  was  the  Ume 
vine;  but  it  is  most  probable  that  it 
was  spoken  while  they  were  going 
from  the  paschal  supper  to  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  Whether  it  was  suggested 
by  the  sight  of  vines  hy  the  way,  or  hy 
the  wine  of  which  they  had  just  par- 
taken, can  not  now  be  determined. 
The  comparison  was  frequent  among 
the  Jews,  for  Palestine  abounded  in 
vineyards,  and  the  illustration  was 
very  striking.  Thus  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple are  compared  to  a  vine  which  God 
had  planted.  Isa.  v.  1-7.  Psalm  Ixxx. 
&-16.  Joel  i.  7.  Jer.  ii.  21.  Ezek.  xix. 

10.  When  Jesus  says  he  was  the  true 
vine,  perhaps  allusion  is  had  to  Jer. 

11.  21.  The  word  truey  here,  is  used  in 
the  sense  of  real^  geiiuine.  He  really 
and  truly  gives  what  is  emblematic- 
ally represented  by  a  vine.  The  point 
of  the  comparison  or  the  meaning  of 
the  figure  is  this  :  A  vi?ie  yields  prop- 
er juice  and  nourisliment  to  all  the 
branches,  whether  these  are  large  or 
small.  AH  the  nourishment  of  each 
branch  and  tendril  passes  through  the 
main  stalk,  or  the  vine,  that  springs 
from  the  earth.  So  Jesus  is  the  source 
of  all  real  strength  and  grace  to  his 
disciples.  He  is  their  leader  and  teach- 
er, and  imparts  to  them,  as  they  need, 
grace  and  strength  to  bear  the  fruits 
of  holiness.  1[  And  my  Father  is  the 
liusbandman.  The  word  vi7ie- dresser 
more  x)roperly  expresses  the  sense  of 
the  original  word  than  hushaiidman. 
It  means  one  who  has  the  care  of  a 
vineyard ;  whose  office  it  is  to  nur- 
ture, trim,  and  defend  the  vine,  and 
who  of  course  feels  a  deep  interest  in 
its  growth  and  welfare.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  xxi.  33.  The  ligure  means  that 
God  gave,  or  appointed  his  Son  to  he. 
the  Bourcc  of  blessings  to  man ;  thai 


purgeth  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth 
more  fruit. 
3  Now    ye  are  clean  tlirougli 

cc.17.17.    Eph.5.  26.    1  Pet.  1.  22. 

all  grace  descends  through  him ;  and 
that  God  takes  care  of  all  the  branch- 
es of  this  vine  —  that  is,  of  all  who 
are  by  faith  united  to  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  In  Jesus  and  all  his  Church 
he  feels  the  deepest  interest,  and  it  is 
an  object  of  great  solicitude  that  his 
Church  shoidd  receive  these  blessings 
and  bear  much  fruit. 

2.  Every  hrmich  in  me.  Every  one 
that  is  a  true  follower  of  me,  that  is 
united  to  me  by  faith,  and  that  truly 
derives  grace  and  strength  from  me, 
as  the  branch  does  from  the  vine. 
The  word  hranch  includes  all  the 
boughs,  and  the  smallest  tendrils  that 
shoot  out  from  the  parent  stalk.  Je- 
sus here  says  that  he  sustains  the 
same  relation  to  his  disciples  that  a 
parent  stalk  does  to  the  branches ; 
but  this  does  not  denote  any  physical 
or  incomprehensible  union.  It  is  a 
union  formed  by  believing  on  him ;  re- 
sulting from  our  feeling  our  depend- 
ence on  him  and  our  need  of  him ; 
from  embracing  him  as  our  Saviour, 
Redeemer,  and  Friend.  We  become 
united  to  him  in  all  our  interests,  and 
have  common  feelings,  common  de- 
sires, and  a  common  destiny  with 
him.  We  seek  the  same  objects,  are 
willing  to  encounter  the  same  trials, 
contempt,  persecution,  and  want,  and 
are  desirous  that  his  God  shall  be  ours, 
and  his  eternal  abode  ours.  It  is  a 
union  of  friendship,  of  love,  and  of  de- 
pendence ;  a  union  of  weakness  with 
strength ;  of  imperfection  with  per- 
fection ;  of  a  dying  nature  with  a  liv- 
ing Saviour ;  of  a  lost  sinner  with  an 
unchanging  Friend  and  Redeemer.  It 
is  th'e  most  tender  and  interestiiij^  of 
all  relations,  but  not  more  mysterious 
or  mora  physicalihan  the  union  of  par- 
ent and  child,  of  husband  and  wife 
(Eph.  V.  23),  or  friend  and  friend. 
1  That  heareth  not  fruit.  As  the  vine- 
dresser will  remove  all  branches  that 
are  dead  or  that  bear  no  fruit,  so  will 
God  take  from  his  Church  all  profess- 
ed Christians  who  give  no  evidence  by 
their  lives  that  they  arc  truly  united 
to  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  here  refers  to 
such  cases  as  that  of  Judas,  the  apos- 
tatizing disciples,  and  all  false  and 
merely  nombial  Christians. — Dr.  Adam 
Clarke.    TI  He  taketh  away.  The  vine- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


367 


the  word  which  I  have  spoken 
unto  you. 

a  1  Jno.  2.  6. 

dresser  cuts  it  off.  God  removes  such 
in  various  ways :  1st.  By  the  discipline 
of  the  Church.  2d.  By  suffering  them 
to  fall  into  temptation.  3d.  By  perse- 
cution and  tribulation,  by  the  deceit- 
fulness  of  riches,  and  by  the  cares  of 
the  world  (Matt.  xiii.  21,  22) ;  by  suf- 
fering the  man  to  be  placed  in  such 
circumstances  as  Judas,  Achan,  and 
Ananias  were — such  as  to  show  what 
theij  were^  to  bring  their  characters /aw'- 
ly  out^  and  to  let  it  be  seen  that  they 
had  no  true  love  to  God.  4th.  By 
death,  for  God  has  power  thus  at 
any  moment  to  remove  unprofitable 
branches  from  the  Church.  1[  Every 
branch  that  heareth  fruit.  That  is,  all 
true  Christians,  for  all  such  bear  fruit. 
To  hear  fruit  is  to  show  by  our  lives 
that  we  are  under  the  influence  of  the 
religion  of  Christ,  and  that  that  relig- 
ion produces  in  us  its  appropriate  ef- 
fects. Gal.  V.  22,  23.  Notes  on  Matt, 
vii.  16-20.  It  is  also  to  live  so  as  to 
be  useful  to  others.  As  a  vine3'^ard  is 
worthless  unless  it  bears  fruit  that 
may  promote  the  happiness  or  sub- 
sistence of  man,  so  the  Christian  prin- 
ciple would  be  worthless  unless  Chris- 
tians should  live  so  that  others  may 
be  made  holy  and  happy  by  their  ex- 
ample and  labors,  and  so  that  the  world 
may  be  brought  to  the  cross  of  the 
Saviour.  ^  Me  purgeth  it.  Or  rather 
he  pru7ies  it,  or  cleanses  it  by  pruning. 
There  is  a  use  of  words  here — a  para- 
nomasia — in  the  original — which  can 
not  be  retained  in  the  translation.  It 
may  be  imperfectly  seen  by  retaining 
the  Greek  words — ''Every  branch  in 
me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  taketh 
away  (airei) ;  every  branch  that  bear- 
eth fruit,  he  purgeth  it  {Kathairei) 
now  ye  are  clean  (Katharoi)^^''  etc. 
The  same  Greek  word  in  different 
forms  is  still  retained.  God  purifies 
all  true  Christians  so  that  they  may  be 
more  useful.  He  takes  away  that  which 
hindered  their  usefulness;  teaches 
them;  quickens  them;  revives  them; 
makes  them  more  pure  in  motive  and 
in  life.  This  he  does  by  the  regular 
influences  of  his  Spirit  in  sanctifying 
them,  purifying  their  motives,  teach- 
ing them  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and 
inducing  them  to  devote  themselves 
more  to  him.  He  does  it  by  taking 
away  what  opposes  their  usefulness, 


4  Abide  «  in  me,  and  I  in  you. 
As  ^  the  branch  can  not  bear  fruit 

5Hos.  14.8.    Gal.  2.  20.    Phil.  1.11. 


however  much  they  may  be  attached 
to  it,  or  however  painful  to  part  with 
it;,  as  a  vine -dresser  will  often  feel 
himself  compelled  to  lop  off  a  branch 
that  is  large,  apparently  thrifty,  and 
handsome,  but  which  bears  no  fruit, 
and  which  shades  or  injures  those 
which  do.  So  God  often  takes  away 
the  property  of  his  people,  their  chil- 
dren, or  other  idols.  He  removes  the 
objects  which  bind  their  affections, 
and  which  render  them  inactive.  He 
takes  away  the  things  around  man,  as 
he  did  the  valued  gourds  of  Jonah 
(Jonah  iv.  5-11),  so  that  he  may  feel 
his  dependence,  and  live  more  to  the 
honor  of  God,  and  bring  forth  more 
proof  of  humble  and  active  piety. 

3.  Now  ye  are  clean.  Still  keeping 
up  the  figure  {Katharoi).  It  does  not 
mean  that  they  were  perfect^  but  that 
they  had  been  under  a  process  of 
purifying  by  his  instructions  all  the 
time  he  had  been  with  them.  He  had 
removed  their  erroneous  notions  of 
the  Messiah ;  he  had  gradually  re- 
claimed them  from  their  fond  and 
foolish  views  respecting  earthly  hon- 
ors ;  he  had  taught  them  to  be  willing 
to  forsake  all  things  ;  and  he  had  so 
trained  and  disciplined  them  that  im- 
mediately after  his  death  they  would 
be  ready  to  go  and  bear  fruit  among 
all  nations  to  the  honor  of  his  name. 
In  addition  to  this,  Judas  had  been  re- 
moved from  their  number,  and  they 
were  now  all  true  followers  of  the  Sa- 
viour. See  Notes  on  chap.  xiii.  10. 
^  Through  the  word.  By  means  of  the 
teachi7igs  of  Jesus  while  he  had  been 
with  them. 

4.  Abide  in  me.  Remain  united  to  me 
by  a  living  faith.  Live  a  life  of  de- 
pendence on  me,  and  obey  my  doc- 
trines, imitate  my  example,  and  con- 
stantly exercise  faith  in  me.  ^  And 
I  in  you.  That  is,  if  you  remain  at- 
tached to  me,  I  will  remain  with  you, 
and  will  teach,  guide,  and  comfort 
you.  This  he  proceeds  to  illustrate 
by  a  reference  to  the  vine.  If  the 
branch  should  be  cut  off  an  instant,  it 
would  die  and  be  fruitless.  As  long 
as  it  is  in  the  vine, /?^om  tl}e  nature  of 
the  case,  the  parent  stock  imparts  its 
juices,  and  furnishes  a  constant  cir- 
culation of  sap  adapted  to  the  growth 
and  fruitfulncss  of  the  branch.  So 


368 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


of  itself  except  it  abide  in  the  vine, 
no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in 
me. 

5  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branch- 
es. He  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I 
in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit;  ^  for  without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing. 

6  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me,  he 

1  or,  severed  from  me.  a  Matt.  3. 10  ;  7. 19. 


our  piety,  if  we  should  be  separate 
from  Christ,  or  if  we  cease  to  feel  our 
union  to  him  and  dependence  on  him, 
withers  and  droops.  While  we  are 
united  to  him  by  a  living  faith,  /rom 
the  7iatiire  of  the  case^  strength  flows 
from  him  to  us,  and  we  receive  help 
as  we  need.  Piety  then,  manifested  in 
good  works,  in  love,  and  self-denial,  is 
as  natural,  as  easy,  as  unconstrained, 
and  as  lovely  as  the  vine  covered  with 
fruitful  branches  is  at  once  useful  and 
enticing. 

5.  I  am  the  vine.  Verse  1.  H  With- 
out me  ye  can  do  nothing.  The  expres- 
sion "without  me"  denotes  the  same 
as  sej^ar  ate  from  me.  As  the  branches, 
if  separated  from  the  parent  stock, 
could  produce  no  fruit,  but  would  im- 
mediately wither  and  die,  so  Chris- 
tians, if  separate  from  Christ,  could 
do  nothing.  The  expression  is  one, 
therefore,  strongly  implying  depend- 
ence. The  Son  of  God  was  the  orig- 
inal source  of  life.  John  i.  4.  He  also, 
by  his  work  as  Mediator,  gives  life  to 
the  world  (John  vi.  33),  and  it  is  by 
the  same  grace  and  agency  that  it  is 
continued  in  the  Christian.  We  see 
hence,  1st.  That  to  him  is  due  all  the 
praise  for  all  the  good  works  the 
Christian  performs.  2d.  That  they 
will  perform  good  works  just  in  pro- 
portion as  they  feel  their  dependence 
on  him  and  look  to  him.  And,  3d. 
That  the  reason  why  others  fail  of  be- 
ing holy  is  because  they  are  unwilling 
to  look  to  him,  and  seek  grace  and 
strength  from  him  who  alone  is  able 
to  give  it. 

iS.  If  a  man  abide  not  in  me.  See 
verse  4.  If  a  man  is  not  truly  united 
to  him  by  faith,  and  does  not  live 
with  a  continual  sense  of  his  depend- 
ence on  him.  This  doubtless  refers 
to  thos'e  who  are  professors  of  relig- 
ion, but  who  have  never  known  any 
thing  of  true  and  real  connection  with 
him.    TI  Is  cast  forth.    See  Notes  on 


is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is 
withered ;  and  men  gather  them, 
and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and 
they  are  burned. 

7  If  ye  abide  in  me,  and  my 
words  abide  in  you,  ye  *  shall  ask 
what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done 
unto  you. 

8  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified, 

6  c.  16. 23. 


verse  2.  Also  Matt.  viii.  12 ;  xxii.  13. 
^  Is  withered.  Is  dried  up.  A  branch 
cut  off  withers.  So  of  a  soul  uncon- 
nected with  Christ,  however  fair  it 
may  have  appeared,  and  however 
flourishing  when  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion was  first  made,  yet  when  it  is 
tried,  and  it  is  seen  that  there  was  no 
true  grace,  every  thing  withers  and 
dies.  The  zeal  languishes,  the  pro- 
fessed love  is  gone,  prayer  is  neglect- 
ed, the  sanctuary  is  forsaken,  and  the 
soul  becomes  like  a  withered  branch 
reserved  for  the  fire  of  the  last  great 
day.  See  a  beautiful  illustration  of 
this  in  Ezek.  xv.  ^  Men  gather  them. 
The  word  men  is  not  in  the  original, 
and  should  not  have  been  in  the  trans- 
lation. The  Greek  is  "  they  gather 
them,"  a  form  of  expression  denoting 
simply  they  are  gathered^  without  spec- 
ifying by  whom  it  is  done.  From 
Matt.  xiii.  40-42,  it  seems  that  it  will 
be  done  by  the  angels.  The  expres- 
sion means,  as  the  withered  and  use- 
less branches  of  trees  are  gathered  for 
fuel,  so  shall  it  be  with  all  hypocrites 
and  false  professors  of  religion.  ^  Are 
bimied.    See  Matt.  xiii.  42. 

1.  My%(jords.  My  doctrine;  my  com- 
mandments. H  Abide  in  you.  Not  only 
are  remembered^  but  are  suffered  to  re- 
main in  you  as  a  living  principle,  to 
regulate  your  affections  and  life,  i  Ye 
shall  ask,  etc.  See  chap.  xiv.  13.  This 
promise  had  particular  reference  to 
the  apostles.  It  is  applicable  to  oth- 
er Christians  only  so  far  as  they  are  in 
circumstances  similar  to  the  apostles, 
and  only  so  far  as  tliey  possess  their 
spirit.  We  learn  from  It  that  it  is  only 
when  we  keep  the  commandments  of 
Christ — only  when  we  live  by  faith  in 
him,  and  liis  words  are  suffered  to  con- 
trol our  conduct  and  affections,  that 
our  prayers  will  be  heard.  Were  we 
perfect  in  all  things,  he  would  always 
hear  us,  and  we  should  be  kept  from 
making  an  improper  petition ;  but  just 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


369 


that  ye  bear  mucli  fruit ;  so  shall 
ye  be  my  disciples. 

9  As  the  Father  hath  loved  me, 
so  have  I  loved  you.  Continue  -ye 
in  my  lovdjjp 

10  If    ye  keep  my  command- 

a  c.  14.  21,  23. 

SO  far  as  men  regard  iniquity  in  their 
heart,  the  Lord,  will  not  hear  them. 
Psalm  Ixvi.  18. 

8.  Herein.  In  this — to  wit,  in  your 
bearing  much  fruit.  %  Glorified.  Hon- 
ored. ^  Bear  much  fruit.  Are  fruit- 
ful in  good  works ;  are  faithful,  zeal- 
ous, humble,  devoted,  always  abound- 
ing in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  This 
honors  God,  1st.  Because  it  shows  the 
excellence  of  his  law  which  requires 
i'.  2d.  Because  it  shows  the  power 
of  his  Gospel,  and  of  that  grace  which 
can  overcome  the  evil  propensities  of 
the  heai't  and  produce  it.  3d.  Because 
the  Christian  is  restored  to  the  divine 
image,  and  it  shows  how  excellent  is 
the  character  after  which  they  are 
formed.  They  imitate  God,  and  the 
world  sees  that  the  whole  tendency  of 
the  divine  administration  and  charac- 
ter is  to  make  man  holy ;  to  produce  in 
us  that  which  is  lovely,  and  true,  and 
honest,  and  of  good  report.  Compare 
Matt.  vii.  20.  Phil.  iv.  8.  If  So.  That 
is,  in  doing  this.  ^  Shall  ye  be  my  dis- 
ci2oles.  This  is  a  true  test  of  character. 
It  is  not  by  profession,  but  it  is  by  a 
holy  life,  that  the  character  is  tried. 
This  is  a  test  which  it  is  easy  to  ap- 
l)ly,  and  one  which  decides  the  case. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  Sa- 
viour says  that  those  who  bear  much 
fruit  are  they  who  are  his  disciples. 
The  design  and  tendency  of  his  relig- 
ion is  to  excite  men  to  do  much  good, 
and  to  call  forth  all  their  strength, 
and  time,  and  talents  in  the  work  for 
which  the  Saviour  laid  down  his  life. 
Nor  should  any  one  take  comfort  in 
tiie  belief  that  he  is  a  Christian  who 
does  not  aim  to  do  much  good,  and 
who  does  not  devote  to  God  all  that 
he  has  in  an  honest  effort  to  glorify  his 
name,  and  to  benefit  a  dying  world. 
The  apostles  obeyed  this  command  of 
tlie  Saviour,  and  went  forth  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  every  where,  and  aim- 
ing to  bring  all  men  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth ;  and  it  is  this  spirit  only, 
manifested  in  a  proper  manner,  which 
<'w\  constitute  any  certain  evidence  of 
p-ftty. 

Q  2 


ments,  ye  shall  abide  in  my  love ; 
even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's 
commandments,  and  abide  in  his 
love. 

11  These  things  have  I  spoken 
unto  you,  that  my  joy  might  re- 


9.  As  the  Father  hath  loved  me.  The 
love  of  the  Father  toward  his  only-be- 
gotten Son  is  the  highest  affection  of 
which  we  can  conceive.  Comi^are 
Matt.  iii.  17 ;  xvii.  5.  It  is  the  love 
of  God  toward  his  co-equal  Son,  who 
is  like  him  in  all  things,  who  always 
pleased  him,  and  who  was  willing  to 
endure  the  greatest  sacrifices  and  toils 
to  accomplish  his  purpose  of  mercy. 
Yet  this  love  is  adduced  to  illustrate 
the  tender  affection  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  has  for  all  his  friends.  ^  So 
have  I  loved  you.  Not  to  the  same  de- 
gree, for  this  was  impossible,  but  with 
the  same  kind  of  love — deep,  tender, 
unchanging;  love  prompting  to  self- 
denials,  toils,  and  sacrifices  to  secure 
their  wqjyjare.  Continue  ye.  The 
reason  which  he  gives  for  their  doing 
this  is  the  strength  of  the  love  which 
he  had  shown  for  them.  His  love  was 
so  great  for  them  that  he  was  about 
to  lay  down  his  life.  This  constitutes 
a  strong  reason  why  we  should  con- 
tinue in  his  love.  1st.  Because  the 
love  which  he  shows  for  us  is  un- 
changing. 2d.  It  is  the  love  of  our 
best  friend — love  whose  strength  was 
expressed  by  toils,  and  groans,  and 
blood.  3d.  As  he  is  unchanging  in 
the  character  and  strength  of  his  af- 
fection, so  should  ive  be.  Thus  only 
can  we  properly  express  our  grati- 
tude ;  thus  only  show  that  we  are  his 
true  friends.  4th.  Our  happiness  here 
and  forever  depends  altogether  on  our 
continui7ig  in  the  love  of  Christ.  We 
have  no  source  of  permanent  joy  but 
in  that  love.  T[  In  my  love.  In  love 
to  me.  Thus  it  is  expressed  in  the 
Greek  in  the  next  verse.  The  connec- 
tion also  demands  that  we  understand 
it  of  our  love  to  him,  and  not  of  Jiis 
love  to  us.  The  latter  can  not  be  the 
subject  of  a  command ;  the  former 
may.  See  also  Luke  xi.  42.  1  John 
ii.  5.  Jude  21. 

10.  See  chap.  xiv.  23, 24. 

11.  These  things.  The  discourse  in 
this  and  the  previous  chapter.  This 
discourse  was  designed  to  comfort 
them  by  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Spir- 


370 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


main  in  you,  and  that  *  your  joy 
miglit  be  full. 

12  This  *  is  my  commandment, 
That  ye  love  one  another,  as  I  have 
loved  you. 

13  Greater    love  hath  no  man 

a  c.16.24;  17.13.  h  c.  13.34. 


it  and  of  eternal  life,  and  to  direc  t  them 
in  the  discharge  of  their  duty.  T[  My 
joy.  This  expression  probably  de- 
notes the  happiness  which  Jesus  had, 
and  would  continue  to  have,  by  their 
obedience,  love,  and  fidelity.  Their 
obedience  was  to  him  a  source  of  joy. 
It  was  that  which  he  sought  and  for 
which  he  had  labored.  He  now  clear- 
ly taught  them  the  path  of  duty,  and 
encouraged  them  to  persevere,  not- 
withstanding he  was  about  to  leave 
them.  If  they  obeyed  him,  it  would 
continue  to  him  to  be  a  source  of  joy. 
Christ  rejoices  in  the  obedience  of  all 
his  friends ;  and,  though  his  happi- 
ness is  not  dependent  on  them,  yet 
tlieir  fidelity  is  an  object  which  he  de- 
sires and  in  which  he  fii^s  delight. 
The  same  sentiment  is  expressed  in 
chap.  xvii.  13.  ^  Yovr  joy  might  he 
full.  That  you  might  be  delivered 
from  your  despondency  and  grief  at 
my  departure;  that  you  might  see 
the  reason  why  I  leave  you,  be  com- 
forted by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  be  sus- 
tained in  the  arduous  trials  of  your 
ministry.  See  IJohn  i.  4.  2  John  12. 
This  promise  of  the  Saviour  was 
abundantly  fulfilled.  The  apostles 
with  great  frequency  speak  of  the 
fullness  of  their  joy— joy  produced  in 
just  the  manner  promised  by  the  Sa- 
viour— by  the  presence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  And  it  showed  his  great  love, 
that  he  j)romised  such  joy ;  his  infi- 
nite knowledge,  that,  in  the  midst  of 
their  many  trials  and  persecutions,  he 
knew  that  they  would  possess  it ;  and 
the  glorious  power  and  loveliness  of 
his  Gospel,  that  it  could  impart  such 
joy  amid  so  many  tribulations.  See 
instances  of  this  joy  in  Acts  xiii.  52. 
Rom.  xiv.  17.  2  Cor.  ii.  3.  Gal.  v.  22. 
1  Thcss.  i.  6 ;  ii.  19,  20 ;  iii.  9.  1  Pet.  i. 
8.   Rom.  v.  11.  2Cor.  vii.4. 

12.  lids  is  my  commandment.  The 
peculiar  law  of  Christianity,  called 
hence  the  new  commandment.  Sec 
Notes  on  chap.  xiii.  34.  ^  As  I  have 
loved  you.  That  is,  with  the  same 
tender  affection,  willing  to  endure  tri- 
als, to  practice  self-denials,  and,  if 


than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  friends. 

14  Ye  ^  are  my  friends  if  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  command  you. 

15  Henceforth  I  caliPbu  not  serv- 
ants, for  the  servant  knoweth  not 

c  Rom.  5.  7, 8.  ver.  10. 

need  be,  to  lay  down  your  lives  for 
each  other.    1  John  iii.  16. 

13.  Greater  love  hath^  etc.  No  high- 
er expression  of  love  could  be  given. 
Life  is  the  mo»t  valuable  object  we 
possess;  and  when  a  man  is  willing 
to  lay  that  down  for  his  friends  or  his 
country,  it  shows  the  utmost  extent 
of  love.  Even  this  love  for  friends 
has  been  rarely  witnessed.  A  very  few 
cases — like  that  of  Damon  and  Pythias 
— have  occurred  where  a  man  was 
willing  to  save  the  life  of  his  friend  by 
giving  his  own.  It  greatly  enhances 
the  love  of  Christ,  that  while  the  in- 
stances of  those  who  have  been  will- 
ing to  die  foY  friends  have  been  so  rare, 
he  was  willing  to  die  for  enemies — bit- 
ter foes,  who  "rejected  his  reign,  perse- 
cuted him,  reviled  him,  scorned  him, 
and  sought  his  life.  1  John  iv.  10. 
Rom.  V.  0, 10.  It  also  shows  us  the 
extent  of  his  love  that  he  gave  him- 
self up,  not  to  common  sufferings,  but 
to  the  most  bitter,  painful,  and  pro- 
tracted sorrows,  not  for  himself,  not 
for  friends,  but  for  a  thoughtless  and 
unbelieving  world. 

'^O  Lamb  of  God,  w.ns  avQV  pain^ 
Was  ever  love  like  thine !" 

15.  I  call  you  not  servants.  This  had 
been  the  common  title  b}^  which  he  ad- 
dressed them  (Matt.  x.  24,  25.  John 
xii.  26 ;  xiii.  13) ;  but  he  had  also  be- 
fore this,  on  one  occasion,  called  them 
friends  (Luke  xii.  4),  and  on  one  occa- 
sion after  this  he  called  them  serv- 
ants. John  XV.  20.  He  here  means 
that  the  ordinary  title  by  which  he 
would  henceforth  address  them  would 
be  that  of  friends.  T[  The  servant 
knoweth  not^  etc.  He  receives  the  com- 
mand of  his  master  without  knowing 
the  reason  why  this  or  that  thing  is 
ordered.  It  is  one  of  the  conditions 
of  slavery  not  to  be  let  into  the  coun- 
sels and  plans  of  the  master.  It  is  the 
])rivilege  of  friendship  to  be  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  plans,  wishes,  and 
wants  of  the  friend.  This  instance  of 
friendship  Jesus  had  given  them  by 
making  them  acquainted  with  the  rca- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XV. 


371 


what  his  lord  doeth ;  but  I  have 
called  you  *  friends,  for  all  things 
that  I  have  heard  of  my  Father  I 
have  made  known  unto  you. 

a  Jas.  2.  23. 


sons  why  he  was  about  to  leave  them, 
and  with  his  secret  wishes  in  r^ard 
to  them.  As  he  had  given  them  this 
proof  of  friendship,  it  was  proper  that 
he  should  not  withhold  from  them 
the  title  of  friends.  H  His  lord.  His 
master.  ^  1  have  called  you  friends.  I 
have  given  you  the  name  of  friends. 
He  does  not  mean  that  the  usual  ap- 
pellation which  he  had  given  them 
had  been  that  of  friends,  but  that  such 
was  the  title  which  he  had  now  given 
them.  H  For  all  tJmigs^  etc.  The  rea- 
son why  he  called  them  friends  was 
that  he  had  now  treated  them  as 
friends.  He  had  opened  to  them  his 
mind;  made  known  his  plans;  ac- 
quainted them  with  the  design  of  his 
coming,  his  death,  his  resurrection, 
and  ascension ;  and,  having  thus  given 
them  the  clearest  proof  of  friendship, 
it  was  proper  that  he  should  give  them 
the  name.  ^  That  I  have  heard^  etc. 
Jesus  frequently  represents  himself  as 
commissioned  or  sent  by  God  to  ac- 
complish an  important  w^ork,  and  as 
being  instructed  by  him  in  regard  to 
the  nature  of  that  work.  See  Notes 
on  John  v.  30.  By  what  he  had  Jieard 
of  the  Father^  he  doubtless  refers  to 
the  design  of  God  in  his  coming  and 
his  death.  This  he  had  made  known 
to  them. 

16.  Ye  have  not  chosen  me.  The  word 
here  translated  chosen  is  that  from 
which  is  derived  the  word  elects  and 
means  the  same  thing.  It  is  frequent- 
ly thus  translated.  Mark  xlii.  20. 
Matt.  xxiv.  22,  24,  31.  Col.  iii.  12.  It 
refers  here,  doubtless,  to  his  choosing 
or  electing  them  to  be  apostles.  He 
says  that  it  was  not  because  t?iey  had 
chosen  him  to  be  their  teacher  and 
guide,  but  because  he  had  designated 
them  to  be  his  apostles.  See  John 
vi.  70  ;  also  Matt.  iv.  18-22.  He  thus 
shows  them  that  his  love  for  them 
was  pure  and  disinterested ;  that  it 
commenced  when  they  had  no  affec- 
tion for  him ;  that  it  was  not  a  mat- 
ter of  obligation  on  his  part,  and  that 
therefore  it  placed  them  under  more 
tender  and  sacred  obligations  to  be 
entirely  devoted  to  his  service.  The 
same  may  be  said  of  all  who  are  en- 


16  Ye  ^  have  not  chosen  me,  but 
I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  <^ 
you,  that  ye  should  go  and  bring 
forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit 

6  lJno.4. 10,19.  cEph.2.10. 

dowed  with  talents  of  any  kind,  or 
raised  to  any  office  in  the  Church  or  the 
state.  It  is  not  that  they  have  orig- 
inated these  talents,  or  laid  God  un- 
der obligation.  What  they  have  they 
owe  to  his  sovereign  goodness,  and 
they  are  bound  to  devote  all  to  his 
service.  Equally  true  is  this  of  all 
Christians.  It  was  not  that  by  nature 
they  were  more  inclined  than  others 
to  seek  God,  or  that  they  had  any  na- 
tive goodness  to  recommend  them  to 
him,  but  it  was  because  he  graciously 
inclined  them  by  his  Holy  Spirit  to 
seek  him ;  because,  in  the  language  of 
the  Episcopal  and  Methodist  articles 
of  religion,  "The  grace  of  Christ  pre- 
vented them;"  that  is,  went  before 
them^  commenced  the  work  of  their  per- 
sonal salvation,  and  thus  God  in  sov- 
ereign mercy  chose  them  as  his  own. 
Whatever  Christians,  then,  possess, 
they  owe  to  God,  and  by  the  most 
tender  and  sacred  ties  they  are  bound 
to  be  his  followers.  T|  /  have  chosen 
yon.  To  be  apostles.  Yet  all  whom 
he  now  addressed  were  true  disciples. 
Judas  had  left  them ;  and  when  Jesus 
says  he  had  chosen  them  to  hear  fruity 
it  may  mean,  also,  that  he  had  "  chosen 
them  to  salvation  through  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit  and  belief  of  the 
truth."  2  Thess.  ii.  13.  ^  Ordained 
you.  Literally,  I  have  placed  you^  ap- 
pointed you,  set  you  apart.  It  does 
not  mean  that  he  had  done  this  by  any 
formal  public  act  of  the  imposition  of 
hands,  as  we  now  use  the  word,  but 
that  he  had  designated  or  appointed 
them  to  this  w^ork.  Luke  vi.  13-16. 
Matt.  X.  2-5.  H  Bring  forth  fruit.  That 
you  should  be  rich  in  good  works ; 
faithful  and  successful  in  spreading 
my  Gospel.  This  was  the  great  busi- 
ness to  which  they  were  set  apart, 
and  this  they  faithfully  accomplished. 
It  may  be  added  that  this  is  the  great 
end  for  which  Christians  are  chosen. 
It  is  not  to  be  idle,  or  useless,  or  sim- 
ply to  seek  enjoyment.  It  is  to  do 
good,  and  to  spread  as  far  as  i^ossi- 
ble  the  rich  temporal  and  spiritual 
blessings  which  the  Gospel  is  fitted 
to  confer  on  mankind.  ^  Tour  fruit 
should  remain.    This  probably  means, 


372 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


should  remain ;  that  whatsoever 
"  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my 
name,  he  may  give  it  you. 

17  These  *  things  I  command 
you,  that  ye  love  one  another. 

18  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye 
know  that  it  hated  me  before  it 
liated  you. 

19  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  fhe 
world  would  love  his  own ;  but 
because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the 

a  ver.  7.    c.  14. 13.  h  ver.  12. 

c  1  Jno.3.1,3.  (?c.l7. 14. 

1st.  That  the  effect  of  their  labors 
would  he  permanent  on  mankind. 
Their  efforts  were  not  to  be  like  those 
of  Mse  teachers,  the  result  of  whose 
labors  soon  vanish  away  (Acts  v.  38, 
39),  but  their  Gospel  was  to  spread — 
was  to  take  a  deep  and  permanent 
hold  on  men,  and  was  ultimately  to 
All  the  world.  Matt.  xvi.  18.  The  Sa- 
viour knew  this,  and  never  was  a  pre- 
diction more  cheering  for  man  or  more 
certain  in  its  fulfilment.  2d.  There  is 
included,  also,  in  this  declaration  the 
idea  that  their  labors  Avere  to  be  unre- 
mitted.  They  were  sent  forth  to  be 
diligent  in  their  work,  and  untiring 
in  their  efforts  to  spread  the  Gospel, 
until  the  day  of  their  death.  Thus 
their  fruit,  the  continued  product  or 
growth  of  religion  in  their  souls,  was 
to  remain^  or  to  be  continually  pro- 
duced, until  God  should  call  them 
from  their  work.  The  Christian,  and 
especially  the  Christian  minister,  is 
devoted  to  the  Saviour  for  life.  He 
is  to  toil  without  intermission,  and 
without  being  weary  of  his  work,  till 
God  shall  call  him  home.  The  Sa- 
viour never  called  a  disciple  to  serve 
him  merely  for  a  part  of  his  life,  nor 
to  feel  himself  at  liberty  to  relax  his 
endeavors,  nor  to  suppose  himself  to 
be  a  Christian  when  his  religion  pro- 
duced no  fruit.  He  that  enlists  un- 
der the  banners  of  the  Son  of  God 
does  it  for  life.  He  that  expects  or  de- 
.sires  to  grow  weary  and  cease  to  serve 
him,  has  never  yet  put  on  the  Chris- 
tian armor,  or  known  any  thing  of 
the  grace  of  God.    See  Luke  ix.  62.. 

That  whosoever,  etc.    See  verse  7. 

18.  If  the  vjorJd  hate  you.  The  friend- 
ship of  the  vvoi  hl  llicy  were  not  to  ex- 
l)ect,  but  they  were  not  to  be  deter- 
red from  their  work  by  its  hati'cd. 


world,  therefore  ^  the  world  hateth 
you. 

20  Remember  ^  the  word  that  I 
said  unto  you.  The  servant  is  not 
greater  than  his  lord.  If  they  have 
persecuted  me,  they  will  also  per- 
secute you ;  if  ^  they  have  kept  my 
sayilig,  they  will  keep  yours  also. 

21  But  9  all  these  things  will  they 
do  unto  you  for  my  name's  sake, 
because  they  know  not  him  that 
sent  me. 

eMatt.  10.  24.  Lu.  6.40.  c.  13. 16.  /Ezek.3.7. 
g  Matt.  10.22;  24.9.  c.  16.3. 


They  had  seen  the  example  of  Jesus. 
No  opposition  of  the  proud,  the 
wealthy,  the  learned,  or  the  men  of 
power,  no  persecution  or  jibes,  had 
deterred  him  from  his  work.  Remem- 
bering this,  and  having  his  example 
steadily  in  the  eye,  they  were  to  labor 
not  less  because  wicked  men  should 
oppose  and  deride  them.  It  is  enough 
for  the  disciple  to  be  as  his  Master, 
and  the  servant  as  his  Lord.  Matt, 
x.  25. 

19.  If  ye  v)ere  of  the  toorld.  If  you 
were  actuated  by  the  principles  of  the 
world.  If,  like  them,  you  were  vain, 
earthly,  sensual,  given  to  pleasure, 
wealth,  ambition,  they  would  not  op- 
pose you.  Because  ye  are  not  of  the 
ivorld.  Because  you  are  influenced  by 
different  principles  from  men  of  the 
world.  You  are  actuated  by  the  love 
of  God  and  holiness ;  they  by  the  love 
of  sin.  T[  /  have  chosen  you  out  of  the 
world.  I  have,  by  choosing  you  to  be 
my  followers,  separated  you  from  their 
society,  and  placed  you  under  the  gov- 
ernment of  my  holy  laws.  H  There- 
fore., etc.  A  Christian  may  esteem  it 
as  one  evidence  of  his  piety  that  he  is 
hated  by  wicked  men.  Often  most 
decided  evidence  is  given  that  a  man 
is  the  friend  of  God  by  the  opposition 
excited  against  him  by  the  profane, 
by  Sabbath-breakers,  and  by  the  disso- 
lute.  1  John  iii.  13.   John  vii.  7. 

20.  Remcniher  the  word  that  I  said, 
etc.  At  their  first  appointment  to  the 
apostolic  office.  See  Matt.  x.  24,  25. 

21.  My  7iame'' s  sake.  On  my  account. 
Because  you  are  my  followers  and 
X30ssess  my  spirit.  See  Notes  on  chap, 
xiv.  13.  If  Because  they  know  not  him 
that  sent  me.  They  will  not  believe 
that  God  has  sent  me.  They  do  not 
so  understand  his  character,  his  jus- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER.  XV. 


373 


22  If «  I  had  not  come  and  spo- 
ken unto  them,  they  had  not  had 
sin ;  but  ^  now  they  have  no  ^  cloak 
for  theh  sin. 

23  He  that  hateth  me,  hateth  my 
Father  also. 

a  c.  9. 41.  b  Jas.  4. 17.  1  or,  excuse. 

tice,  or  his  law,  as  to  see  that  it  was 
lit  that  he  should  send  his  Son  to  die. 
They  are  so  opposed  to  it,  so  filled 
Avith  pride  and  opposition  to  a  plan  of 
salvation  that  is  so  humbling  to  men, 
as  to  be  resolved  not  to  believe  it,  and 
thus  they  persecute  me,  and  will  also 
you. 

22.  And  spoken  unto  them.  Declared 
unto  them  the  will  of  God,  and  made 
known  his  requirements.  Jesus  liad 
not  less  certainly  shown  by  his  own 
argunwnts  tliat  he  was  the  Messiah 
than  by  his  miracles.  By  both  these 
kinds  of  proof  their  guilt  was  to  be 
measured.  See  verse  26.  No  small 
part  of  the  Gospel  of  John  consists  of 
arguments  used  by  the  Saviour  to  con- 
vince the  Jews  that  he  came  from 
God.  He  here  says  if  he  had  not  used 
these  arguments,  and  proved  to  them 
his  divine  mission,  they  had  not  had 
sin.  •[[  Had  not  had  sin.  This  is  evi- 
dently to  be  understood  of  the  partic- 
ular sin  of  persecuting  and  rejecting 
him.  Of  this  he  was  speaking ;  and 
though,  if  he  had  not  come,  they  would 
have  been  guilty  of  many  other  sins, 
yet  of  this,  their  great  crowning  sin, 
they  would  not  have  been  guilty. 
We  may  understand  this,  then,  as 
teaching,  1st.  That  they  would  not 
have  been  guilty  of  this  ki7id  of  sm. 
They  would  not  have  been  chargeable 
with  rejecting  the  signal  grace  of  God 
if  Jesus  had  not  come  and  made  an 
offer  of  mercy  to  them.  2d.  They 
would  not  have  been  guilty  of  the 
same  degree  of  sin.  The  rejection  of 
the  Messiah  was  the  crowning  act  of 
rebellion  which  brought  down  the 
vengeance  of  God,  and  led  on  their 
peculiar  national  calamities.  By  way 
of  eminence,  therefore,  this  might  be 
called  the  sin — the  peculiar  sin  of  their 
age  and  nation.  Compare  Matt,  xxiii. 
34-39 ;  xxvii.  25.  And  this  shows  us, 
what  is  so  often  taught  in  the  Script- 
ures, that  our  guilt  will  be  in  propor- 
tion to  the  light  that  we  possess  and 
the  mercies  that  we  reject.  Matt.  xi. 
20-24.  Luke  xii.  47, 48.  If  it  was  such 
a  crime  to  reject  the  Saviour  then^  it 


24  If  I  had  not  done  among  them 
the  works  <^  which  none  other  man 
did,  they  had  not  had  sin ;  but  now 
have  they  both  seen  and  hated 
both  me  and  my  Father. 

25  But  this  Cometh  to  jpass^  that 

c  c.7.31. 


is  a  crime  now;  and  if  the  rejection 
of  the  Son  of  God  brought  such  ca- 
lamities on  the  Jewish  nation,  the 
same  rejection  will  involve  the  sinner 
now  in  woe,  and  vengeance,  and  de- 
spair. No  cloak.  No  covering,  no 
excuse.  The  proof  has  been  so  clear 
that  they  can  not  plead  ignorance ;  it 
has  been  so  often  presented  that  they 
can  not  allege  that  they  had  no  oppor- 
tunity of  knowing  it.  It  is  still  so 
with  all  sinners. 

23.  He  that  hateth  me,  etc.  To  show 
them  that  this  was  no  slight  crime,  he 
reminds  them  that  a  rejection  of  him- 
self is  also  a  rejection  of  God.  Such 
is  the  union  between  them,  that  no 
one  can  hate  the  one  without  also 
hating  the  other.  See  chap.  v.  19,  20 ; 
xiv.  7,  9. 

24.  The  works  which  none  other  man 
did.  The  miracles  of  Jesus  surpassed 
those  of  Moses  and  the  prophets — 1st. 
In  their  number.  He  healed  great 
multitudes,  and  no  small  part  of  his 
life  was  occupied  in  doing  good  by 
miraculous  power.  2d.  In  their  na- 
ture. They  involved  a  greater  exer- 
tion of  power.  He  healed  all  forms 
of  disease.  He  showed  that  his  pow- 
er was  superior  to  all  kinds  of  pain. 
He  raised  Lazarus  after  he  had  been 
four  days  dead.  He  probably  refers 
also  to  the  fact  that  he  had  performed 
miracles  of  a  different  kind  from  all 
the  prophets.  3d.  He  did  all  this'  by 
his  own  power ;  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets by  the  invoked  power  of  God. 
Jesus  spake  and  it  was  done,  show- 
ing that  he  had  power  of  himself  to 
do  more  than  all  the  ancient  proph- 
ets had  done.  It  may  be  added  that 
his  miracles  were  done  in  a  short 
time.  They  were  constant,  rapid, 
continued,  in  all  places.  Wherever 
he  was,  he  showed  that  he  had  this 
power,  and  in  the  short  space  of  three 
years  and  a  half  it  is  probable  that  he 
wrought  more  ^miracles  than  are  re- 
corded of  Moses  and  Elijah,  and  all 
the  prophets  put  together. 

25.  In  their  law.  Psalm  xxxv.  19. 
All  the  Old  Testament  was  sometimes 


374 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


the  word  might  be  fulfilled  that  is 
written  in  their  law,  They  ^  hated 
me  without  a  cause. 

26  But  when  the  Comforter  *  is 
come,  whom  I  will  send  unto  you 
from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  which  proceedetli  from  the 
Father,  he shall  testify  of  me ; 

27  And  ^  ye  also  shall  bear  wit- 

a  Psa.35.19;  69.4.  b  c.  14. 17. 

c  1  Jro.  5. 6. 

called  the  law.  The  meaning  here  is 
that  the  same  thing  happened  to  him 
which  did  to  tlie  psalmist.  The  same 
words  which  David  used  respecting 
his  enemies  would  express,  also,  the 
conduct  of  the  Jews  and  their  treat- 
ment of  the  Messiah.  In  both  cases 
it  was  without  cause.  Jesus  had  bro- 
ken no  law,  he  had  done  no  injury  to 
his  country  or  to  any  individual.  It 
is  still  true  that  sinners  hate  him  in 
the  same  way.  He  injures  no  one, 
but,  amid  all  their  hatred,  he  seeks 
their  welfare;  and,  while  they  reject 
him  in  a  manner  for  which  they  can 
give  no  reason  in  the  day  of  judgment^ 
he  still  follows  them  with  mercies  and 
entreats  them  to  return  to  him.  Who 
has  ever  had  any  reason  to  hate  the 
Lord  Jesus  ?  What  injury  has  he  ever 
done  to  any  one  of  the  human  race? 
What  evil  has  he  ever  said  or  thought 
of  any  one  of  them  ?  What  cause  or 
reason  had  the  Jews  for  putting  him 
to  death?  What  reason  has  the  sin- 
ner for  hating  him  now  ?  What  rea- 
son for  neglecting  him  ?  No  one  can 
give  a  reason  for  it  that  will  satisfy 
his  own  conscience,  none  that  has  the 
least  show  of  plausibility.  Yet  no  be- 
ing on  earth  has  ever  been  more  hated, 
despised,  or  neglected,  and  in  every  in- 
stance it  has  been  "without a  cause." 
Reader,  do  yoit  hate  him  ?  If  so,  I  ask 
3^ou  WHY?  Wherein  has  he  injured 
you?  or  why  should  you  think  or 
speak  reproachfully  of  the  benevolent 
and  pure  Redeemer? 

27.  Ye  also  shall  bear  witness.  You 
shall  be  witnesses  to  the  world  to 
urge  on  them  the  evidences  that  the 
Lord  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  t  Have 
been  with  me.  They  had  for  more  than 
three  years  seen  his  works,  and  were 
therefore  qualified  to  bear  witness  of 
his  character  and  doctrines.  ^  From 
the  beginning.  From  his  entrance  on 
the  public  vi^ork  of  the  ministry.  Matt, 
iv.  17-22.  Compare  Acts  i.  21,  22. 


ness,  because  *  ye  have  been  with 
me  from  the  beginning. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THESE  things  have  I  spoken 
unto  you,  that  ye  should  not 
be  offended. 

2  They  shall  put  you  out  of  the 
synagogues ;  yea,  the  time  cometh, 

d  Lu.  24. 48.   Acta  2. 32 ;  4.  20, 33.    2  Pet.  1.16. 
e  1  Jno.  1.  2. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

1.  These  things.  The  things  spoken 
in  the  two  previous  chapters,  prom- 
ising them  divine  aid  and  directing 
them  in  the  path  of  duty.  1[  Be  offend- 
ed. For  the  meaning  of  the  word 
offe7idy  see  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  29.  It 
means  here  the  same  as  to  stumble  or 
fall — that  is,  to  apostatize.  Me  pro- 
ceeds immediately  to  tell  them,  what 
he  had  often  apprised  them  of,  that 
they  would  be  subject  to  great  perse- 
cutions and  trials.  He  was  also  him- 
self about  to  be  removed  by  death. 
They  were  to  go  into  an  unfriendly 
world.  All  these  things  were  in  them- 
selves greatly  fitted  to  shake  their 
faith,  and  to  expose  them  to  the  dan- 
ger of  apostasy.  Compare  Luke  xxiv. 
21.  If  they  had  not  been  apprised  of 
this,  if  they  had  not  known  why  Jesus 
was  about  to  die,  and  if  they  had  not 
been  encouraged  with  the  promised 
aid  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  they  would 
have  sunk  under  these  trials,  and  for- 
saken him  and  his  cause.  And  we 
may  learn  hence,  1st.  That  if  Chris- 

tns  were  left  to  themselves  they 
uld  fall  away  and  perish.  2d.  That 
God  affords  means  and  helps  beforehand 
to  keep  them  in  the  path  of  duty.  3d. 
That  the  instructions  of  the  Bible  and 
the  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  all 

f ranted  to  keep  them  from  apostasy, 
th.  That  Jesus  beforehand  secured  the 
fidelity  and  made  certain  the  contin- 
uance in  faith  of  his  apostles,  seeing 
all  their  dangers  and  knowing  all  their 
enemies.  And,  in  like  manner,  we 
should  be  persuaded  that  "he  is  able 
to  keep  that  which  we  commit  to 
him  against  that  day."  2  Tim.  i.  12. 

2.  Oat  of  the  synagogues.  See  Notes 
on  chap.  ix.  22.  They  would  excommu- 
nicate them  from  their  religious  assem- 
blies. This  was  often  done.  Compare 
Acts  vi.  13, 14;  ix.  23,  24;  xvii.  5;  xxi. 
27-31.  ^  Whosoever  killeth  you.  This 
refers  principally  to  the  Jews.    It  is 


A.D.  33.] 


OHAPTER  XVI. 


375 


"that  whosoever  killeth  you  will 
think  that  he  doeth  God  service, 
*  3  And  *  these  things  will  they 
do  unto  you,  because   they  have 
not  known  the  Father,  nor  me. 
4  But  these  things  have  I  told 

a  Acts  26. 9-11.  6  c.  15. 21. 


also  true  of  the  Gentiles,  that  in  their 
persecution  of  Christians  they  sup- 
posed they  were  rendering  acceptable 
service  to  their  gods.  H  God  service. 
The  Jews  wlio  persecuted  the  apos- 
tles regarded  them  as  blasphemers, 
and  as  seeking  to  overthrow  the  Tem- 
ple service,  and  the  system  of  religion 
which  God  had  established.  Thus 
they  supposed  they  were  rendering- 
service  to  God  in  putting  them  to 
death.  Acts  vi.  13,  14;  xxi.  28-31. 
Sinners,  especially  hypocrites,  often 
cloak  enormous  crimes  under  the  pre- 
tence of  great  zeal  for  religion.  Men 
often  suppose,  or  profess  to  suppose, 
that  they  are  rendering  God  service 
when  they  persecute  others ;  and,  un- 
der the  i3retence  of  great  zeal  for  truth 
and  purity,  evince  all  possible  bigot- 
ry, pride,  malice,  and  uncharitable- 
ness.  The  people  of  God  have  suffer- 
ed most  from  those  who  have  been 
conscientious  persecutors ;  and  some  of 
the  most  malignant  foes  which  true 
Christians  have  ever  had  have  been  in 
the  Church,  and  have  been  professed 
ministers  of  the  Gospel,  persecuting 
them  under  pretence  of  great  zeal  for 
the  cause  of  purity  and  religion.  It  is 
no  evidence  of  piety  that  a  man  is  full 
of  zeal  against  those  whom  he  sup- 
poses to  be  heretics ;  and  it  is  one  of 
the  best  proofs  that  a  man  knows 
nothing  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  when 
he  is  eminent  for  self-conceit  in  his 
own  views  of  orthodoxy,  and  firmly 
fixed  in  the  opinion  that  all  who  dif- 
fer from  him  and  his  sect  must  of 
course,  be  wrong. 

3.  See  chap.  xv.  21. 

4.  These  things.  These  things  which 
are  about  to  happen.  Verses  1, 2.  He 
had  foretold  them  that  they  would 
take  place.  ^  Ye  may  remember.,  etc. 
By  calling  to  mind  that  he  had  fore- 
told these  things  they  would  perceive 
that  he  was  omniscient,  and  would  re- 
member, also,  the  consolations  which 
he  had  afforded  them  and  the  instruc- 
tions which  he  had  given  them.  Had 
these  calamities  come  upon  them  with- 
out their  having  been  foretold,  their 


you,  that,  when  the  time  shall 
come,  ye  may  remember  that  I 
told  you  of  them.  And  these 
things  I  said  not  unto  you  at  the 
beginning,  because  I  was  with  you. 
5  But  now  I  go  my  way  to  him 

clCor.2.8.    1  Tim.  1.13. 

faith  might  have  failed;  they  might 
have  been  tempted  to  suppose  tliat 
Jesus  was  not  aware  of  them,  and  of 
course  that  he  was  not  the  Messiah. 
God  does  not  sufier  his  people  to  fall 
into  trials  without  giving  them  suffi- 
cient warning,  and  without  giving  all 
the  grace  that  is  needful  to  bear  them. 
^  At  the  heginymig.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  The  expres- 
sion these  tilings  here  refers,  probably, 
to  all  the  topics  contained  in  these 
chapters.  He  had,  in  the  e^ly  part 
of  his  ministry,  forewarned  "em  of 
calamities  and  persecutions  (Matt.  x. 
16 ;  V.  10-12 ;  ix.  15),  but  he  had  not  so 
fully  acquainted  them  with  the  natui'e, 
and  design,  and  sources  of  their  trials ; 
he  had  not  so  fully  apprised  them  of 
the  fact,  the  circumstances,  and  the 
object  of  his  death  and  of  his  ascen- 
sion to  heaven ;  he  had  not  revealed  to 
them  so  clearl}^  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
would  descend,  and  sanctify,  and  guide 
them  ;  and  especially  he  had  not,  in 
one  continued  discourse,  grouped  all 
these  things  together,  and  placed  their 
sorrows  and  consolations  so  fully  be- 
fore their  minds.  All  these  are  in- 
cluded, it  is  supposed,  in  the  expres- 
sion "  these  things. ' '  H  Because  I  was 
with  you.  This  is  the  reason  which  he 
gives  why  he  had  not  at  first  made 
known  to  them  clearly  the  certainty 
of  their  calamities  and  their  joys ;  and 
it  implies,  1st.  That  it  was  not  needful 
to  do  it  at  once,  as  he  was  to  be  with 
them  for  more  than  three  years,  and 
could  have  abundant  oj^port unity 
gradually  to  teach  these  things,  and 
to  prepare  them  for  the  more  full  an- 
nouncement when  he  was  about  to 
leave  them.  2d.  That  while  he  was 
with  them  he  would  go  before  them, 
and  the  weight  of  calamities  would 
fall  on  him^  and  consequently  they 
did  not  so  much  then  need  the  pres- 
ence and  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  they 
would  when  he  was  gone.  3d.  That 
his  presence  was  to  them  what  the 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  would  be 
after  his  death.  Verse  7.  He  could 
teach  them  all  needful  truth.  He 


376 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


that  sent  me ;  and  none  of  you 
asketli  me,  Whither  goest  thou  ? 

0  But  because  I  have  said  these 
things  unto  you,  sorrow  ^  hath  fill- 
ed your  heart. 

7  Nevertheless  I  tell  you  the 

a  ver.21. 


could  console  and  guide  them.  Now 
that  he  was  to  leave  them,  he  fully  ap- 
prised them  of  what  was  before  them, 
and  of  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  do  for  them  what  he  had  done  when 
with  them. 

5,  6.  Now  I  go  my  way.  Now  I  am 
about  to  die  and  leave  you,  and  it  is 
proper  to  announce  all  these  things 
to  you.  If  No7ie  of  you  asTcetli  me^  etc. 
They  gave  themselves  up  to  grief  in- 
stead of  inquiring  why  he  was  about 
to  lea^  them.  Had  they  made  the 
inquipPfhe  was  ready  to  answer  them 
and  to  comfort  them.  When  we  are 
afflicted  we  should  not  yield  ourselves 
Ijo  excessive  grief.  We  should  inquire 
why  it  is  that  God  thus  tries  us ;  and 
we  should  never  doubt  that  if  we 
come  to  him,  and  spread  out  our  sor- 
rows before  him,  he  will  give  us  con- 
solation. 

7.  It  is  expedient  for  yoii,  etc.  The 
reason  why  it  was  expedient  for  them 
that  he  should  go  away,  he  states  to 
be,  that  in  this  way  only  would  the 
Comforter  be  granted  to  them.  Still, 
it  may  be  asked  why  the  presence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  was  "more  valuable  to 
them  than  that  of  the  Saviour  him- 
self? To  this  it  may  be  answered,  1st. 
That  by  his  departure,  his  death,  and 
ascension — by  having  these  great  facts 
before  their  eyes — they  would  be  led 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  see  more  fully 
the  design  of  his  coming  than  they 
would  by  his  presence.  While  he  was 
with  them,  notwithstanding  the  plain- 
est teaching,  their  minds  were  filled 
with  prejudice  and  error.  They  still 
adhered  to  the  expectation  of  a  tem- 
poral kingdom,  and  were  unwilling  to 
l)elieve  that  he  was  to  die.  When  he 
should  have  actually  left  them  they 
could  n©  longer  doubt  on  this  sub- 
ject, and  would  be  prepared  to  under- 
stand why  he  came.  And  this  was 
done.  See  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
every  where.  It  is  often  needful  that 
God  should  visit  us  with 'severe  afflic- 
tion before  our  pride  will  be  humbled 
and  we  are  willing  to  understand  the 
plainest  truths.    2d.  While  on  the 


truth.  It  is  expedient  for  you  that 
I  go  away ;  for  if  I  go  not  away, 
the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto 
you ;  but  if  I  depart,  I  will  send 
him  unto  you. 
8  And  when  he  is  come,  he  will 


earth  the  Lord  Jesus  could  be  bodily 
present  but  in  one  place  at  one  time. 
Yet,  in  order  to  secure  the  great  de- 
sign of  saving  men,  it  was  needful  that 
there  should  be  some  agent  who  could 
be  in  all  places,  who  could  attend  all 
ministers,  and  who  could,  at  the  same 
time,  ai3ply  the  work  of  Christ  to  men 
in  all  parts  of  the  earth.  3d.  It  was  an 
evident  arrangement  in  the  great  plan 
of  redemption  that  each  of  the  per- 
sons of  the  Trinity  should  perform  a 
part.  As  it  was  not  the  work  of  the 
Spirit  to  make  an  atonement,  so  it 
was  not  the  work  of  the  Saviour  to 
apply  it.  And  until  the  Lord  Jesus 
had  performed  this  great  work,  the 
way  was  not  open  for  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  descend  to  perform  his  part  of  the 
great  plan;  yet,  when  the  Saviour 
had  completed  his  portion  of  the  work 
and  had  left  the  earth,  the  Spirit  would 
carry  forward  the  same  plan  and  ap- 
ply it  to  men.  4th.  It  was  to  be  ex- 
pected that  far  more  signal  success 
would  attend  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  when  the  atonement  was  act- 
ually made  than  before.  It  was  the 
office  of  the  Spirit  to  carry  forward 
the  work  only  when  the  Saviour  had 
died  and  ascended ;  and  this  was  act- 
ually the  case.  See  Acts  ii.  Hence  it 
was  expedient  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
should  go  away,  that  the  Spirit  might 
descend  and  apply  the  work  to  sin- 
ners. The  departure  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus was  to  the  apostles  a  source  of 
deep  affliction,  but  had  they  seen  the 
luhole  case  they  would  not  have  been 
thus  afflicted.  So  God  often  takes 
away  from  us  one  blessing  that  he 
may  bestow  a  greater.  All  affliction, 
if  received  in  a  proper  manner,  is  of 
this  description  ;  and  could  the  af- 
flicted people  of  God  always  see  the 
whole  case  as  God  sees  it,  they  would 
think  and  feel,  as  he  does,  that  it  was 
best  for  them  to  be  thus  afflicted.  1[  It 
is  expedient.-  It  is  for  you.  \The 
Comforter.  See  Notes  on  chap.  xiv.  16. 

8.  He  will  reprove.  The  woi-d  trans- 
lated reprove  means  commonly  to  de- 
monstrate by  argument,  to  prove,  to 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  Xyi. 


377 


^  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and 
of  righteousness,  and  of  judg- 
ment : 

9  Of  sin,  because  they  believe 
not  on  me ; 

1  or,  cmvince.  Acta  2.  37. 

a  Rom.  3.  20  ;  7. 9.  6Isa.42.21.  Rom.  1.17. 

persuade  any  one  to  do  a  thing  by  pre- 
senting reasons.  It  hence  means  also 
to  eonvmce  of  any  thing,  and  particu- 
larly to  convince  of  crime.  This  is  its 
meaning  here.  He  will  convince  or 
convict  the  world  of  sin.  That  is,  he 
will  so  apply  the  truths  of  God  to 
men's  own  minds  as  to  convi7ice  them 
by  fair  and  sufficient  arguments  that 
they  are  sinners,  and  cause  them  to 
feel  this.  This  is  the  nature  of  con- 
viction always.  T[  The  world.  Sinners. 
The  men  of  the  world.  All  men  are 
by  nature  sinners,  and  the  term  the 
world  may  be  applied  to  them  all. 
John  i.  10 ;  xii.  31.  1  John  v.  19. 

9.  Of  sin.  The  first  thing  specified  of 
which  the  world  would  be  convinced 
is  sin.  Sin,  in  general,  is  any  violation 
of  a  law  of  God,  but  the  particular  sin 
of  which  men  are  here  said  to  be  con- 
vinced is  that  of  rejecting  the  Lord 
Jesus,  This  is  placed  first,  and  is 
deemed  the  sin  of  chief  magnitude,  as 
it  is  the  principal  one  of  which  men 
are  guilty.  This  was  particularly  true 
of  the  Jews  who  had  rejected  him  and 
crucified  him ;  and  it  was  the.  great 
crime  which,  when  brought  home  to 
their  consciences  by  the  preaching  of 
the  apostles,  overwhelmed  them  with 
confusion,  and  filled  their  hearts  with 
remorse.  It  was  theii^ejection  of  the 
Son  of  God  that  was  made  the  great 
truth  that  was  instrumental  of  their 
conversion.  Acts  ii.  22,  23,  37 ;  iii.  13, 
14,15;  iv.  10,  26-28.  Compare  31-33. 
It  is  also  true  of  other  sinners.  Sin- 
ners, when  awakened,  often  feel  that 
it  has  been  the  great  crowning  sin  of 
their  lives  that  they  have  rejected  the 
tender  mercy  of  God,  and  trampled  on 
the  blood  of  his  Son ;  and  that  they 
have  for  months  and  years  'refused  to 
submit  to  him,  saying  that  they  would 
not  have  him  to  reign  over  them. 
Thus  is  fulfilled  what  is  spoken  by 
Zechariah,  xii.  10:  "And  they  shall 
look  upon  me  whom  they  have 
pierced,  and  mourn."  Throughout 
the  New  Testament  this  is  regarded 
as  the  sin  that  is  pre-eminently  of- 
fensive to  God,  and  which,  if  unre- 
pented  of,  will  certainly  lead  to  per- 


10  Of  righteousness,  *  because  I 
go  to  my  Father,  and  ye  see  me 
no  more ; 

11  Of  judgment,  because  ^  the 
prince  of  this  world  is  judged. 

c  Acts  17.  31.   Rom.  2.  2.  Rev.  20. 12, 13. 
d  c.  12.31. 

dition.  Mark  xvi.  16.  John  iii.  36. 
Hence  it  is  placed  first  in  those  sins 
of  which  the  Spirit  will  convince  men ; 
and  hence,  if  we  have  not  yet  been 
brought  to  see  our  guilt  in  rejecting 
God's  tender  mercy  through  his  Son, 
we  are  yet  in  the  gall  of  bitterness 
and  under  the  bond  of  iniquity. 

10.  Of  righteousness.  This  seems 
clearly  to  refer  to  the  righteousness 
or  innocence  of  Jesus  himself.  He  was 
now  persecuted.  He  was  soon  to  be 
arraigned  on  heavy  charges,  and  con- 
demned by  the  highest  authority  of 
the  nation  as  guilty.  Yet,  though  con- 
demned, he  says  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
would  descend  and  convince  the  world 
that  he  was  innocent.  1[  Because  I  go 
to  my  Father.  That  is,  the  amazing 
miracle  of  his  resurrection  and  ascen- 
sion to  God  would  be  a  demonstra- 
tion of  his  innocence  that  would  sat- 
isfy the  Jews  and  Gentiles.  God  would 
not  raise  up  an  impostor.  If  he  had 
been  truly  guilty^  as  the  J ews  who  con- 
demned him  pretended,  God  would 
not  have  set  his  seal  to  the  imposture 
by  raising  him  from  the  dead ;  but 
when  he  did  raise  him  up  and  exalt 
him  to  his  own  right  hand,  he  gave 
his  attestation  to  his  innocence;  he 
showed  that  he  approved  his  work, 
and  gave  evidence  conclusive  that  Je- 
sus was  sent  from  God.  To  this  proof 
of  the  i7inocence  of  Jesus  the  apostles 
often  refer.  Acts  ii.  22-24;  xvii.  31. 
Rom.  i.  4.  1  Cor.  xv.  14,  etc.  1  Tim. 
iii.  16.  This  same  proof  of  the  in7io- 
cence  or  righteousness  of  the  Saviour 
is  as  satisfactory  now  as  it  was  then. 
One  of  the  deepest  feelings  which  an 
awakened  sinner  has,  is  his  conviction 
of  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ. 
He  sees  that  he  is  holy ;  that  his  own 
opposition  to  him  has  been  unpro- 
voked, unjust,  and  base;  and  it  is  this 
which  so  often  overwhelms  his  soul 
with  the  conviction  of  his  own  un- 
worthiness,  and  with  earnest  desires 
to  obtain  a  better  righteousness  than 
his  own.  ^  And  ye  see  me  no  more. 
That  is,  he  was  to  be  taken  away  from 
them,  and  they  would  not  see  him 
till  his  return  to  judgment ;  yet  this 


378 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


12  I  have  yet  many  tilings  to  say 
unto  you,  but  ye  can  not  bear 
them  now. 

a  Heb.  5. 12. 

source  of  grief  to  them  would  be  the 
means  of  establishing  his  religion  and 
greatly  blessing  others. 

11.  Of  judgment.  That  God  is  just, 
and  will  execute  judgment.  This  is 
proved  by  what  he  immediately  states. 
^  The  prince  of  this  world.  Satan.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  xii.  31.  The  death  of 
Christ  was  a  judgment  or  a  condem- 
nation of  Satan.  In  this  struggle  Je- 
sus gained  the  victory  and  subdued 
the  great  enemy  of  man.  This  proves 
that  God  will  execute  judgment  or 
justice  on  all  his  foes.  If  he  van- 
quished his  great  enemy  who  had  so 
long  triumphed  in  this  world,  he  will 
subdue  all  others  in  due  time.  All 
sinners  in  like  manner  may  expect  to 
be  condemned.  Of  this  great  truth 
Jesus  says  the  Holy  Spirit  will  con- 
vince men.  God  showed  himself  to  be 
just  in  subduing  his  great  enemy.  He 
showed  that  he  was  resolved  to  van- 
quish his  foes,  and  that  all  his  enemies 
in  like  manner  must  be  subdued.  This 
is  deeply  felt  by  the  convicted  sinner. 
He  knows  that  he  is  guilty.  He  learns 
that  God  is  just.  He  fears  that  he  will 
condemn  him,  and  trembles  in  the  ap- 
prehension of  approaching  condemna- 
tion. From  this  state  of  alarm  there 
is  no  refuge  but  to  flee  to  Him  who 
subdued  the  great  enemy  of  man,  and 
who  is  able  to  deliver  him  from  the 
vengeance  due  to  his  sins.  Convinced, 
then,  of  the  righteousness  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  of  his  ability  and  willing- 
ness to  save  him,  he  flees  to  his  cross, 
and  seeks  in  him  a  refuge  from  the 
coming  storm  of  wrath. 

In  these  verses  we  have  a  condensed 
and  most  striking  view  of  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  These  three  things 
comprise  the  whole  of  his  agency  in 
the  conversion  of  sinful  men;  and  in 
the  accomplishment  of  this  work  he 
still  awakens,  convinces,  and  renews. 
He  attends  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  blesses  the  means  of  grace, 
and  manifests  his  power  in  revivals  of 
religion.  He  thus  imparts  to  man  the 
blessings  purchased  by  the  death  of 
Jesus,  carries  forward  and  extends  the 
same  plan  of  mercy,  and  will  yet  ap- 
ply it  to  all  the  kingdoms  and  tribes 
of  men.  Have  we  ever  felt  his  power, 
and  been  brought  by  his  influence  to 


13  Howbeit,  when  he,  the  Spirit 
of  truth,  is  come,  he  *  will  guide 
you  into  all  truth ;  for  he  shall  not 

b  c.  14.  26. 

mourn  over  our  sins,  and  seek  the 
mercy  of  a  dying  Saviour  ? 

12.  I  have  yet  many  things  to  say^  etc. 
There  were  many  things  pertaining  to 
the  work  of  the  Spirit  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  religion  which  might  be 
said.  Jesus  had  given  them  the  out- 
line ;  he  had  presented  to  them  the 
great  doctrines  of  the  system,  but  he 
had  not  gone  into  details.  These 
were  things  which  they  could  not  then 
bear.  They  were  still  full  of  Jewish 
prejudices,  and  were  not  prepared  for 
a  full  development  of  his  plans.  Prob- 
ably he  refers  here  to  the  great  changes 
which  were  to  take  place  in  the  Jew- 
ish system — the  abolition  of  sacrifices 
and  the  priesthood,  the  change  of  tl\e 
Sabbath,  the  rejection  of  the  Jewish 
nation,  etc.  For  these  doctrines  they 
were  not  prepared,  but  they  would  in 
due  time  be  taught  them  by  the  Holy 
Spirit. 

13.  The  Spirit  of  truth.  So  called  be- 
cause he  would  teach  them  all  needful 
truth.  If  Will  guide  you  into  all  truth. 
That  is,  truth  which  pertained  to  the 
establishment  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem, which  they  were  not  then  pre- 
pared to  hear.  We  may  here  remark 
that  this  is  a  full  promise  that  they 
would  be  inspired  and  guided  in  found- 
ing the  new  Church  ;  and  we  may  ob- 
serve that  the  plan  of  the  Saviour  was 
replete  with  wisdom.  Though  they 
had  been  lon|^'  with  him,  yet  they 
were  not  prepared  then  to  hear  of  the 
changes  that  were  to  occur ;  but  his 
death  would  open  their  eyes,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  making  use  of  the  strik- 
ing and  impressive  scenes  of  his  death 
and  ascension,  would  carry  forward 
with  vast  rapidity  their  views  of  the 
nature  of  the  Christian  scheme.  Per- 
haps in  the  few  days  that  elapsed,  of 
which  we  have  a  record  in  the  first 
and  second  chapters  of  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles,  they  learned  more  of  the 
true  nature  of  the  Christian  plan  than 
they  would  have  done  in  months  or 
years  even  under  the  teaching  of  Je- 
sus himself  The  more  we  study  the 
plan  of  Christ,  the  more  shall  we  ad- 
mire the  profound  wisdom'  of  the 
Christian  scheme,  and  see  that  it  was 
eminently  fitted  to  the  great  design 
of  its  Founder — to  introduce  it  in  such 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


379 


speak  of  himself ;  but  whatsoever 
he  shall  hear,  that  shall  he  speak ; 
and  he  ^  will  show  you  things  to 
come. 

14  He  shall  glorify  me;  for  he 
shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall 
show  it  unto  you. 

15  All  things  that  the  Father 
hath  are  mine ;  therefore  said  I 
that  he  shall  take  of  mine,  and 
shall  show  it  unto  you. 

16  A  little  while,  and  ye  shall  not 
see  me;  and  again  a  little  while, 
and  ye  shall  see  me,  because  I  go 
to  the  Father. 

17  Then  said  some  of  his  disci- 
ples among  themselves,  What  is 

a  Rev.  1.1, 19.  6  c.  2.  24,25. 

a  manner  as  to  make  on  man  the  deep- 
est impression  of  its  wisdom  and  its 
truth.  1[  Not  speak  of  himself.  Not  as 
prompted  by  himself.  He  shall  declare 
what  is  commmiicated  to  him.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  vii.  18.  ^  Whatsoever 
he  shall  hear.  What  he  shall  receive 
of  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  represent- 
ed by  hearing.,  because  in  this  way  in- 
struction is  commonly  received.  See 
Notes  on  ch.  v.  30.  ^  Things  to  come. 
Probably  this  means  the  meaning  of 
things  which  were  to  take  place  after 
the  time  when  he  was  speaking  to 
them — to  wit,  the  design  of  his  death, 
and  the  nature  of  the  changes  which 
were  to  take  place  in  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. It  is  also  true  that  the  apostles 
were  inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
predict  future  events  which  would 
take  place  in  the  Church  and  the 
world.  See  Acts  xi.  28;  xx.  29;  xxi. 
11.  ITim.  iv.  1-3.  2Tim.iii.  2Pet.  i. 
14,  and  the  whole  book  of  Revelation. 

14.  Shall  glorify  me.  Shall  honor 
me.  The  nature  of  his  influence  shall 
be  such  as  to  exalt  my  character  and 
work  in  view  of  the  mind.  ^  Shall 
receive  of  mine.  Literally,  "shall  take 
of  or  from  me."  He  shall  receive  his 
commission  and  instructions  as  an 
ambassador  from  me,  to  do  my  will 
and  complete  my  work.  Shall  show 
it.  Shall  announce  or  communicate  it 
to  you.  This  is  always  the  work  of 
the  Spirit.  All  serious  impressions 
produced  by  him  lead  to  the  Lord  Je- 
sus (1  Cor.  xii.  3),  and  by  this  we  may 
easily  test  our  feelings.  If  we  have 
been  truly  convicted  of  sin  and  renew- 


this  that  he  saith  unto  us,  A  little 
while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  me; 
and  again  a  little  while,  and  ye 
shall  see  me ;  and,  Because  I  go  to 
the  Father  ? 

18  They  said,  therefore.  What  is 
this  that  he  saith,  A  little  while  ? 
We  can  not  tell  what  he  saith. 

19  Now  Jesus  knew  ^  that  they 
were  desirous  to  ask  him,  and  said 
unto  them,  Do  ye  inquire  among 
yourselves  of  that  I  said,  A  ^  little 
while,  and  ye  shall  not  see  me; 
and  again  a  little  while,  and  ye 
shall  see  me  ? 

20  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you, 
that  ye    shall  weep  and  lament, 

ever.  16.  c.  7.  33  ;  13.  33  ;  14.  19.  c?  Lu.  24.  17,  21. 

ed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  tendency 
of  all  his  influences  has  been  to  lead 
us  to  the  Saviour;  to  show  us  our  need 
of  him ;  to  reveal  to  us  the  loveliness 
of  his  character,  and  the  fitness  of  his 
work  to  our  wants ;  and  to  incline  us 
to  cast  our  eternal  interests  on  his  al- 
mighty arm,  and  commit  all  to  his 
hands. 

15.  All  things,  etc.  See  Matt,  xxviii. 
18 ;  xi.  27.  No  one  could  have  said 
this  who  was  not  equal  with  the  Fa- 
ther. The  union  was  so  intimate, 
though  mysterious,  that  it  might  with 
propriety  be  said  that  whatever  was 
done  in  relation  to  the  Son,  was  also 
done  in  regard  to  the  Father.  See 
chap.  xiv.  9. 

16.  A  little  while.  His  death  would 
occur  in  a  short  time.  It  took  place 
the  next  day.  See  chap.  xiv.  19.  If  Ye 
shall  not  see  me.  That  is,  he  would  be 
concealed  from  their  view  in  the  tomb. 
H  And  again  a  little  while.  After  three 
days  he  would  rise  again  and  appear 
to  their  view.  ^  Because  I  go,  etc.  Be- 
cause it  is  a  part  of  the  plan  that  I 
should  ascend  to  God,  it  is  necessary 
that  I  should  rise  from  the  grave,  and 
then  you  will  see  me,  and  have  evi- 
dence that  I  am  still  your  Friend. 
Compare  chap.  vii.  33.  Here  are  three 
important  events  foretold  for  the  con- 
solation of  the  disciples,  yet  they  were 
stated  in  such  a  manner  that,  in  their 
circumstances  and  with  their  preju- 
dices, it  appeared  diflScult  to  under- 
stand him. 

20.  Ye  shall  weep,  etc.  At  my  cru- 
cifixion, sufierings,  and  death.  Comp. 


380 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


but  the  world  shall  rejoice ;  and 
ye  shall  be  sorrowful,  but  your  sor- 
row shall  be  turned  into  joy. 

21  A  "  woman  when  she  is  in 
travail  hath  sorrow,  because  her 
hour  is  come ;  but  as  soon  as  she 
is  delivered  of  the  child,  she  re- 
niembereth  no  more  the  anguish, 
for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the 
world. 

a  Isa.  26. 17.  b  ver.  6.  • 

Luke  xxiii.  27.  ^  The  world.  Wicked 
men.  The  term  wo7id  is  frequently 
used  in  this  sense.  See  verse  8.  It 
refers  parti cularl}^,  here,  to  the  Jews 
who  sought  his  death,  and  who  would 
rejoice  tliat  their  object  was  obtained. 
^  Shall  he  turned  into  joy.  You  will 
not  only  rejoice  at  my  resurrection, 
but  even  my  death,  now  tlie  object  of 
so  mucli  grief  to  you,  will  be  to  you 
a  source  of  unsi^ealvable  joy.  It  will 
procure  for  you  peace  and  pardon  in 
this  life,  and  eternal  joy  in  the  world 
to  come.  Thus  their  greatest  appar- 
ent calamity  would  be  to  them,  finally, 
the  source  of  their  highest  comfort ; 
and  though  then  they  could  not  see 
how  it  could  be,  yet  if  they  had  known 
the  ivhole  case  they  would  have  seen 
that  they  might  rejoice.  As  it  was, 
they  were  to  be  consoled  by  the  as- 
surance of  the  Saviour  that  it  would 
be  for  their  good.  And  thus,  in  our 
afflictions,  if  we  could  see  the  whole 
case,  we  should  rejoice.  As  it  is,  when 
they  appear  dark  and  mysterious,  we 
may  trust  in  the  promise  of  God  that 
they  will  be  for  our  welfare.  We  ma}^ 
also  remark  here  that  the  apparent 
triumphs  of  the  wicked,  though  they 
may  produce  grief  at  present  in  the 
minds  of  Christians,  will  be  yet  over- 
ruled for  good.  Their  joy  shall  be 
turned  into  mourning,  and  the  mourn- 
ing of  Christians  into  joy ;  and  wick- 
ed men  may  be  doing  the  very  thing — 
as  they  were  in  the  crucifixion  of  the 
Lord  Jesus — that  shall  yet  be  made 
the  means  of  promoting  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  good  of  his  people. 
Psalm  Ixxvi.  10. 

22.  /  will  Hce  you  again.  After  my 
resurrection.  H  YourjoTj  no  man  tdketh 
from,  you.  You  shall  be  so  firmly  per- 
suaded that  I  ha  ve,  risen  and  that  I  am 
the  Mcssiaii,  that  nciilicr  the  threats 
nor  i^ersecutions  of  nien  shall  ever  be 
able  to  shake  your  faith  and  produce 


22  And  *  ye  now  therefore  have 
sorrow ;  but  I  will  see  you  again, 
and  your  heart  shall  rejoice,  and 
your  joy  no  man  taketh  from  you. 

23  And  in  that  day  ye  shall  ask 
me  nothing.  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask 
the  Father  in  my  name,  he  will 
give  it  you. 

24  Hitherto  have  ye  asked  noth- 

c  Lu.24.41,  52.    c.  20.  20.  <ilPet.l.8. 


doubt  or  unbelief,  and  thus  take  away 
your  joy.  This  prediction  was  re- 
markably fulfilled.  It  is  evident  that 
after  his  ascension  not  one  of  the  apos- 
tles ever  doubted  for  a  moment  that  he 
had  risen  from  the  dead.  No  persecu- 
tion or  trial  was  able  to  shake  their 
faith ;  and  thus,  amid  all  their  afflic- 
tions, they  had  an  unshaken  source  of 
joy. 

28.  In  that  day.  After  my  resurrec- 
tion and  ascension.  Ye  shall  ask  me 
nothirtg.  The  word  rendered  ask  here 
may  have  two  significations,  one  to 
ask  by  way  of  inquiry,  the  other  to 
ask  for  assistance.  Perhaps  there  is 
reference  here  to  both  these  senses. 
While  he  was  with  them  they  had 
been  accustomed  to  depend  on  him 
for  the  supply  of  their  wants,  and  in 
a  great  degree  to  propose  their  trials 
to  him,  expecting  his  aid.  See  Matt, 
viii.  25.  John  xi.  3.  They  were  also 
dependent  on  his  personal  instruc- 
tions to  explain  to  them  the  myste- 
ries of  his  religion,  and  to  remove 
their  perplexities  on  the  subject  of 
his  doctrines.  They  had  not  sought 
to  God  through  him  as  the  Mediator^ 
but  they  had  directly  applied  to  the 
Saviour  himself  He  now  tells  them 
that  henceforward  their  requests  were 
to  be  made  to  God  in  his  name,  and 
that  //e,  by  the  influences  of  his  Spirit, 
would  make  known  to  them  what  Je- 
sus would  himself  do  if  bodily  pres- 
ent. The  emphasis  in  this  verse  is  to 
be  placed  on  the  word  Their 
requests  were  not  to  be  made  to  7<iwz, 
but  to  the  Father.  1  Whatsoever  ye 
shall  ask^  etc.    See  chap.  xiv.  13. 

24.  Hitherto.  During  his  ministry, 
and  while  he  was  with  them.  Have 
ye  asked,  etc.  From  the  evangelists, 
as  well  as  from  this  declaration,  it 
seems  that  they  had  presented  their 
requests  for  instruction  and  aid  to  Je- 
sus himself.    If  they  had  prayed  to 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


381 


ing  in  my  name.  Ask  *  and  ye 
shall  receive,  that  *  your  joy  may 
be  full. 

25  These  things  have  I  spoken 
unto  you  in  ^  yoverbs ;  but  the 
time  Cometh  when  I  shall  no  more 
speak  unto  you  in  ^  proverbs,  but 
I  shall  show  you  plainly  of  the 
Father. 

26  At  that  day  ye  shall  ask  in 
my  name ;  and  I  say  not  unto  you 
that  I  will  pray  the  Father  for  you ; 

a  Matt.  7.  7,8.   Jas.4.  2,3.  ic.  15. 11. 

1  or,  parables.  c  ver.  23. 


27  For  ^  the  Father  himself  lov- 
eth  you,  because  ye  have  loved 
me,  and  have  believed  that  ^  I  came 
out  from  God. 

28  I  came  forth  from  the  Father, 
and  am  come  into  the  world;  again, 
I  leave  the  world  and  go  to  the  Fa- 
ther. 

29  His  disciples  said  unto  him, 
Lo,  now  speakest  thou  plainly,  and 
speakest  no  ^  proverb. 

30  Now  are  we  sure  that  thou 

d  c.  14.  21 ,  23.  e  ver.  30.   c.  17. 8. 

2  or,  parable. 


God,  it  is  probable  that  they  had  not 
done  it  in  his  name.  This  great  truth 
— that  we  must  approach  God  in  the 
name  of  the  Mediator — was  reserved 
for  the  last  that  the  Saviour  was  to 
communicate  to  them.  It  was  to  be 
presented  at  the  close  of  his  ministry. 
Then  they  were  prepared  in  some  de- 
gree to  understand  it ;  and  then,  amid 
trials,  and  wants,  and  a  sense  of  their 
weakness  and  unworthiness,  they 
would  see  its  preciousness,  and  re- 
joice in  the  privilege  of  being  thus 
permitted  to  draw  near  to  God. 
Though  he  would  be  bodily  absent, 
yet  their  blessings  would  still  be  given 
through  the  same  unchanging  Friend. 
1[  Ask^  etc.  Now  they  had  the  assur- 
ance that  they  might  approach  God  in 
his  name;  .and,  amid  all  their  trials, 
they,  as  well  as  all  Christians  since, 
might  draw  near  to  God,  knowing 
that  he  would  hear  and  answer  their 
prayers.  T[  That  your  joy^  etc.  See 
chap.  XV.  11. 

25.  In  proverbs.  In  a  manner  that 
appears  obscure,  enigmatical,  and  dif- 
ficult to  be  understood.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  that  though  his  declara- 
tions in  these  chapters  about  his 
death  and  resurrection  appear  to  us 
to  be  plain,  yet  to  the  apostles,  filled 
with  Jewish  prejudices,  and  unwilling 
to  believe  that  he  was  about  to  die, 
ihQj  would  appear  exceedingly  ob- 
scure and  perplexed.  The  plainest 
declarations  to  them  on  the  subject 
would  appear  to  be  involved  in  mys- 
tery. 1  The  time  cometh.  This  refers, 
doubtless,  to  the  time  after  his  ascen- 
sion to  heaven,  when  he  would  send 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  teach  them  the 
great  truths  of  religion.  It  does  not 
appear  that  he  himself,  after  his  res- 
urrection, gave  them  any  more  clear 


or  full  instruction  than  he  had  done 
before.  ^  I  shall  show  you  plainly.  As 
J esus  said  that  he  would  send  the  Hol}^ 
Spirit  (verse  7),  and  as  he  came  to  car- 
ry forward  the  work  of  Christ,  so  it 
may  be  said  that  the  teachings  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  were  the  teachings  of 
Christ  himself.  ^  Of  the  Father.  Con- 
cerning the  will  and  jDlan  of  the  Father; 
particularly  his  plan  in  the  establish- 
ment and  spread  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  in  organizing  the  Church. 
See  Acts  x. 

26.  I  say  not  unto  you  that  I  will  pray  ^ 
etc.  In  chap.  xiv.  16,  Jesus  says  that 
he  would  pray  the  Father,  and  that  he 
would  send  the  Comforter.  In  chap, 
xvii.  he  oflfered  a  memorable  prayer 
for  them.  In  Heb.  vii.  25,  it  is  said 
that  Jesus  ever  liveth  to  make  inter- 
cession for  us ;  and  it  is  constantly 
represented  in  the  New  Testament 
that  it  is  by  his  intercession  in  heav- 
en now  that  we  obtain  the  blessings 
of  pardon,  peace,  strength,  and  salva- 
tion. Compare  Heb.  ix.  24.  This  dec- 
laration of  Jesus,  then,  does  not  mean 
that  he  would  not  intercede  for  them, 
but  that  there  was  no  need  then  of  his 
mentioning  it  to  them  again.  They 
knew  that ;  and,  in  addition  to  that, 
he  told  them  that  God  was  ready  and 
willing  to  confer  on  them  all  needful 
blessings. 

27.  See  chap.  xiv.  21,  23. 

28.  I  came  forth  from  the  Father.  I 
came  sent  by  the  Father.  ^  And  am 
come  into  the  world.  See  chap.  iii.  19 ; 
vi.  14,63;  ix.  39. 

29.  Now  speakest  thou  plainly.  What 
he  had  sai(^hat  perplexed  them  was 
that  which^  contained  in  verse  16. 
Compare  verses  17-19 :  "A  little  while 
and  ye  shall  not  see  me,"  etc.  This  he 
had  now  explained  by  saying  (verse 


SS2 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


knowest  all  things,  and  needest 
not  that  any  man  should  ask  thee. 
By  this  we  believe  that  thou 
earnest  forth  from  God. 

31  Jesus  answered  them,  Do  ye 
now  believe  ? 

32  Behold,    the  hour  cometh, 

a  Matt.  26. 31.   Mar.  14.27. 

1  or,  his  own  home. 


28),  "Again,  I  leave  the  world,  and  go  to 
the  Father."  In  this  there  was  no 
ambiguity,  and  they  expressed  them- 
selves satisfied  witli  this  explanation. 

30.  Now  are  ive  sure  that  thou  knowest, 
etc.  Their  difficulty  had  been  to  un- 
derstand what  was  the  meaning  of  his 
declaration  in  verse  16.  About  this 
they  conversed  among  themselves. 
Verses  17-19.  It  is  evident  that  they 
had  not  mentioned  their  difficulty  to 
him,  and  that  he  had  not  even  heard 
their  conversation  among  themselves. 
Verse  19.  When,  therefore,  b}^  his  an- 
swers to  them  (verses  20-28),  he  show- 
ed that  he  clearly  understood  their 
doubts;  and  when  he  gave  them  an 
answer  so  satisfactory  without  their 
having  inquired  of  him,  it  satisfied 
them  that  he  knew  the  heart,  and  that 
he  assuredly  came  from  God.  They 
were  convinced  that  there  was  no  need 
that  any  man  shoidd  ask  him,  or  pro- 
pose his  difficulties  to  him,  since  he 
knew  them  all  and  could  answer  them. 

31.  Do  ye  novj  believed  Do  you  truly 
and  really  believe  ?  This  question  was 
evidently  asked  to  put  them  on  a  full 
examination  of  their  hearts.  Though 
they  supposed  that  they  had  unshaken 
faith — faith  that  would  endure  every 
trial,  yet  he  told  them  that  they  were 
about  to  go  through  scenes  that  would 
test  them,  and  where  they  would  need 
all  their  confidence  in  God.  When  we 
feel  strong  in  the  faith  we  should  ex- 
amine ourselves.  It  may  be  that  we 
are  deceived ;  and  it  may  be  that  God 
may  even  then  be  preparing  trials  for 
us  that  will  shake  our  faith  to  its 
foundation.  The  Syriac  and  Arabic 
read  this  in  the  indicative  as  an  af- 
firmation— "Ye  do  now  believe."  The 
sense  is  not  affected  by  this  reading. 

32.  The  hour  cometh.  To  wit,  on  the 
next  day,  when  he  was  crucified.  1[  Ye 
shall  he  scattered.  Sec  M^t.  xxvi.  31. 
•f[  Every  man  to  his  ovm.  xhat  is,  as  in 
the  margin,  to  his  own  home.  You 
shall  see  me  die,  and  suppose  that  my 
work  is  defeated,  and  return  to  your 


yea,  is  now  come,  that  ye  shall  be 
scattered,  every  man  to  his  own,^ 
and  shall  leave  me  alone ;  and  yet 
*I  am  not  alone,  because  the  Fa- 
ther is  with  me.  0 

33  These  things  have  I  spoken 
unto  you,  that  in    me  ye  might 

6Isa.50.7,9.  c.8.29. 

cc.  14.27.   Rom.  5.1.   Eph.  2. 14. 

own  dwellings.  It  is  probable  that 
the  two  disciples  going  to  Emmaus 
were  on  their  way  to  their  dwellings. 
Luke  xxiv.  After  his  death  all  the  dis- 
ciples retired  into  Galilee,  and  were  en- 
gaged in  their  common  employment  of 
fishing.  J ohn  xxi.  1-14.  Matt,  xxviii. 
7.  H  Leave  me  alone.  Leave  me  to  die 
without  human  sympathy  or  compas- 
sion. See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  31, 56. 
IF  Because  the  Father  is  with  me.  His 
Father  was  his  friend.  He  had  all 
along  trusted  in  God.  In  the  pros- 
pect of  his  sufferings  he  could  still 
look  to  him  for  support.  And  though 
in  his  dying  moments  he  suffered  so 
much  as  to  use  the  language,  "Why 
hast  thou  forsaken  meV"  yet  it  was 
language  addressed  to  him  still  as  his 
God— "3f?/  God,  my  God."  Even  then 
he  had  confidence  in  God — confidence 
so  strong  and  unwavering  that  he 
could  say,  "Into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit."  Luke  xxiii.  46.  In 
all  these  suff'erings  he  had  the  assur- 
ance that  God  was  his  friend,  that  he 
was  doing  his  will,  that  he  was  pro- 
moting his  glory,  and  that  He  looked 
on  him  with  approbation.  It  matters 
little  who  else  forsakes  us  if  God  be 
with  us  in  the  hour  of  pain  and  of 
death ;  and  though  poor,  forsaken,  or 
despised,  yet,  if  we  have  the  con- 
sciousness of  his  presence  and  his  fa- 
vor, then  we  may  fear  no  evil.  His 
rod  and  his  staff",  they  will  comfort  us. 
Without  his  favor  then,  death  will  be 
full  of  horrors,  though  we  be  sur- 
rounded by  weeping  relatives,  and 
by  all  the  honor,  and  splendor,  and 
wealth  which  the  world  can  bestow. 
The  Christian  can  die,  saying,  I  am 
not  alone,  because  the  Father  is  with 
me.  The  sinner  dies  without  a  friend 
that  can  alleviate  his  sufferings — with- 
out one  source  of  real  joy. 

33.  In  me.  In  my  presence,  and  in 
the  aid  which  I  shall  render  you  by 
the  Holy  Spirit.  H  Iti  the  world. 
Among  the  men  to  whom  you  arc 
going.  You  must  expect  to  bo  perse- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


383 


have  peace.  In  « the  world  ye  shall 
have  tribulation ;  but  be  of  good 
cheer ;  I  have  overcome  the  world. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THESE  words  spake  Jesus,  and 
lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven, 

ac.  15. 19-21.    2  Tim.  3.  12. 

ciited,  afflicted,  tormented.  I  have 
overcome  the  world.  He  overcame  the 
prince  of  this  world  by  his  death. 
John  xii.  31.  He  vanquished  the  great 
foe  of  man,  and  triumphed  over  all 
that  would  work  our  ruin.  He  brought 
down  aid  and  strengtli  from  above  by 
his  death ;  and  by  procuring  for  us  tlie 
friendship  of  God  and  the  influence  of 
the  Spirit ;  by  his  own  instructions 
and  example ;  by  revealing  to  us  the 
glories  of  heaven,  and  opening  our 
eyes  to  see  the  excellence  of  heavenly 
things,  he  has  furnished  us  with  the 
means  of  overcoming  all  our  enemies, 
and  of  triumphing  in  all  our  tempta- 
tions. See  Notes  on  John  xiv.  19; 
also  Rom.  viii.  34-37.  1  John  iv.  4 ;  v. 
4.  Rev.  xii.  11.  Luther  said  of  this 
verse  "that  it  was  worthy  to  be  car- 
ried from  Rome  to  Jerusalem  upon 
one's  knees."  The  world  is  a  van- 
quished enemy;  Satan  is  a  humbled 
foe ;  and  all  that  believers  have  to  do 
is  to  put  their  trust  in  the  Captain  of 
their  salvation,  putting  on  the  whole 
armor  of  God,  assured  that  the  victo- 
ry is  theirs,  and  that  the  Church  shall 
yet  shine  forth  fair  as  the  moon,  clear 
as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army 
with  banners.  Cant.  vi.  10. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
1.  These  words.  The  words  address- 
ed to  them  in  the  preceding  chapters. 
They  were  proceeding  to  the  garden 
of  Gethsemane.  It  adds  much  to  the 
interest  of  this  prayer  that  it  was  of- 
fered in  the  stillness  of  the  night,  in 
the  open  air,  and  in  the  peculiarly  ten- 
der circumstances  in  which  Jesus  and 
his  apostles  were.  It  is  the  longest 
prayer  recorded  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. It  was  offered  on  the  most 
tender  and  solemn  occasion  that  has 
ever  occurred  in  our  world,  and  it  is 
perhaps  the  most  sublime  composi- 
tion to  be  found  any  where.  Jesus 
was  about  to  die.  Having  expressed 
his  love  to  his  disciples,  and  made 
known  to  them  his  last  desires,  he 
now  commends  them  to  the  protec- 


and  said,  Father,  the  ^  hour  is 
come :  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy 
Son  also  may  glorify  thee ; 
3  As  thou  hast  given  him  power 
over  all  flesh,  that  ^  he  should  give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast 
given  him. 

6  c.  12.  23;  13.32.  c  c.  5.  27.  ver.  24. 

tion  and  blessing  of  the  God  of  grace. 
This  prayer  is  moreover  a  specimen 
of  the  manner  of  his  intercession^  and 
evinces  the  interest  which  he  felt  in 
behalf  of  all  who  should  become  his 
followers  in  all  ages  of  the  world. 
H  Lifted  up  his  eyes.  This  was  the 
common  attitude  of  prayer.  Com- 
pare Luke  xviii.  13.  If  The  hour  is 
come.  That  is,  the  appointed  time  for 
his  sufferings  and  death.  Compare 
Notes  on  chap.  xii.  27.  T[  Glorify  thy 
Son.  Honor  thy  Son.  See  chap.  xi.  4. 
Give  to  the  world  demonstration  that 
I  am  thy  Son.  So  sustain  me,  and  so 
manifest  thy  power  in  my  death,  res- 
urrection, and  ascension,  as  to  afford 
indubitable  evidence  that  I  am  the 
Son  of  God.  1[  That  thy  Son  also  may 
glorify  thee.  This  refers  clearly  to  the 
manifestation  of  the  honor  of  God 
which  would  be  made  by  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel  among  men.  Verse  2. 
Jesus  prayed  that  God  would  so  hon- 
or him  in  his  death  that  striking  proof 
might  be  furnished  that  he  was  the 
Messiah,  and  men  thus  be  brought  to 
honor  God.  By  his  death  the  law,  the 
truth,  and  the  mercy  of  God  were  hon- 
ored. By  the  spread  of  his  Gospel  and 
the  conversion  of  sinners ;  by  all  that 
Christ  will  do,  now  that  he  is  glori- 
fied, to  spread  his  Gospel,  God  will  be 
honored.  The  conversion  of  a  single 
sinner  honors  God";  a  revival  of  re- 
ligion is  an  eminent  means  of  promot- 
ing his  honor ;  and  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel  among  all  nations  shall  yet  do 
more  than  alfother  things  to  promote 
the  honor  of  God  among  men.  What- 
ever honors  the  Saviour  honors  God. 
Just  as  he  is  exalted  in  view  of  the 
mind,  so  will  God  be  honored  and 
obeyed. 

2.  As  thou  hast  given  him  power.  It 
was  on  the  ground  of  this  power  giv- 
en to  Christ  that  the  apostles  were 
commanded  to  go  and  teach  all  na- 
tions. See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxviii.  18, 
19.  H  All  flesh.  All  men.  Matt.  xxiv. 
22.  Luke  iii.  6.  H  T?iat  he  should  give 
eternal  life.    See  Notes  on  John  v.  24. 


384 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


3  And  this  "  is  life  eternal,  that 
they  might  know  *  thee,  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
^  thou  hast  sent. 

alJno.5. 11.         6  Jer.  9.  23,  24.         olThess.  1.9. 


If  To  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him. 
See  Notes  on  John  x.  16;  vi.  37.  To 
all  on  whom  the  Father  has  purposed 
to  bestow  the  blessings  of  redemption 
through  his  Son.  God  has  a  plan  in 
all  he  does,  extending  to  men  as  well 
as  to  other  objects.  One  part  of  his 
plan  was  that  the  atonement  of  Christ 
should  not  be  in  vain.  Hence  he 
promised  him  that  he  should  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul  and  should  be 
satisfied  (Isa.  liii.  11) ;  and  hence  the 
Saviour  had  the  assurance  that  the 
Father  had  given  him  a  portion  of  the 
human  family,  and  would  apply  this 
great  work  to  them.  It  is  to  be  ob- 
served here  that  the  Saviour  in  this 
prayer  makes  an  important  distinc- 
tion between  ''all  flesh"  and  those 
who  were  "given  him."  He  has  power 
over  all.  He  can  control,  direct,  re- 
strain them.  Wicked  men  are  so  far 
under  his  universal  dominion,  and  so 
far  restrained  by  his  power,  that  they 
will  not  be  able  to  prevent  his  bestow- 
ing redemption  on  those  who  were 
given  him  —  that  is,  all  who  will  be- 
lieve on  him.  Long  ago,  if  they  had 
been  able,  they  would  have  banished 
religion  from  the  world ;  but  they  are 
under  the  power  of  Christ,  and  it  is 
his  purpose  that  there  shall  be  "a 
seed  to  serve  him,"  and  that  "the 
gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail"  against 
his  Church.  Men  who  oppose  the 
Gospel  should  therefore  feel  that  they 
can  not  prevent  the  salvation  of  Chris- 
tians, and  should  be  alarmed  lest  they 
be  found  "fighting  against  God." 

3.  This  is  life  eternal.  This  is  the 
source  of  eternal  life;  or  it  is  in  this 
manner  that  it  is  to  be  obtained.  The 
knowledge  of  God  and  of  his  Son  Je- 
sus Chris  t  is  itself  a  source  of  unspeak- 
able and  eternal  joy.  Compare  chap, 
xi.  25 ;  vi.  68 ;  xii.  50.  If  Might  know 
thee.  The  word  k7iow  here,  as  in  oth- 
er places,  expresses  more  than  a  mere 
speculative  acquaintance  with  the 
character  and  perfections  of  God.  It 
includes  all  the  impressions  on  the  mind 
and  life  which  a  just  view  of  Ood  and  of 
the  Saviour  is  fitted  to  produce.  It  in- 
cludes, of  course,  love,  reverence,  obe- 
dience, honor,  gratitude,  supreme  af- 


4  I  ^  have  glorified  thee  on  the 
earth  ;  I  have  ^  finished  the  work 
which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

5  And  now,  O  Father,  glorify 

<Zc.  10.  36.        cc.14.13.        /c.19.30.  2  Tim.  4. 7. 


fection.  To  know  God  as  he  is  is  to 
know  and  regard  him  as  a  lawgiver,  a 
sovereign,  a  parent,  a  friend.  It  is  to 
yield  the  whole  soul  to  him,  and  strive 
to  obey  his  law.  If  The  oidy  true  Ood. 
The  only  God,  in  opposition  to  all 
false  gods.  What  is  said  here  is  in  op- 
position to  idols,  not  to  Jesus  him- 
self, who,  in  1  John  v.  20,  is  called 
"the  true  God  and  eternal  life." 
T[  And  Jesus  Christ.  To  know  Jesus 
Christ  is  to  have  a  practical  impres- 
sion of  him  as  he  is — that  is,  to  suffer 
his  character  and  work  to  make  their 
due  impression  on  the  heart  and  life. 
Simply  to  have  heard  that  there  is  a 
Saviour  is  not  to  know  it.  To  have 
been  taught  in  childhood  and  trained 
up  in  the  belief  of  it  is  not  to  know  it. 
To  know  him  is  to  have  a  just,  practi- 
cal view  of  him  in  all  his  perfections 
— as  God  and  man;  as  a  mediator;  as 
a  prophet,  a  priest,  and  a  king.  It  is 
to  feel  our  need  of  such  a  Saviour,  to 
see  that  we  are  sinners,  and  to  yield 
the  whole  soul  to  him,  knowing  that 
he  is  a  Saviour  fitted  to  our  wants, 
and  that  in  his  hands  our  souls  arc 
safe.  Compare  Eph.  iii.  19.  Titus  i.  16. 
Phil.  iii.  10.  1  John  v.  20.  In  this  verse 
is  contained  the  sum  and  essence  of 
the  Christian  religion,  as  it  is  distin- 
guished from  all  the  schemes  of  idol- 
atry and  philosophy,  and  all  the  false 
plans  on  which  men  have  sought  to 
obtain  eternal  life.  The  Gentiles  wor- 
shipped many  gods;  the  Christian 
worships  one — the  living  and  the  true 
God ;  the  Jew,  the  Deist,  the  Moham- 
medan, the  Socinian,  profess  to  ac- 
knowledge one  God,  without  any 
atoning  sacrifice  and  Mediator;  the 
true  Christian  approaches  him  through 
the  great  Mediator,  equal  with  the  Fa- 
ther, who  for  us  became  incarnate,  and 
died  that  he  might  reconcile  us  to  God. 

4.  Have  glorified  thee.  In  my  instruc- 
tions and  life.  See  his  discourses  ev- 
ery where,  the  whole  tendency  of 
which  is  to  put  honor  on  God.  If  / 
havefinisJicd  the  work.  Compare  chap, 
xix.  80.  When  he  says  "I  have  finish- 
ed," he  probably  means  to  include 
also  his  death.  All  the  preparations 
for  that  death  were  made.    He  had 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


385 


thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with 
the  glory  which  I «  had  with  thee 
before  the  world  was. 

6  1^  have  manifested  thy  name 
unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest 
me  out  of  the  world.    Thine  they 

a  c.  1.1,2.   Phil.  2.  6,  Heb.1.3,10. 
b  Psa.  22.  22.    ver.  26. 


preached  to  the  Jews ;  he  had  given 
them  full  proof  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah ;  he  had  collected  his  disciples ; 
he  had  taught  them  the  nature  of  his 
rehgion  ;  lie  had  given  them  his  part- 
ing counsel,  and  there  was  nothing  re- 
maining to  be  done  but  *to  return  to 
God.  We  see  here  that  Jesus  was 
careful  that  his  great  and  important 
work  sliould  be  done  before  his  dying 
hour.  He  did  not  postpone  it  to  be 
performed  just  as  he  was  leaving  the 
world.  So  completely  had  he  done 
his  work,  that  even  before  his  death  he 
could  say  ''^ I  have  finished  the  v/ork." 
How  happy  would  it  be  if  men  would 
imitate  his  example,  and  not  leave 
their  great  work  of  life  to  be  done  on 
a  dying  bed !  Christians  should  have 
their  work  accomplished,  and  when 
that  hour  approaches,  have  nothing 
to  do  but  to  die,  and  return  to  their 
Father  in  heaven. 

5.  With  thine  own  self.  In  heaven, 
granting  me  a  participation  of  the 
same  honor  which  the  Father  has. 
He  had  just  said  that  he  had  glorified 
God  on  the  earth;  he  now  prays  that 
God  would  glorify  him  in  heaven. 
H  With  the  glory.  With  the  honor. 
This  word  also  includes  the  notion  of 
happiness,  or  every  thing  which  could 
render  the  condition  blessed.  T[  Before 
the  world  was.  There  could  not  be  a 
more  distinct  and  clear  declaration  of 
the  pre-existence  of  Christ  than  this. 
It  means  before  the  creation  of  the 
world;  before  there  was  any  world. 
Of  course,  the  speaker  here  must  have 
existed  then,  and  this  is  equivalent  to 
saying  that  he  existed  from  eternity. 
See  John  i.  1, 2 ;  vi.  62 ;  iii.  13 ;  xvi.  28. 
The  glory  which  he  had  then  was  that 
which  was  proper  to  the  Son  of  God, 
represented  by  the  expression  being 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Father  (John  i.  18), 
denoting  intimacy,  friendship,  united 
felicity.  The  Son  of  God,  by  becom- 
ing incarnate,  is  represented  as  hum- 
bling Jiimself  (Greek,  he  "  emptied  him- 
self"), Phil.  ii.  8.  He  laid  aside  for  a 
time  the  external  aspect  of  honor,  and 
II.— R 


were,  and  thou  gavest  them  me, 
and  they  have  kept  ^  thy  word. 

7  Now  they  have  known  that  all 
things  whatsoever  thou  ha^t  given 
me  are  of  thee. 

8  For  I  have  given  unto  them 

c  Rom.  8. 30.   ver.  2, 9, 11. 
d  Heb.  3.  6. 


consented  to  become  despised,  and  to 
assume  the  form  of  a  servant.  He  now 
prays  that  God  would  raise  him  up  to 
the  dignity  and  honor  which  he  had 
before  his  incarnation.  This  is  the 
state  to  which  he  is  now  exalted, 
with  the  additional  honor  of  having 
made  atonement  for  sin,  and  having 
opened  the  way  to  save  a  race  of  reb- 
els from  eternal  death.  The  lowest 
condition  on  earth  is  frequently  con- 
nected with  the  highest  honors  of 
heaven.  Man  looks  on  the  outward 
appearance.  God  looks  to  him  that 
is  humble  and  of  a  contrite  spirit. 

6.  Have  manifested  thy  name.  The 
word  name  here  includes  the  attributes 
or  character  of  God.  Jesus  had  made 
known  his  character,  his  law,  his  will, 
his  plan  of  mercy — or,  in  other  words, 
he  had  revealed  God  to  them.  The 
word  name  is  often  used  to  designate 
the  person.  John  xv.  21.  Matt.  x.  22. 
Romans  ii.  24.  1  Tim.  vi.  1.  H  Which 
thou  gavest  me.  God  gave  them  to  him 
in  his  purpose.  He  gave  them  by  his 
providence.  He  so  ordered  aifairs  that 
they  heard  him  preach  and  saw  his/;>. 
miracles ;  and  he  gave  them  by  dis-^ 
posing  them  to  follow  him  when  he 
called  them.  ^  Thine  they  were.  All 
men  are  God's  by  creation  and  by 
preservation,  and  he  has  a  right  to  do 
with  them  as  seemeth  good  in  his 
sight.  These  men  he  chose  to  desig- 
nate to  be  the  apostles  of  the  Saviour; 
and  he  committed  them  to  him  to  be 
taught,  and  then  commissioned  them 
to  carry  his  Gospel,  though  amid  per- 
secutions, to  the  ends  of  the  world. 
God  has  a  right  to  the  services  of  all ; 
and  he  has  a  right  to  appoint  us  to 
any  labor,  however  humble,  or  haz- 
ardous, or  wearisome,  where  we  may 
promote  his  glor}'  and  honor  his  name. 

7.  They  have  knovm.  They  have  been 
taught  that  and  have  believed  it.  TI  Hast 
given  me.  This  refers,  doubtless,  to  the 
'doctrine  of  Christ.  Verse  8.  They  are 
assured  that  all  my  instructions  are 
of  God. 

8.  The  words.  The  doctrines.  Christ 


386 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


the  words  ^  which  thou  gavest  me ; 
and  they  have  received  tJiem^  and 
have  known  surely  that  I  came  out 
from  thee,  and  they  have  believed 
that  thou  didst  send  me. 

9  I  pray  for  them.  I  pray  not  for 
the  world,  *  but  for  them  which 
thou  hast  given  me ;  for  they  are 
thine. 

10  And  all "  mme  are  thine,  and 

a  c.  6.  68  ;  14. 10.  h  1  Jno.  5. 19. 

c  c.  16. 15. 


often  represented  himself  as  instructed 
and  mnt  to  teacli  certain  great  truths 
to  men.  Tliosehe  taught,  and  no  oth- 
ers.   See  Notes  on  John  v.  30. 

9,10.  I  pray  for  them.  In  view  of 
their  dangers  and  trials,  he  sought  the 
protection  and  blessing  of  God  on 
them.  His  prayer  was  always  an- 
swered. H  Not  for  the  ivorld.  The 
term  ivorkl  liere,  as  elsewliere,  refers 
to  wicked,  rebellious,  vicious  men. 
The  meaning  of  this  expression  here 
seems  to  be  this :  Jesus  is  praying  for 
his  disciples.  As  a  7'eason  why  God 
should  bless  them,  he  says  that  they 
were  not  of  the  world;  that  they  had 
been  taken  out  of  the  world;  that 
they  belonged  unto  God.  The  peti- 
tion was  not  offered  for  wicked,  per- 
verse, rebellious  men,  but  for  those 
who  were  the  friends  of  God  and  were 
disposed  to  receive  his  favors.  This 
passage,  then,  settles  nothing  about 
the  question  whether  Christ  prayed 
for  sinners.  He  tlien  prayed  for  his 
disciples,  who  were  not  those  who 
hated  him  and  disregarded  his  favors. 
He  afterward  extended  the  prayer  for 
all  who  should  become  Christians. 
Verse  20.  When  on  the  cross  he 
prayed  for  his  crucifiers  and  murder- 
ers. Luke  xxiii.  34.  H  For  they  are 
thine.  This  is  urged  as  a  reaso7i  why 
God  should  protect  and  guide  them. 
His  honor  was  concerned  in  keeping 
them  ;  and  we  may  always  fill  our 
mouths  with  such  arguments  when  we 
come  before  God,  and  plead  that  his 
honor  will  be  advanced  by  keeping  us 
from  evil,  and  granting  us  all  needful 
grace.  H  I  am  glorified  in  them.  I  am 
honored  by  their  preaching  and  lives. 
The  sense  of  this  passage  is,  "Those 
who  are  my  disciiDles  are  thine.  That 
which  promotes  my  honor  will  also 
promote  thine.  I  pray,  therefore,  that 
they  may  have  needful  grace  to  honor 


thine  are  mine ;  and  I  ^  am  glori- 
fied in  them. 

11  And  now  I  am  no  more  in 
the  world,  but  these  are  in  the 
world,  and  I  come  to  thee.  Holy 
Father,  keep  ^  through  thine  own 
name-^  those  whom  thou  hast  given 
me,  that  they  may  be  one,  as  we  are. 

12  While  I  was  with  them  in  the 
world,  I  kept  them  in  thy  name. 

Gal.  1.24.  1  Pet.  2.  9.  «1  Pet.  1.5.  Judel.24. 

/  Prov.  18. 10. 


my  Gospel,  and  to  proclaim  it  among 
men." 

11. 1  am  no  more  in  the  world.  I  have 
finished  my  work  among  men,  and  am 
about  to  leave  the  world.  See  verse  4. 
T[  These  are  in  the  luorld.  They  will 
be  among  wicked  men  and  malignant 
foes.  They  will  be  subject  to  trials 
and  persecutions.  They  will  7ieed  the 
same  protection  which  I  could  give 
them  if  I  ^vere  with  them.  H  Keep. 
Preserve,  defend,  sustain  them  in  tri- 
als, and  save  them  from  apostasy. 
^  Through  thine  own  name.  Our  trans- 
lators seem  to  have  understood  this 
expression  as  meaning  "keep  by  thy 
power,"  but  this  probably  is  not  its 
meaning.  It  is  literally  "keep  in  thy 
name. ' '  And  if  the  term  name  be  taken 
to  denote  God  himself  and  his  perfec- 
tions (see  Note  on  verse  6),  it  means 
"keep  in  the  knowledge  of  thyself. 
Preserve  them  in  obedience  to  thee 
and  to  thy  cause.  Suffer  them  not  to 
fall  away  from  thee  and  to  become 
apostates."  ^  That  they  may  he  one. 
That  they  may  be  united.  ^  As  we  are. 
This  refers  not  to  a  union  of  nature^ 
but  of  feeling,  plan,  purpose.  Any 
other  union  between  Christians  is  im- 
possible ;  but  a  union  of  affection  is 
what  the  Sa\iour  sought,  and  this  he 
desired  mi^ht  be  so  strong  as  to  be 
an  illustration  of  the  unclianging  love 
between  the  Father  and  the  Son.  See 
verses  21-23. 

12.  Wh  ile  I  was  with  th  em  in  the  world. 
While  I  was  engaged  with  them  among 
other  men— surrounded  by  the  people 
and  the  temptations  of  the  world.  Je- 
sus had  now  finished  his  work  among 
the  men  of  the  world,  and  was  per- 
forming his  last  offices  with  his  disci- 
ples. 1  /  kept  them.  By  my  example, 
instructions,  and  miracles.  I  pre- 
served them  from  apostasy.  1  In  thy 
name.  In  the  knowledge  and  wors^hip 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


387 


those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have 
kept ;  and  none  of  them  is  lost 
but  the  son  of  perdition  ;  that  the 
scripture  "  might  be  fulfilled. 

13  And  now  come  I  to  thee ;  and 
these  things  I  speak  in  the  world, 
that  they  might  have  my  joy  ful- 
filled in  themselves. 

14  I  have  given  them  thy  word ; 
and  *  the  world  hath  hated  them, 

aPsa.  109.8.    Acts  1.20. 

6  c.  15.18,19.  c  Gal.  1.4. 


of  thee.  See  verses  6-11.  ^  Those  that 
thou  gavest  me^  etc.  The  word  "gavest" 
is  evidently  used  by  the  Saviour  to  de- 
note not  only  to  give  to  him  to  be  his 
real  followers,  but  also  as  apostles.  It 
is  here  used,  probably,  in  the  sense  of 
giving  as  apostles.  God  had  so  order- 
ed it  by  his  providence  that  they  had 
been  given  to  him  to  be  his  apostles 
and  followers;  but  the  terms  "thou 
gavest  me"  do  not  of  necessity  prove 
that  they  were  true  believers.  Of  J u- 
das  Jesus  knew  that  he  was  a  deceiver 
and  a  devil.  John  vi.  70:  "Have  not 
I  chosen  you  twelve,  and  one  of  you  is 
a  devil  ?"  Judas  is  there  represented 
as  having  been  chosen  by  the  Saviour 
to  the  apostleship,  and  this  is  equiv- 
alent to  saying  that  he  was  given  to 
him  for  this  work ;  yet  at  the  same 
time  he  knew  his  character,  and  un- 
derstood that  he  had  never  been  re- 
newed. H  None  of  them.  None  of  those 
chosen  to  the  apostolic  ofiice.  ^  But 
the  son  of  perdition.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  i.  1.  The  term  son  was  given  by 
the  Hebrews  to  those  who  possessed 
the  character  described  by  the  word 
or  name  following.  Thus,  sons  of  Be- 
lial— those  who  possessed  his  charac- 
ter ;  children  of  wisdom — those  who 
were  wise.  Matt.  xi.  19.  Thus  Judas 
is  called  a  son  of  perdition  because  he 
had  the  character  of  a  destroyer.  He 
was  a  traitor  and  a  murderer.  And 
this  shows  that  he  who  knew  the 
heart  regarded  his  character  as  that 
of  a  wicked  man — one  whose  appro- 
priate name  was  that  of  a  son  of  per- 
dition. H  That  the  Scripture^  etc.  See 
Notes  on  chap.  xiii.  18.  Compare  Psa. 
xli.  9. 

13.  My  joy  fulfilled^  etc.  See  Notes 
on  chap.  xv.  11.  The  expression  "my 
joy"  here  probably  refers  to  the  joy 
of  the  apostles  respecting  the  Saviour 
—the  joy  which  would  result  from  his 


because  they  are  not  of  the  world, 
wen  as  I  am  not  of  the  world. 

15  I  pray  not  that  thou  should- 
est  take  them  out  of  the  world, 
but  that  thou  shouldest  keep 
them  from  the  evil. 

16  They  are  not  of  the  world, 
even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world. 

17  Sanctify  ^  them  through  thy 
truth ;  thy  ^  word  is  truth. 

Acts  15.  9.  Eph.5.26.  2Thess.2.13. 
e  Psa.  119. 151. 


resurrection,  ascension,  and  interces- 
sion in  heaven. 

14.  I  have  given  them^  etc.  See  verse 
8.  ^  The  world  hath  hated  them.  etc. 
Chap.  XV.  18-21. 

15.  That  thou  shouldest  take  them  out 
of  the  world.  Though  they  were  going 
into  trials  and  persecutions,  yet  Jesus 
did  not  pray  that  they  might  be  re- 
moved soon  from  them.  It  was  bet- 
ter that  the}"  should  endure  them,  and 
thus  spread  abroad  the  knowledge  of 
his  name.  It  would  be  easy  for  God 
to  remove  his  people  at  once  to  heav- 
en, but  it  is  better  for  them  to  remain, 
and  show  the  power  of  religion  in  sup- 
porting the  soul  in  the  midst  of  trial, 
and  to  spread  his  Gospel  among  men. 
1"  Shouldest  keep  them  from  the  evU.  This 
may  mean  either  from  the  evil  one — 
that  is,  the  devil,  or  from  evil  in  gen- 
eral—  that  is,  from  apostasy,  from 
sinking  in  temptation.  Preserve  them 
from  that  evil,  or  give  them  such  grace 
that  they  may  endure  all  trials  and  be 
sustained  amid  them.  See  Notes  on 
Matt.  vi.  13.  It  matters  little  how  long 
we  are  in  this  world  if  we  are  kept  in 
this  manner. 

16.  See  chap.  xv.  19. 

17.  Sanctify  them.  This  word  means 
to  render  pure,  or  to  cleanse  from  sins. 
1  Thess.  V.  23.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Sanctifi- 
cation  in  the  heart  of  a  Christian  is 
progressive.  It  consists  in  his  becom- 
ing more  like  God  and  less  attached 
to  the  world;  in  his  getting  the  as- 
cendency over  evil  thoughts,  and  pas- 
sions, and  impure  desires ;  and  in  his 
becoming  more  and  more  weaned  from 
earthly  objects,  and  attached  to  those 
things  which  are  unseen  and  eternal. 
The  word  also  means  to  consecrate,  to 
set  apart  to  a  holy  office  or  purpose. 
See  verse  19 ;  also  Notes  on  chap.  x. 
36.  When  Jesus  prayed  here  that  God 
would  sanctify  them,  he  probably  in- 


388 


JOHN. 


[A.D.B3. 


18  As  thou  hast  sent  me  into  the 
world,  even  so  have  I  also  sent* 
them  into  the  world. 

19  And  for  their  sakes  I  sancti- 
fy myself,  that  they  also  might  be 
^  sanctified  through  the  truth. 

a  1  Cor.  1.  2, 30.  1  or,  trulf/  sanctified. 


20  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone, 
but  for  them  also  which  shall  be- 
lieve on  me  through  their  word ; 

21  That  they  all  may  be  one  ;  * 
as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I 
in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one 

b  Rom.  12.  5. 


eluded  both  these  ideas,  that  they 
might  be  made  personally  more  holy, 
and  might  be  truly  consecrated  to 
God  as  the  ministers  of  his  religion. 
Ministers  of  the  Gospel  will  be  7rally 
devoted  to  the  service  of  God  just  in 
proportion  as  they  are  personally  pure. 
^  Through  thy  truth.  Truth  is  a  repre- 
sentation of  things  as  they  are.  The 
Saviour  prayed  that  through  those 
just  views  of  God  and  of  themselves 
they  might  be  made  holy.  To  see 
things  as  they  are  is  to  see  God  to  be 
infinitely  lovely  and  pure;  his  com- 
mands to  be  reasonable  and  just; 
heaven  to  be  holy  and  desirable  ;  his 
service  to  be  easy,  and  religion  pleas- 
ant, and  sin  odious ;  to  see  that  life 
is  short,  that  death  is  near;  that  the 
pride,  pomp,  pleasures,  wealth,  and 
honors  of  this  world  are  of  little  val- 
ue, and  that  it  is  of  infinite  importance 
to  be  prepared  to  enter  on  the  eternal 
state  of  being.  He  that  sees  all  this, 
or  that  looks  on  things  as  they  are,  will 
desire  to  be  holy.  He  will  make  it 
his  great  object  to  live  near  to  God 
and  to  glorify  his  name.  In  the  sanc- 
tification  of  the  soul  God  makes  use 
of  all  truth,  or  of  every  thing  fitted  to 
make  a  representation  of  things  as 
they  arc  to  the  mind.  His  Word  states 
that,  and  no  more ;  his  Spirit  and  his 
providence  do  it.  The  earth  and  the 
heavens,  the  seasons,  the  sunshine 
and  the  rain,  are  all  fitted  to  teach  us 
his  goodness  and  power,  and  lead  us 
to  him.  His  daily  mercies  tend  to  the 
same  end,  and  afflictions  have  the 
same  design.  Our  own  sickness  teach- 
es us  that  we  are  soon  to  die.  The 
death  of  a  friend  teaches  us  the  insta- 
bility of  all  earthly  comforts,  and  the 
necessity  of  seeking  better  joys.  All 
these  things  are  fitted  to  make  just 
representations  to  the  mind,  and  thus 
to  sanctify  the  soul.  As  the  Christian 
is  constantly  amid  these  objects,  so  he 
should  be  constantly  growing  in  grace, 
and  daily  and  hourly  gaining  new  and 
deeper  impressions  of  the  great  truths 
of  religion.  H  Thy  word  is  truth.  All 
that  thou  hast  spoken — that  is,  all  that 


is  contained  in  the  Bible.  All  the 
commands  and  promises  of  God ;  his 
representations  of  his  own  character 
and  that  of  man ;  his  account  of  the 
mission  and  death  of  his  Son ;  of  the 
grave,  the  resurrection,  judgment,  and 
eternity,  all  tend  to  represent  thiyigs  as 
they  are,  and  are  thus  fitted  to  sanc- 
tify the  soul.  We  have  here  also  the 
testimony  of  the  Saviour  that  the  rev- 
elation which  God  has  given  is  true. 
All  that  God  has  spoken  is  true,  and 
the  Christian  should  rejoice  and  the 
sinner  should  tremble.  See  Psa.  xix. 
7-14. 

19.  I  sa7ictify  myself.  I  consecrate 
myself  exclusively  to  the  service  of 
God.  The  word  sanctify  does  not  re- 
fer here  to  personal  sanctification,  for 
he  had  no  sin,  but  to  setting  himself 
apart  entirely  to  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion. 1  That  they  also,  etc.  1st.  That 
thc}^  might  have  an  example  of  the 
proper  manner  of  laboring  in  the  min- 
istry, and  might  learn  of  me  hoiv  to 
discharge  its  duties.  Ministers  will 
understand  their  work  best  when  they 
most  faithfully  study  the  example  of 
their  great  model,  the  Son  of  God. 
2d.  That  they  might  be  made  pure  by 
the  effect  of  my  sanctifying  myself— 
that  is,  that  they  might  be  made  pure 
by  the  shedding  of  that  blood  wldch 
cleanses  from  all  sin.  By  this  only  can 
men  be  made  holy;  and  it  was  be- 
cause the  Saviour  so  sanctified  him- 
self, or  set  himself  to  this  work  so  un- 
reservedly as  to  shed  his  own  blood, 
that  any  soul  can  be  made  pure  and 
fit  for  the  kingdom  of  God. 

20,  21.  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone, 
etc.  Not  for  the  apostles  only,  but 
for  all  who  shall  be  converted  under 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  They 
will  all  need  similar  grace  and  be  ex- 
posed to  similar  trials.  It  is  a  matter 
of  unspeakable  joy  that  each  Christian, 
however  humble  or  unknown  to  men 
— however  poor,  unlearned,  or  de- 
spised, can  reflect  that  he  was  re- 
membered in  prayer  by  him  whom  God 
heareth  always.  Wc  value  the  prayers 
of  pious  friends.    How  much  more 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


389 


in  us ;  that  the  world  may  believe 
that  thou  hast, sent  me. 

22  And  *  the  glory  which  thou 
gavest  me  I  have  given  them ;  that 

a  2  Cor.  3. 18. 


should  we  value  this  petition  of  the 
Son  of  God !  To  that  single  prayer 
we  who  are  Christians  owe  infinitely 
more  real  benefits  than  the  world  can 
ever  bestow ;  and  in  the  midst  of  any 
trials  we  may  remember  that  the  Son 
of  God  prayed  for  us,  and  that  the 
prayer  was  assui*edly  heard,  and  will 
be  answered  in  reference  to  all  who 
truly  believe.  ^  All  may  he  one.  May 
be  united  as  brethren.  Christians  are 
all  redeemed  by  the  same  blood,  and 
are  going  to  the  same  heaven.  They 
have  the  same  wants,  the  same  ene- 
mies, the  same  joys.  Though  they 
are  divided  into  diff'erent  denomina- 
tions, yet  they  will  meet  at  last  in 
the  same  abodes  of  glory.  Hence  they 
should  feel  that  they  belong  to  th« 
same  family,  and  are  children  of  the 
same  God  and  Father.  There  are  no 
ties  so  tender  as  those  which  bind  us 
in  the  Gospel.  There  is  no  friendship 
so  pure  and  enduring  as  that  which 
results  from  having  the  same  attach- 
ment to  the  Lord  Jesus.  Hence  Chris- 
tians, in  the  New  Testament,  are  rep- 
resented as  being  indissolubly  united 
— parts  of  the  same  body,  and  mem.- 
bers  of  the  same  family.  Acts  iv.  32- 
35.  1  Cor.  xii.  4-31.  Eph.  ii.  20-22. 
Rom.  xii.  5.  On  the  ground  of  this 
union  they  are  exhorted  to  love  one 
another,  to  bear  one  another's  bur- 
dens, and  to  study  the  things  that 
make  for  peace,  and  things  therewith 
one  may  edify  another.  Eph.  iv.  3. 
Rom.  xii.  5-16.  1[  As  thou^  Father^  art 
in  me.  See  chap.  xiv.  10.  This  does 
not  affirm  that  the  union  between 
Christians  should  be  in  all  respects  like 
that  between  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
but  only  in  the  points  in  which  they 
are  capable  of  being  compared.  It  is  not 
the  union  of  nature  which  is  referred 
to,  but  the  union  of  plan,  of  counsel, 
of  purpose — seeking  the  same  objects, 
and  manifesting  attachment  to  the 
same  things,  and  a  desire  to  promote 
the  same  ends.  H  That  they  also  may 
be  one  in  us.  To  be  in  God  and  in 
Christ  is  to  be  united  to  God  and 
Christ.  The  expression  is  common 
in  the  New  Testament.  The  phrase 
here  used  denotes  a  union  among  all 


they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are 
one ; 

23  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me, 
that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in 


Christians  founded  on.  and  resulting 
from  a  union  to  the  same  God  and  Sa- 
viour. ^  That  the  world  may  believe^ 
etc.  That  the  world,  so  full  of  ani- 
mosities and  fightings,  may  see  the 
power  of  Christian  principle  in  over- 
coming the  sources  of  contention  and 
producing  love,  and  may  thus  see  that 
a  religion  that  could  produce  this 
must  be  from  heaven.  See  Notes  on 
chap.  xiii.  34.  This  was  done.  Such 
was  the  attachment  of  the  early  Chris- 
tians to  each  other,  that  a  heathen 
was  constrained  to  say,  "See  how 
these  Christians  love  one  another." 

22.  And  the  glory^  etc.  The  honor 
which  thou  hast  conferred  on  7ne  by 
admitting  me  to  union  with  thee,  the 
same  honor  I  have  conferred  on  them 
by  admitting  them  to  like  uniori  with 
me.  ^  May  be  07ie,  even  as  ive  are  one. 
Not  in  nature^  or  in  the  mode  of  ex- 
istence— for  this  was  not  the  subject 
of  discourse,  and  would  be  impossible 
— but  in  feeling,  in  principle,  in  pur- 
pose. Evincing,  as  the  Father  and 
the  Son  had  always  done,  the  same 
great  aim  and  plan  ;  not  pursuing  dif- 
ferent interests,  or  counteracting  each 
other's  purposes,  or  forming  parties, 
but  seeking  the  same  ends  by  the  same 
means.  This  is  the  union  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son.  Always,  in  the 
creation,  preservation,  and  redemp- 
tion of  the  world,  the  Father  and  the 
Son  have  sought  the  same  object,  and 
this  is  to  be  the  model  on  which 
Christians  should  act. 

23.  May  be  made  perfect  in  one.  That 
their  union  may  be  complete.  That 
there  may  be  no  jars,  discords,  or  con- 
tentions. A  machine  is  perfect  or 
complete  when  it  has  all  its  parts  and 
is  in  good  order  —  when  there  is  no 
portion  of  it  wanting.  So  the  union 
of  Christians,  for  which  the  Saviour 
prayed,  would  be  complete  or  perfect 
if  there  were  no  controversies,  no  en- 
vyings,  no  contentions,  and  no  heart- 
burnings and  jealousies.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  here  how  entirelj^  the  union 
of  his  people  occupied  the  mind  of  Je- 
sus as  he  drew  near  to  death.  He  saw 
the  danger  of  strifes  and  contentions 
in  the  Church.    He  knew  the  imper- 


390 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


one ;  and  that  the  world  may  know 
that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  hast 
loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me. 

24  Father,  I  will  that  they  also 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  be with 
me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  be- 
hold my  glory  which  thou  hast 
given  me ;  for  thou  lovedst  me  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  world. 

a  1  Thess.4. 17. 


fections  of  even  the  best  of  men.  He- 
saw  how  prone  they  would  be  to  pas- 
sion and  ambition ;  how  ready  to  mis- 
take love  of  sect  or  party  for  zeal  for 
pure  religion ;  how  selfish  and  world- 
ly men  in  the  Church  might  divide  his 
followers,  and  produce  unholy  feeling 
and  contention ;  and  he  saw,  also,  how 
much  this  would  do  to  dishonor  relig- 
ion. Hence  he  took  occasion,  when 
he  was  about  to  die,  to  impress  the 
importance  of  union  on  his  disciples. 
By  solemn  admonition,  and  by  most 
tender  and  affecting  appeals  to  God  in 
supplication,  he  showed  Ms  sense  of 
the  value  of  this  union.  He  used  the 
most  sublime  and  impressive  illustra- 
tion ;  he  adverted  to  the  eternal  union 
between  the  Father  and  himself;  he 
reminded  them  of  his  love,  and  of  the 
effect  that  their  union  would  have  on 
the  world,  to  fix  it  more  deeply  in 
their  hearts.  The  eff'ect  has  shown 
the  infinite  wisdom  of  the  Saviour. 
The  contentions  and  strifes  of  Chris- 
tians have  shown  his  knowledge  in 
foreseeing  it.  The  effect  of  all  this  on 
religion  has  shown  that  he  understood 
the  value  of  union.  Christians  have 
contended  long  enough.  It  is  time 
that  they  should  hear  the  parting  ad- 
monitions of  their  Redeemer,  and  go 
unitedly  against  their  common  foe. 
The  world  still  lies  in  wickedness ;  and 
the  friends  of  Jesus,  bound  by  the 
cords  of  eternal  love,  should  advance 
together  against  the  common  enemy, 
and  spread  the  triumphs  of  the  Gos- 
pel around  the  globe.  All  that  is  need- 
ful now,  under  the  blessing  of  God,  to 
convince  the  world  that  God  sent  the 
Lord  Jesus^  is  that  very  union  among  all 
Christians  for  which  he  prayed;  and 
when  that  union  of  feeling,  and  pur- 
pose, and  action  shall  take  place,  the 
task  of  sending  the  Gospel  to  all  na- 
tions will  be  soon  accomplished,  and 
the  morning  of  the  millennial  glory 
will  dawn  upon  the  world. 


25  O  righteous  Father,  the  world 
hath  not  known  thee ;  but  I  have 
known  thee,  and  these  have  known 
that  thou  hast  sent  me. 

26  And  I  have  declared  unto 
them  thy  name,  and  will  declare  it; 
that  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast 
loved  me  may  be  in  them,  and  I 
in  them. 


24.  I  will.  This  expression,  though 
it  commonly  denotes  command^  is  here 
only  expressive  of  desire.  It  is  used 
in  prayer.,  and  it  was  not  the  custom 
of  the  Saviour  to  use  language  oi  com- 
mand when  addressing  God.  It  is  oft- 
en used  to  express  strong  and  earnest 
desire,  or  a  pressing  and  importunate 
wish^  such  as  we  are  exceedingly  anx- 
ious should  not  be  denied.  Mark 
vi.  25 ;  x.  35.    Matt.  xii.  38 ;  xv.  28. 

Where  I  am.  In  heaven.  The  Son 
of  God  was  still  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Father.  John  i.  18.  See  Notes  on 
John  vii.  34.  Probably  the  expression 
here  means  where  /  shall  he.  H  My 
glory.  My  honor  and  dignity  when 
exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  God. 
The  word  "behold'^implies  more  than 
simply  seeing  \  it  means  also  to  par- 
ticipate^ to  e7ijoy.  See  Notes  on  chap, 
iii.  3.  Matt.  v.  8.  H  Thou  lovedst  me., 
etc.  This  is  another  of  the  numerous 
passages  which  prove  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  existed  before  the  creation  of 
the  world.  It  is  not  possible  to  ex- 
plain it  on  any  other  supposition. 

25.  Hath  not  known  thee.  See  Notes 
on  verse  ^. 

26.  Thy  name.  See  Notes  on  verse  6. 
If  And  will  declare  it.  After  my  resur- 
rection, and  by  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Luke  xxiv.  45.  Acts  i.  3. 
K  I  in  them.  By  my  doctrines  and  the 
influences  of  my  Spirit.  That  my  re- 
ligion may  show  its  power,  and  pro- 
duce its  proper  fruits  in  their  minds. 
Gal.  iv.  19. 

The  discourse  in  the  xivth,  xvth, 
and  xvith  chapters  is  the  most  tender 
and  sublime  that  was  ever  pronounced 
in  our  world.  No  composition  can  be 
found  any  where  so  fitted  to  sustain 
the  soul  in  trial  or  to  support  it  in 
death.  This  sublime  and  beautiful 
discourse  is  appropriately  closed  by  a 
solemn  and  most  affecting  prayer— a 
prayer  at  once  expressive  of  the  pro- 
foundest  reverence  for  God  and  the 


A.D.33.]  CHAPTER  XVIII. 


391 


CHAPTER  XYIII. 

WHEN  Jesus  had  spoken  these 
words,  he  went  forth  with 
his  disciples  over  the  brook  Ce- 
dron,  ^  where  was  a  garden,  into  the 
which  he  entered,  and  his  disciples. 

2  -And  Judas  also,  which  betray- 
ed him,  knew  the  place ;  for  Jesus 
ofttimes  resorted  thither  with  his 
disciples. 

3  Judas  *  then,  having  received 
a  band  of  mm  and  officers  from 

a  2  Sam.  15.23. 

h  Matt.  26. 47,  etc.   Mar.  14. 43,  etc.  Lii.  22. 47,  etc. 


the  chief  priests  and  Pharisees, 
Cometh  thither  with  lanterns,  and 
torches,  and  weapons. 

4  Jesus  therefore,  knoTifJ^  ^  all 
things  that  should  come  upon  him, 
went  forth,  and  said  unto  them, 
Whom  seek  ye  ? 

5  They  answered  him,  Jesus  of 
^  Nazareth.  Jesus  saith  unto  them, 
I  am  lie.  And  Judas  also,  which 
betrayed  him,  stood  with  them. 

6  As  soon,  then,  as  he  had  said 


tenderest  love  for  men — simple,  grave, 
tender,  sublime,  and  full  of  consola- 
tion. It  is  the  model  for  our  prayers, 
and  with  like  reverence,  faith,  and  love 
we  should  come  before  God.  This 
prayer  for  the  Church  will  j^et  be  fully 
answered;  and  he  who  loves  the 
Church  and  the  world  can  not  but  cast 
his  eyes  onward  to  that  time  when  all 
believers  shall  be  one ;  w^hen  conten- 
tions, bigotry,  strife,  and  anger  shall 
cease ;  and  when,  in  perpetual  union 
and  love,  Christians  shall  show  forth 
the  power  and  purity  of  that  holy 
Gospel  with  which  tlie  Saviour  came 
to  bless  mankind.  Soon  may  that 
happy  day  arise ! 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

1.  The  hrooTc  Cedron.  This  was  a 
small  stream  that  flowed  to  the  east 
of  Jerusalem,  through  the  valley  of 
Jehoshaphat,  and  divided  the  city 
from  the  Mount  of  Olives.  It  was 
also  called  Kidron  and  Kedron.  In 
summer  it  is  almost  dry.  The  word 
used  here  by  the  evangelist— x£iM«/opov 
— denotes  properly  a  water-stream 
(from  x^'^M",  shower  OY  water ^  and  /otw, 
poos,  to  jlow^  flowing)^  and  the  idea  is 
that  of  a  stream  that  was  swollen  by 
rain  or  by  the  melting  of  the  snow. — 
Passow^  Lex.  This  small  rivulet  runs 
along  on  the  east  of  Jerusalem  till  it 
is  joined  by  the  water  of  the  pool  of 
Siloam,  and  the  water  that  flows  down 
on  the  west  side  of  the  city  through 
the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  and  then 
goes  off  in  a  southeast  direction  to 
the  Dead  Sea.  (See  the  map  of  Jeru- 
salem in  vol.  i.)  Over  this  brook  Da- 
vid passed  when  he  fled  from  Absa- 
lom. 2  Sam.  XV.  23.  It  is  often  men- 
tioned in  the  Old  Testament.  1  Kings 
XV.  13.   2  Chron.  XV.  16;  XXX.  14.  2 


Kings  xxiii.  6, 12.  Where  was  a  gar- 
den.  On  the  west  side  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  This  was  called  Gethsemane. 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  36.  It  is 
probable  that  this  was  the  property 
of  some  wealthy  man  in  Jerusalem — 
perhaps  some  friend  of  the  Saviour. 
It  was  customary  for  the  rich  in  great 
cities  to  have  country-seats  in  the  vi- 
cinity. This,  it  seems,  was  so  access- 
ible that  Jesus  was  accustomed  to  vis- 
it it,  and  yet  so  retired  as  to  be  a  suit- 
able place  for  devotion. 

2.  Jesus  ofttimes  resorted  thither.  For 
what  purpose  he  went  there  is  not  de- 
clared, but  it  is  probable  that  it  was 
for  retirement  and  prayer.  He  had 
no  home  in  the  city,  and  he  sought 
this  place,  away  from  the  bustle  and 
confusion  of  the  capital,  for  private 
communion  with  God.  Every  Chris- 
tian should  have  some  place — be  it  a 
grove,  a  room,  or  a  garden — where  he 
may  be  alone  and  offer  his  devotions 
to  God.  We  are  not  told  much  of  the 
private  habits  of  Jesus,  but  we  are 
permitted  to  know  so  much  of  him  as 
to  be  assured  that  he  was  accustomed 
to  seek  for  a  place  of  retirement,  and 
during  the  great  feasts  of  the  Jews 
the  Mount  of  Olives  was  the  place 
which  he  chose.  Luke  xxi.  37.  Matt, 
xxi.  17.  John  viii.  1. 

3.  A  hand.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi. 
47 ;  xxvii.  27.  John  passes  over  the 
agony  of  Jesus  in  the  garden,  proba- 
bly because  it  was  so  fully  described 
by  the  other  evangelists.  ^  Lanterns^ 
etc.  This  was  the  time  of  the  full 
moon,  but  it  might  have  been  cloudy, 
and  their  taking  lights  with  them 
shows  their  determination  to  find 
him. 

6.  They  went  backward^eic.  The  cause 
of  their  retiring  in  this  manner  is  not 


392 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33, 


unto  them  I  am  he^  they  went 
backward  and  fell  to  the  ground. 

7  Then  asked  he  them  again, 
Triiiiiil^ii  1 1  ye ?  And  they  said, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

8  Jesus  answered,  I  have  told  you 
that  I  am  Tie;  if,  therefore,  ye  seek 
me,  *  let  these  go  their  way ; 

9  That  the  saying  might  be  ful- 
filled which  he  spake,  «  Of  them 
which  thou  gavest  me  have  I  lost 
none. 

10  Then  ^  Simon  Peter,  having 
a  sword,  drew  it,  and  smote  the 
high-priest's  servant,  and  cut  off 
his  right  ear.  The  servant's  name 
was  Malchus. 

a  Psa.  27.  2 ;  40. 14.  h  Isa.  53.  6.  Eph.  5.  25. 

CC.17.  12.  <^  Matt.  26.  51.  Mar.  14.47.  Lu.  22. 49, 50. 
e  Matt.  20.  22  ;  26.  39,  42.  /  Lu.  3.  2. 


mentioned.  Various  things  might 
have  produced  it.  The  frank,  open, 
and  fearless  manner  in  which  Jesus 
addressed  them  may  have  convinced 
them  of  his  innocence,  and  deterred 
them  from  prosecuting*  their  wicked 
attempt.  His  disclosure  of  himself 
was  sudden  and  unexpected ;  and  while 
they  perhaps  anticipated  that  he  would 
make  an  effort  to  escape,  they  were 
amazed  at  his  open  and  bold  profes- 
sion. Their  consciences  reproved 
them  for  their  crimes,  and  probably 
the  firm,  decided,  and  yet  mild  man- 
ner in  which  Jesus  addressed  them, 
the  expression  of  his  unequaled  pow- 
er in  knowing  how  to  find  the  way  to 
the  consciences  of  men,  made  them 
feel  that  they  were  in  the  presence  of 
more  than  mortal  man.  There  is  no 
proof  that  there  was  here  any  miracu- 
lous power,  any  mere  physical  force, 
and  to  suppose  that  there  was  greatly 
detracts  from  the  moral  sublimity  of 
the  scene. 

8.  Let  these  go  their  way.  These 
apostles.  This  shows  his  care  and 
love  even  in  the  hour  of  danger.  He 
expected  to  die.  They  were  to  carry 
the  news  of  his  death  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth.  Hence  he,  the  faithful  Cap- 
tain of  salvation,  went  foremost  into 
trials ;  he,  the  good  Shepherd,  secured 
the  safety  of  the  flock,  and  went  be- 
fore them  into  danger.  By  the  ques- 
tion which  he  asked  those  who  came 
out  against  him,  he  had  secured  the 
safety  of  his  apostles.    He  was  an- 


11 Then  said  Jesus  unto  Peter, 
Put  up  thy  sword  into  the  sheath. 
The  cup  ^  which  my  Father  hath 
given  me,  shall  I  not  drink  it  ? 

12  Then  the  band,  and  the  cap- 
tain, and  officers  of  the  Jews  took 
Jesus,  and  bound  him, 

13  And  led  him  away  to  Annas 
f  first ;  for  he  was  father-in-law  to 
Caiaphas,  which  was  the  high- 
priest  that  same  ^  year. 

14  Now  Caiaphas  was  he  which 
gave  counsel  ^  to  the  Jews  that  it 
was  expedient  that  one  man  should 
die  for  the  people. 

15  And  *  Simon  Peter  followed 
J esus,  and  so  did  another  disciple. 

1  And  Annas  sent  Christ  bound  unto  Caiaphas,  the 
high-priest.  g  c.W.  49, 50. 

h  Matt.  26.  58,  etc.  Mar.  14.  54.  Lu.  22.  54. 


swered  that  they  sought  for  him.  He 
demanded  that,  agreeably  to  their  dec- 
laration, they  should  take  him  only, 
and  leave  his  followers  at  liberty. 
The  wisdom,  caution,  and  prudence 
of  Jesus  forsook  him  in  no  peril,  how- 
ever sudden,  and  in  no  circumstances, 
however  difficult  or  trying. 

9.  The  sayi7ig.  Cliap.  xvii.  12.  As  he 
had  kept  them  for  more  than  three 
years,  so  he  still  sought  their  welfare, 
even  when  his  death  was  near. 

10, 11.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  51, 
52.  1[  The  servanVs  name  was  Malchus. 
His  name  is  mentioned  by  neither  of 
the  other  evangelists,  nor  is  it  said  by 
the  other  evangelists  who  was  the  dis- 
ciple that  gave  the  blow.  It  is  prob- 
able that  both  Peter  and  the  servant 
were  alive  when  the  other  gospels 
were  written. 

12.  See  Matt.  xxvi.  50. 

13.  To  Annas  first.  Probably  his 
house  was  nearest  to  them,  and  he 
had  great  authority  and  influence  in 
the  Jewish  nation.  He  had  been  him- 
self a  long  time  high-priest ;  he  had 
had  five  sons  who  had  successively 
enjoyed  the  office  of  high-priest,  and 
that  office  was  now  filled  by  his  son- 
in  law.  It  was  of  importance,  there- 
fore, to  obtain  his  sanction  and  coun- 
sel in  their  work  of  evil.  If  That  same 
year.    Chap.  xi.  49. 

14.  Which  gave  counsel^  etc.  Chap, 
xi.  49,  50.  This  is  referred  to  here, 
probably,  to  show  how  little  prospect 
there  was  that  Jesus  would  have  jus- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


393 


That  disciple  was  known  unto  the 
high-priest,  and  went  in  with  Je- 
sus into  the  palace  of  the  high- 
priest. 

16  But  Peter  stood  at  the  door 
without.  Then  went  out  that  oth- 
er disciple,  which  was  known  unto 
the  high  -  priest,  end  spake  unto 
her  that  kept  the  door,  and  brought 
in  Peter. 

17  Then  saith  the  damsel  that 
kept  the  door  unto  Peter,  Art  not 
thou  also  one  of  this  man's  disci- 
ples ?    He  saith,  I  am  not. 

18  And  the  servants  and  officers 

a  Lu.4.15.    c.  7. 14,  26, 28  ;  8.2. 

tice  done  him  in  the  hands  of  a  man 
who  had  already  pronounced  on  the 
case. 

15-18.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  57, 
58.  \  Another  disciple.  Not  improba- 
bly J ohn.  Some  critics,  however,  have 
supposed  that  tliis  disciple  was  one 
who  dwelt  at  Jerusalem,  and  who,  not 
being  a  Galilean,  could  enter  the  pal- 
ace without  suspicion.  John,  howev- 
er, mentions  the  circumstance  of  his 
being  known  to  them,  to  show  why  it 
was  that  he  was  not  questioned  as 
Peter  was.  It  is  not  probable  that 
any  danger  resulted  from  its  being 
known  that  he  was  a  follower  of  Je- 
sus, or  that  any  harm  was  meditated 
on  thmi  for  this.  The  questions  asked 
Feter  were  not  asked  by  those  in  au- 
thority, and  his  apprehensions  which 
led  to  his  denial  were  groundless. 

19,  The  high-priest  then  asked  Jesus  of 
his  discij^les.  To  ascertain  their  num- 
ber and  power.  The  charge  on  which 
they  wished  to  arraign  him  was  that 
of  sedition,  or  of  rebellion  against 
Caesar.  To  make  that  plausible,  it 
was  necessary  to  show  that  he  had 
made  so  many  disciples  as  to  form  a 
strong  and  dangerous  faction ;  but,  as 
they  had  no  direct  proof  of  that,  the 
high -priest  insidiously  and  improper- 
ly attempted  to  draw  the  Saviour  into 
a  confession.  Of  this  he  was  aware, 
and  referred  him  to  the  proper  source 
of  evidence — his  open,  undisguised 
conduct  before  the  world.  ^  His  doc- 
trine. His  teaching.  The  sentiments 
that  he  inculcated.  The  object  was 
doubtless  to  convict  him  of  teaching 
sentiments  that  tended  to  subvert  the 
Mosaic  institutions,  or  that  were  trea- 
R  2 


stood  there,  who  had  made  a  fire 
of  coals,  for  it  was  cold  ;  and  they 
warmed  th  emselves ;  and  Peter 
stood  with  them  and  warmed 
himself. 

19  The  high -priest  then  asked 
Jesus  of  his  disciples  and  of  his 
doctrine. 

20  Jesus  answered  him,  I  spake 
^  openly  to  the  world :  I  ever  taught 
in  the  synagogue,  and  in  the  tem- 
ple, whither  the  Jews  always  re- 
sort ;  and  *  in  secret  have  I  said 
nothing. 

21  Why  askest  thou  me  ?  Ask 

b  Acts  26.  26. 

sonable  against  the  Roman  govern- 
ment. Either  would  have  answered 
the  design  of  the  Jews,  and  they 
doubtless  expected  that  he  —  an  un- 
armed and  despised  Galilean*  now 
completely  in  their  power — would  ea- 
sily be  drawn  into  confessions  which 
art  and  malice  could  use  to  procure 
his  condemnation. 

20.  Openly  to  the  world.  If  his  doc- 
trine had  tended  to  excite  sedition 
and  tumult,  if  he  had  aimed  to  over- 
throw the  government,  he  would  have 
trained  his  friends  in  secret ;  he  would 
have  retired  from  public  view,  and 
would  have  laid  his  plans  in  private. 
This  is  the  case  with  all  who  attempt 
to  subvert  existing  establishments. 
Instead  of  that,  he  had  proclaimed 
his  views  to  all.  He  had  done  it  in 
every  place  of  public  concourse — in 
the  synagogue  and  in  the  temple.  He 
here  speaks  the  language  of  one  con- 
scious of  innocence  and  determined  to 
insist  on  his  rights.  If  Ahvays  resort. 
Constantly  assemble.  They  were  re- 
quired to  assemble  there  three  times 
in  a  year,  and  great  multitudes  were 
there  constantly.  ^  In  secret^  etc.  He 
had  taught  no  private  or  concealed 
doctrine.  He  had  taught  nothing  to 
his  disciples  which  he  had  not  himself 
taught  in  public  and  commanded 
them  to  do.   Matt.  x.  27.  Luke  xii.  3. 

21.  Why  askest  thou  me?  Ask  them., 
etc.  J esus  here  insisted  on  his  rights^ 
and  reproves  the  high-priest  for  his 
unjust  and  illegal  manner  of  extorting 
a  confession  from  him.  If  he  had  done 
wrong,  or  taught  erroneous  and  sedi- 
tious doctrines,  it  was  easy  to  prove  it, 
and  the  course  which  he  had  a  right 


394 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


them  which  heard  me  what  I  have 
said  unto  them;  behold,  they  know 
what  I  said. 

22  And  when  he  had  thus  spo- 
ken, one  of  the  officers  which  stood 
by  struck  "  Jesus  ^  with  the  palm 
of  his  hand,  saying,  Answerest 
thou  the  high-priest  so  ? 

23  Jesus  answered  him.  If  I  have 
spoken  evil,  bear  witness  of  the 
evil ;  but  *  if  well,  why  smitest 
thou  me  ? 

24  Now  ^  Annas  had  sent  him 
bound  unto  Caiaphas  the  high- 
priest. 

a  Job  16. 10.   Jer.20.2.   Acts  23.  2, 3. 

1  or,  ^vUh  a  rod.  b  1  Pet.  2. 19-23. 

2  See  ver.  13. 


to  demand  was  that  they  should  es- 
tablish the  charge  by  fair  and  incon- 
trovertible evidence.  We  may  here 
learn,  1st.  That,  though  Jesus  was 
willing  to  be  reviled  and  persecuted, 
yet  he  also  insisted  i\\dit  justice  should 
he  done  him.  2d.  He  was  conscious 
of  innocence,  and  he  had  been  so  open 
in  his  conduct  that  he  could  appeal  to 
the  vast  multitudes  which  had  heard 
him  as  witnesses  in  his  favor.  3d.  It 
is  proper  for  us,,  when  persecuted  and 
reviled,  meekly  but  firmly  to  insist  on 
our  rights,  and  to  demand  that  justice 
shall  be  done  us.  Laws  are  made  to 
protect  the  innocent  as  well  as  to  con- 
demn the  guilty.  4th.  Christians,  like 
their  Saviour,  should  so  live  that  they 
may  confidently  appeal  to  all  who 
have  known  them  as  witnesses  of  the 
sincerity,  purity,  and  rectitude  of 
their  lives.  1  Peter  iv.  13-16. 

23.  One  of  the  officers.  One  of  the 
inferior  officers,  or  those  who  attend- 
ed on  the  court.  T[  With  the  palm  of 
his  hand.  This  may  mean,  "  Gave  him 
a  blow  either  with  the  open  hand  or 
with  a  rod" — the  Greek  does  not  de- 
termine which.  In  whatever  way  it 
was  done,  it  was  a  violation  of  all  law 
and  justice.  Jesus  had  showed  no 
disrespect  for  the  office  of  the  high- 
priest,  and  if  he  had,  this  was  not  the 
proper  way  to  punish  it.  The  Syriac 
reads  thus:  "Smote  the  c?ieek  of  Je- 
sus." The  Vulgate  and  Arabic:  "Gave 
him  a  blow." 

23.  Spoken  evil.  In  my  answer  to  the 
high-priest.  If  there  was  any  disre- 
spect to  the  office,  and  want  of  regard 
for  the  law  which  appointed  him,  then 


25  And  Simon  Peter  stood  and 
warmed  himself.  They  said,  there- 
fore, unto  him.  Art  not  thou  also 
one  of  his  disciples?  He  denied 
it^  and  said,  I  am  not. 

26  One  of  the  servants  of  the 
high -priest,  being  his  kinsman 
whose  ear  Peter  cut  off,  saith,  Did 
not  I  see  thee  in  the  garden  with  . 
him? 

27  Peter  then  denied  again ;  and 
^  immediately  the  cock  crew. 

28  Then  led  ^  they  Jesus  from 
Caiaphas  unto  ^  the  hall  of  judg- 
ment ;  and  it  was  early ;  and  they 

c  Matt.  26.  74.  Mar,  14.  72.  Lu.  22.  60.  c.  13. 38. 
d  Matt.  27.  2,  etc.  Mar.  15. 1,  etc.  Lu.  23. 1,  etc. 

3  or,  Pilate^ s  house. 

testify  to  the  fact,  and  let  punishment 
be  inflicted  according  to  the  law. 
Compare  Exod.  xxii.  28.  If  But  if  well., 
etc.  While  an  accused  person  is  on 
trial  he  is  under  the  protection  of  the 
court,  and  has  a  right  to  demand  that 
all  legal  measures  shall  be  taken  to  se- 
cure his  rights.  On  this  right  Jesus 
insisted,  and  thus  showed  that,  though 
he  had  no  disposition  to  take  revenge, 
yet  he  claimed  that,  when  arraigned, 
strict  justice  should  be  done.  This 
shows  that  his  precept  that  when  we 
are  smitten  07i  one  cheek  we  should  turn 
the  other  (Matt.  v.  39),  is  consistent 
with  a  firm  demand  that  justice^hould 
be  done  us.  That  precept  refers,  be- 
sides, rather  io  private  matters  than  to 
judicial  proceedings.  It  does  not  de- 
mand that,  when  we  are  unjustly  ar- 
raigned or  assaulted,  and  when  the 
law  is  in  our  favor,  we  should  sacrifice 
our  rights  to  the  malignant  accuser. 
Such  a  surrender  would  be  injustice 
to  the  law  and  to  the  community,  and 
be  giving  legal  triumph  to  the  wicked, 
and  destroying  the  veiy  end  of  all  law. 
In  private  matters  this  eff'ect  would 
not  follow,  and  we  should  there  bear 
injuries  without  reviling  or  seeking 
for  vengeance. 

24.  Compare  verse  13  with  Matt, 
xxvi.  57. 

25,  26.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  72- 
74. 

28.  See  Matt,  xxvii.  1,  2.  If  Hall  of 
judgment.  The  prcetorium — the  same 
word  that  in  Matt,  xxvii.  27,  is  trans- 
lated common  hall.  See  Notes  on  that 

glace.  It  was  the  place  where  the 
Oman  proetoVy  or  governor,  heard  and 


A.D.  m.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


395 


themselves  went  not  into  the  judg- 
ment-hall, lest  *  they  should  be  de- 
filed, but  that  they  might  eat  the 
passover. 

29  Pilate  then  went  out  unto 
them,  and  said.  What  accusation 
bring  ye  against  this  man  ? 

a  Acts  10.  28. 

decided  cases  brought  before  him.  Je- 
sus had  been  condemned  by  the  San- 
hedrim, and  pronounced  guilty  of 
death  (Matt.  xxvi.  66) ;  but  they  had 
not  power  to  carry  their  sentence  into 
execution  (verse  31),  and  they  there- 
fore sought  that  he  might  be  con- 
demned and  executed  by  Pilate.  H  Lest 
they  should  be  defiled.  They  considered 
the  touch  of  a  Gentile  to  be  a  defile- 
ment, and  on  this  occasion,  at  least, 
seemed  to  regard  it  as  a  pollution  to 
enter  the  hoicse  of  a  Gentile.  They 
took  care,  therefore,  to  guard  them- 
selves against  what  they  considered 
ceremonial  pollution,  while  they  were 
wholly  unconcerned  at  the  enormous 
crime  of  putting  the  innocent  Saviour 
to  death,  and  imbruing  their  hands  in 
their  Messiah' s  blood.  Probably  there 
is  not  any  where  to  be  found  among 
men  another  such  instance  of  petty 
regard  to  the  mere  ceremonies  of  the 
law  and  attempting  to  keep  from  pol- 
lution, at  tfie  sanie  time  that  their 
hearts  were  filled  with  malice,  and 
they  were  meditating  the  most  enor- 
mous of  all  crimes.  But  it  shows  us 
how  much  more  concerned  men  will 
be  at  the  violation  of  the  mere  forms 
and  ceremon  ies  of  religion  than  at  real 
crime,  and  how  they  endeavor  to  keep 
their  consciences  at  ease  amid  their 
deeds  of  wickedness  by  the  observance 
of  sope  of  the  outward  ceremonies  of 
religion — by  mere  sanctimoniousness. 
If  That  they  might  eat  the  passover.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  xxvi.  2, 17.  This  de- 
filement, produced  by  contact  with  a 
Gentile^  they  considered  as  equivalent 
to  that  of  the  contact  of  a  dead  body 
(Lev.  xxii.  4-6.  Num.  v.  2),  and  as  dis- 
qualifying them  to  partake  of  the  pass- 
over  in  a  proper  manner.  The  word 
translated  passover  means  properly  the 
paschal  lamb  which  was  slain  and  eat- 
en on  the  observance  of  this  feast. 
This  rite  Jesus  had  observed  with  his 
disciples  the  day  before  this.  It  has 
been  supposed  by  many  that  he  aoitici- 
pated  the  usual  time  of  observing  it 
one  day,  and  was  crucified  on  the  day 


30  They  answered  and  said  unto 
him.  If  he  were  not  a  malefactor, 
we  would  not  have  delivered  him 
up  unto  thee. 

31  Then  said  Pilate  unto  them, 
Take  ye  him,  and  judge  him  ac- 
cording to  your  law.    The  Jews 


on  which  the  Jews  observed  it ;  but 
this  opinion  is  improbable.  The  very 
day  of  keeping  the  ordinance  was  spec- 
ified in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  it  is  not 
probable  that  the  Saviour  departed 
from  the  commandment.  All  the  cir- 
cumstances, also,  lead  us  to  suppose 
that  he  observed  it  at  the  usual  time 
and  manner.  Matt.  xxvi.  17, 19.  The 
only  passage  which  has  led  to  a  con- 
trary opinion  is  this  in  John ;  but  here 
the  word  passover  does  not,  of  necessi- 
ty, mean  the  2^(ischal  lamb.  It  proba- 
bly refers  to  the  feast  which  followed 
the  sacrifice  of  the  lamb,  and  which 
continued  seven  days.  Compare  Num. 
xxviii.  16, 17.  The  whole  feast  was  call- 
ed the  Passover,  and  they  were  unwill- 
ing to  defile  themselves,  even  though 
the  paschal  lamb  had  been  killed,  be- 
cause it  would  disqualify  them  for 
participating  in  the  remainder  of  the 
ceremonies. — Lightfoot. 

30.  If  he  ivere  not  a  malefactor.  A 
violator  of  the  law.  If  we  had  not 
determmed  that  he  was  such,  and  was 
worthy  of  death.  Matt.  xxvi.  66.  From 
this  it  appears  that  they  did  not  deliv- 
er him  up  to  be  tried^'hwi  hoped  that 
Pilate  would  at  ooice  give  sentence  that 
he  should  be  executed  according 
their  request.  It  is  probable  that  in 
ordinary  cases  the  Roman  governor 
was  not  accustomed  to  make  very 
strict  inquiry  into  the  justice  of  the 
sentence.  The  J ewish  Sanhedrim  tried 
causes  and  pronounced  sentence,  and 
the  sentence  was  usually  approved  by 
the  governor;  but  in  this  case  Pilate, 
evidently  contrary  to  their  expecta- 
tions, proceeded  himself  to  re-hear  and 
re-try  the  cause.  He  had  doubtless 
heard  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus.  He 
seems  to  have  been  strongly  prepos- 
sessed with  the  belief  of  his  innocence. 
He  knew  that  thej^  had  delivered  him 
from  mere  envy  (Matt,  xxvii.  18),  and 
hence  he  inquired  of  them  the  nature 
of  the  case,  and  the  kind  of  charge 
which  they  expected  to  substantiate 
against  him. 

31.  Judge  him^  etc.    The  Jews  had 


396 


JOHN. 


[^.D.  33. 


therefore  said  unto  him,  It  is  not 
lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to 
death ; 

32  That  the  saying  of  Jesus 
might  be  fulfilled  which  he  spake, 
*  signifying  what  death  he  should 
die. 

a  Gen.  49. 10.  Ezek.21.27. 

not  directly  informed  him  that  they 
had  judged  him  and  pronounced  him 
worthy  of  death.  Pilate  therefore  tells 
them  to  inquire  into  the  case ;  to  as- 
certain tlie  proof  of  his  guilt,  and  to 
decide  on  what  the  law  of  Moses  pro- 
nounced. It  has  been  doubted  wheth- 
er this  gave  them  the  power  of  putting 
him  to  death,  or  whether  it  was  not 
rather  a  direction  to  them  to  inquire 
into  the  case,  and  inflict  on  him,  if 
they  judged  him  guilty,  the  mild  pun- 
ishment which  they  were  yet  at  liber- 
ty to  inflict  on  criminals.  Probably 
the  former  is  intended.  As  they  had 
already  determined  that  in  their  view 
this  case  demanded  the  punishment 
of  death,  so  in  their  answer  to  Pilate 
they  implied  that  they  had  pronounced 
on  it,  and  that  he  ought  to  die.  They 
still,  therefore,  pressed  it  on  his  atten- 
tion, and  refused  to  obey  his  injunc- 
tion to  judge  him.  It  is  not  lawful, 
etc.  The  Jews  were  accustomed  to 
put  persons  to  death  still  in  a  popular 
tumult  (Acts  vii.  59,  60),  but  they  had 
not  the  power  to  do  it  in  any  case  in 
a  regular  way  of  justice.  When  they 
first  Md  the  plan  of  arresting  the  Sa- 
viour, they  did  it  to  kill  him  (Matt. 
x;;i:vi.  4) ;  but  whether  they  intended 
to  do  this  secretly,  or  in  a  tumult,  or 
by  the  concurrence  of  the  Roman  gov- 
ernor, is  uncertain.  The  Jews  them- 
selves say  that  the  power  of  inflicting 
capital  punishment  was  taken  away 
about  forty  years  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Temple ;  but  still  it  is 
probable  that  in  the  time  of  Christ 
they  had  the  power  of  determining 
on  capital  cases  in  instances  that  per- 
tained to  religion. — Josephus, 
b.  xiv.,  chap.  10,  §  2.  Compare  Jewish 
Wars,  b.  vi. ,  chaj^.  2,  §  4.  In  this  case, 
however,  it  is  supposed  that  their  sen- 
tence was  to  be  confirmed  by  the  Ro- 
man governor.  But  it  is  admitted  on 
all  hands  that  they  had  not  this  power 
in  the  case  of  seditions,  tumults,  or 
treason  against  the  Roman  govern- 
ment. If  they  had  this  power  in  the 
case  of  blasphemy  and  irreligion,  they 


33  Then  Pilate  entered  into  the 
judgment -hall  again,  and  called 
J esus,  and  said  unto  him,  Art  thou 
the  King  of  the  Jews  ? 

34  Jesus  answered  him,  Sayest 
thou  this  thing  of  thyself,  or  did 
others  tell  it  thee  of  me  ? 

6  Matt.  20. 19.    Lu.  18. 32, 33. 

did  not  dare  to  exert  it  here,  because 
they  were  afraid  of  tumult  among 
the  people  (Matt.  xxvi.  5) ;  hence  they 
sought  to  bring  in  the  authority  of 
Pilate.  To  do  this,  they  endeavored 
to  make  it  appear  that  it  was  a  case 
of  sedition  and  treason,  and  one  which 
therefore  demanded  the  interference 
of  the  Roman  governor.  Hence  it  was 
on  this  charge  that  they  arraigned  him. 
Luke  xxiii.  2.  Thus  a  tumult  might 
be  avoided,  and  the  odium  of  putting 
him  to  death  they  expected  would 
fall,  not  on  themselves,  but  on  Pilate. 

32.  That  the  saying  ofJesics,  etc.  To 
wit,  that  he  would  be  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  Qetitiles  and  be  cruci- 
fied. Matt.  XX.  19.  Neither  of  these 
things  would  have  happened  if  he  had 
been  put  to  death  in  the  way  that  the 
Jews  first  contemplated.  Matt.  xxvi. 
4.  Though  it  should  be  admitted  that 
they  had  the  power,  in  religious  cases, 
to  do  this,  yet  in  such  a  case  it  would 
not  have  been  done,  as  J.«sus  predict- 
ed, by  the  Gentiles ;  and  even  if  it 
should  be  admitted  that  they  had  the 
right  to  take  life,  yet  they  had  not  the 
right  to  do  it  by  crucifixion.  This  was 
particularly  a  Roman  punishment. 
And  thus  it  was  ordered,  in  the  prov- 
idence of  God,  that  the  prediction  of 
Jesus  in  both  these  respects  was  ful- 
filled. 

33.  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews? 
This  was  after  they  had  accused  him 
of  perverting  the  nation,  and  forbid- 
ding to  give  tribute  to  Caesar.  Luke 
xxiii.  2,  3. 

34.  Of  thyself.  From  any  conviction 
of  your  own  mind,  or  any  apprehen- 
sion of  danger.  During  all  the  time 
in  which  you  have  been  praetor,  have 
you  seen  any  thing  in  me  that  has  led 
you  to  apprehend  sedition  or  danger 
to  the  Roman  power?  This  evident- 
ly was  intended  to  remind  Pilate  that 
nothing  was  proved  against  him,  and 
to  caution  him  against  being  influ- 
enced by  the  malicious  accusations  of 
others.  Jesus  demanded  a  just  trial, 
and  claimed  that  Pilate  should  not 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


397 


35  Pilate  answered,  Am  I  a  Jew  ? 
Thine  own  *  nation  and  the  chief 
priests  have  delivered  thee  unto 
me.   What  hast  thou  done  ? 

36  Jesus  *  answered,  My  "  king- 
dom is  not  of  this  world.  If  my 
kingdom  were  of  this  world,  then 
would  my  servants  fight,  that  I 

ac.  19. 11.    Acts  3. 13. 
b  1  Tim.  6. 13. 


be  influenced  by  any  reports  that  he 
might  have  heard  of  him. 

35.  Am  I  a  Jew  ?  Am  I  likely  to  be 
influenced  by  Jewish  prejudices  and 
partialities  ?  Am  not  I,  being  a  Ro- 
man, likely  to  judge  impartially,  and 
to  decide  on  the  accusations  without 
being  biased  by  the  malignant  charges 
of  the  accusers  ?  1[  Thine  own  nation^ 
etc.  In  this  Pilate  denies  that  it  was 
from  any  thing  that  lie  had  observed 
that  Jesus  was  arraigned.  He  admits 
that  it  was  from  the  accusation  of 
others ;  but  then  he  tells  the  Saviour 
that  the  charge  was  one  of  moment, 
and  worthy  of  the  deepest  attention. 
It  had  come  from  the  verij  nation  of 
Jesus,  from  his  own  countrymen,  and 
from  the  highest  authority  among  the 
people.  As  such  it  demanded  consid- 
eration, and  Pilate  besought  him  to 
tell  him  what  he  had  done — that  is, 
what  there,  had  been  in  his  conduct 
that  had  given  occasion  for  this 
charge. 

36.  Mtj  kingdmrifi^  etc.  The  charge  on 
which  Jesus  was  arraigned  was  that 
of  laying  claim  to  the  office  of  a  king. 
He  here  substantially  admits  that  he 
did  claim  to  be  a  king,  but  not  in  the 
sense  in  which  the  Jews  understood 
it.  They  charged  him  with  attempt- 
ing to  set  up  an  earthly  kingdom,  and 
of  exciting  sedition  against  Caesar.  In 
reply  to  this,  Jesus  says  that  his  king- 
dom is  not  of  this  world — that  is,  it  is 
not  of  the  same  nature  as  earthly 
kingdoms.  It  was  not  originated  for 
the  same  purpose,  or  conducted  on 
the  same  plan.  He  immediately  adds 
a  circumstance  in  which  they  differ. 
The  kingdoms  of  the  world  are  de- 
fended by  arms ;  they  maintain  arm- 
ies and  engage  in  wars.  If  the  king- 
dom of  Jesus  had  been  of  this  kind, 
he  would  have  excited  the  multitudes 
that  followed  him  to  prepare  for  bat- 
tle. He  would  have  armed  the  hosts 
that  attended  him  to  Jerusalem.  He 
would  not  have  been  alone  and  un- 


should  not  be  delivered  to  the 
Jews ;  but  now  is  my  kingdom 
not  from  hence. 

37  Pilate  therefore  said  unto  him, 
Art  thou  a  king,  then  ?  Jesus  an- 
swered, Thou  sayest  that  I  am  a 
king.  To  this  end  was  I  born, 
and  for  this  cause  came  I  into  the 

cPsa.45.3,6.  Isa.9.6,7.  Dan.  2. 44;  7.14.  Zech. 
9.9.    Lu.  12.14.    c.  6. 15.    Rom,  14. 17.    Col.  1.13. 


armed  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane. 
But,  though  he  was  a  king,  yet  his  do- 
minion was  over  the  heart,  subduing 
evil  passions  and  corrupt  desires,  and 
bringing  the  soul  to  the  love  of  peace 
and  unity.  1[  Not  from  hence.  That  is, 
not  from  t?iis  world. 

37.  Art  thou  a  king^  then?  Dost  thou 
admit  the  charge  in  any  sense,  or  dost 
thou  lay  claim  to  a  kingdom  of  any 
kind?  ^  Thou  sayest^  etc.  This  is  a 
form  of  expression  denoting  affirma- 
tion. It  is  equivalent  to  yes.  H  That 
lam  a  king.  This  does  not  mean  sim- 
ply that  Pilate  affirmed  that  he  was  a 
king;  it  does  not  appear  that  he  had 
done  this;  but  it  means,  "Thou  af- 
firmest  the  truth ;  thou  declarest  what 
is  correct, /or  I  am  a  king."  I  am  a 
king  in  a  certain  sense,  and  do  not 
deny  it.  1[  To  this  end^  etc.  Compare 
chap.  iii.  11, 12,  etc.  Jesus  does  not 
here  affirm  that  he  was  born  to  7'eign., 
or  that  this  was  the  desigji  of  his  com- 
ing; but  it  was  to  bear  witness  to  and 
to  exhibit  the  truth.  By  this  he  show- 
ed what  was  the  nature  of  his  king- 
dom. It  was  not  to  assert  power; 
not  to  collect  armies ;  not  to  subdue 
nations  in  battle.  It  was  simply  to 
present  truth  to  men,  and  to  exercise 
dominion  only  hy  the  truth.  Hence 
the  only  power  i)ut  forth  in  restrain- 
ing the  wicked,  in  convincing  the  sin- 
ner, in  converting  the  heart,  in  guid- 
ing and  leading  his  people,  and  in 
sanctifying  them,  is  that  which  is  pro^ 
duced  by  applying  truth  to  the  mind. 
Men  are  mo\>  forced  or  compelled  to  be 
Christians.  They  are  made  to  see  that 
they  are  sinners,  that  God  is  merciful, 
that  they  need  a  Redeemer,  and  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  is  fitted  to  their  case, 
and  yield  themselves  then  wholly  to 
his  reign.  This  is  all  the  power  ever 
used  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  no 
men  in  his  Church  have  a  right  to  use 
any  other.  Alas  !  how  little  have  per- 
secutors remembered  this  !  And  how 
often,  under  the  pretence  of  great  re- 


398 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


world,  that  I  should  bear  wit- 
ness unto  the  truth.  Every  one 
^that  is  of  the  truth  heareth  my 
voice. 

38  Pilate  saith  unto  him,  What 
is  truth  ?  And  when  he  had  said 
this,  he  went  out  again  unto  the 
Jews,  and  saith  unto  them,  I  find 
in  him  no  fault  at  all. 

39  But  ye  have  a  custom,  that  I 
should  release  unto  you  one  at  the 
passover ;  will  ye,  therefore,  that  I 
release  unto  you  the  King  of  the 
Jews? 

40  Then  cried  they  all  again,  say- 

alsa.55.4.  Rev.  1.  5  ;  3. 14.       6  c.  8. 47.  ljno.4.6. 

gard  for  the  kingdom  of  Jesus,  have 
bigots  attempted  by  force  and  flames 
to  make  all  men  think  as  tJiey^  do  !  We 
see  here  the  importance  which  Jesus 
attached  to  truth.  It  was  his  sole  busi- 
ness in  coming  into  the  world.  He 
had  no  other  end  than  to  establish  it. 
We  therefore  should  value  it,  and  seek 
for  it  as  for  hid  treasures.  Prov.  xxiii. 
23.    ^  Every  one^  etc.   See  ch.  viii.  47. 

38.  What  is  truth?  This  question 
was  probably  asked  in  contempt^  and 
hence  Jesus  did  not  answer  it.  Had 
the  question  been  sincere,  and  had  Pi- 
late really  sought  it  as  Nicodemus  had 
done  (chap,  iii.),  Jesus  would  not  have 
hesitated  to  explain  to  him  the  nature 
of  his  kingdom.  They  were  now  alone 
in  the  judgment -hall  (verse  33),  and 
as  soon  as  Pilate  had  asked  the  ques- 
tion, without  waiting  for  an  answer, 
he  went  out.  It  is  evident  that  he 
was  satisfied,  from  the  answer  of  Je- 
sus (verses  36,  37),  that  he  was  not  a 
king  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Jews 
accused  him ;  that  he  would  not  en- 
danger the  Roman  government,  and 
consequently  that  he  was  iJinocent  of 
the  charge  alleged  against  him.  He 
regarded  him,  clearly,  as  a  fanatic — 
poor,  ignorant,  and  deluded,  but  in- 
nocent and  not  dangerous.  Hence  he 
sought  to  release  him ;  and  hence,  in 
contempt^  he  asked  him  this  question', 
and  immediately  went  out,  not  ex- 
pecting an  answer.  This  question 
had  long  agitated  the  world.  It  was 
the  great  subject  of  inquiry  in  all  the 
schools  of  the  Greeks.  Dificrent  sects 
of  philosophers  had  held  different 
opinions,  and  Pilate  now,  in  derision, 
asked  him,  whom  he  esteemed  an  ig- 


ing.  Not  this  man,  but  Barabbas ! 
Now  Barabbas  was  a  robber. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THEN  '  Pilate  therefore  took 
Jesus  and  scourged  ^  him. 

2  And  the  soldiers  platted  a 
crown  of  thorns,  and  put  it  on  his 
head,  and  they  put  on  him  a  -pm- 
ple  robe, 

3  And  said.  Hail,  King  of  the 
Jews  ?  and  they  smote  him  with 
their  hands. 

4  Pilate  therefore  went  forth 
again,  and  saith  unto  them,  Be- 

c  Matt.  27.  26,  etc.  Mar.  15. 15,  etc.  Isa.  53.  5. 

norant  fanatic,  whether  he  could  solve 
this  long-agitated  question.  He  might 
have  had  an  answer.  Had  he  patient- 
ly waited  in  sincerity,  Jesus  would 
have  told  him  what  it  was.  Thou- 
sands ask  the  question  in  the  same 
way.  They  have  a  fixed  contempt  for 
the  Bible ;  they  deride  the  instruc- 
tions of  religion ;  they  are  unwilling 
to  investigate  and  to  wait  at  the  gates 
of  wisdom;  and  hence,  like  Pilate, 
they  remain  ignorant  of  the  great 
Source  of  truth,  and  die  in  darkness 
and  in  error.  All  might  find  truth  if 
they  would  seek  it ;  none  ever  will 
find  it  if  they  do  not  apply  for  it  to 
the  great  source  of  li^ht — the  God  of 
truth,  and  seek  it  ;^tiently  in  the 
way  in  which  he  has  chosen  to  com- 
municate it  to  mankind.  How  highly 
should  we  prize  the  Bible  !  And  how 
patiently  and  prayerfully  should  we 
search  the  Scriptures,  that  we  may  not 
err  and  die  forever!  See  Notes  on 
chap.  xiv.  6.  If  I  find  in  Jam  no  fault. 
See  Luke  xxiii.  4. 

39,  40.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  15 
-21. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
1-3.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  26- 
30. 

4.  Behold^  Ihring  himfort\  etc.  Pi- 
late, after  examining  Jesus,  had  gone 
forth  and  declared  to' the  Jews  that  he 
found  no  fault  in  him.  Chap,  xviii.  38. 
At  that  time  Jesus  remained  in  the 
judgment -hall.  The  Jews  were  not 
satisfied  with  that,  but  demanded  still 
that  he  should  be  put  to  death.  Ver. 
39,  40.  Pilate,  disposed  to  gratify  the 
Jews,  returned  to  Jesus  and  ordered 
him  to  be  scourged,  as  if  preparatory 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


399 


hold,  I  bring  him  forth  to  you, 
that  ye  may  know  that  I  find  no 
fault  in  him. 

5  Then  came  Jesus  forth,  wear- 
ing the  crown  of  ^thorns  and  the 
purple  robe.  And  Pilate  saith 
unto  them.  Behold  the  man ! 

6  When  the  chief  priests,  there- 
fore, and  officers  saw  him,  they 

a  c.  18.  38.    ver.  6. 


to  death.  Chap.  xix.  1.  The  patience 
and  meekness  with  which  Jesus  bore 
this  seem  to  have  convinced  him  still 
more  that  he  was  innocent,  and  he 
again  went  forth  to  declare  his  convic- 
tion of  this ;  and,  to  do  it  more  ef- 
fectually, he  said,  "Behold,  I  bring 
him  forth  to  you,  that  ye  may  know," 
etc. — that  they  might  themselves  see, 
and  be  satisfied,  as  he  had  been,  of  his 
innocence.  All  this  shows  his  anxie- 
ty to  release  him,  and  also  shows  that 
the  meekness,  purity,  and  sincerity  of 
Jesus  had  power  to  convince  a  Roman 
governor  that  he  was  not  guilty.  Thus 
the  highest  evidence  was  given  that 
the  charges  were  false,  even  when  he 
was  condemned  to  die. 

5.  Behold  the  man!  It  is  probable 
that  Pilate  pointed  to  the  Saviour,  and 
his  object  evidently  was  to  move  them 
to  compassion,  and  to  convince  them, 
by  a  sight  of  the  Saviour  himself,  that 
he  was  innocent.  Hence  he  brought 
him  forth  with*the  crown  of  thorns, 
and  the  purple  robe,  and  with  the 
marks  of  scourging.  Amid  all  this 
Jesus  was  meek,  patient,  and  calm, 

fiving  evident  proofs  of  innocence, 
'he  conduct  of  Pilate  was  as  if  he  had 
said,  "See!  The  man  whom  you  ac- 
cuse is  arrayed  in  a  gorgeous  robe,  as 
if  a  king.  He  ha^  been  scourged  and 
mocked.  All  this  he  has  borne  with 
patience.  See  !  How  calm  and  peace- 
ful !  Behold  his  countenance  !  How 
mild !  His  body  scourged,  his  head 
pierced  witt^thorns  !  Yet  in  all  this 
he  is  meek  and  patient.  This  is  the 
man  that  you  accuse ;  and  he  is  now 
brought  forth,  that  you  may  see  that 
he  is  not  guilty." 

6.  They  cried  out^  saying^  Crucify  Mm, 
etc.  The  view  of  the  Saviour's  meek- 
ness only  exasperated  them  the  more. 
They  had  resolved  on  his  death;  and 
as  they  saw  Pilate  disposed  to  acquit 
him,  they  redoubled  their  cries,  and 
endeavored  to  gain  by  tumult,  and 


cried  out,  saying,  Crucify  him^  cru- 
cify him  !  Pilate  saith  unto  them. 
Take  ye  him  and  crucify  Aim,  for 
I  find  no  fault  in  him. 

7  The  Jews  answered  him.  We 
*have  a  law,  and  by  our  law  he 
ought  to  die,  because  ^  he  made 
himself  the  Son  of  God. 

8  When  Pilate  therefore  heard 

h  Lev.  24. 16.  c  c.  5. 18  ;  10,  33. 


clamor,  and  terror,  what  they  saw 
they  could  not  obtain  by  justice. 
When  men  are  determined  on  evil, 
they  can  not  l>e  reasoned  with.  Ev- 
ery argument  tends  to  defeat  their 
plans,  and  they  press  on  in  iniquity 
with  the  more  earnestness  in  propor- 
tion as  sound  reasons  are  urged  to 
stay  their  course.  Thus  sinners  go  in 
the  way  of  wickedness  down  to  death. 
They  make  up  in  firmness  of  purpose 
what  they  lack  in  reason.  They  are 
more  fixed  in  their  plans  in  propor- 
tion as  God  faithfully  warns  them  and 
their  friends  admonish  them.  ^  Take 
ye  him,  etc.  These  are  evidently  the 
words  of  a  man  weary  with  their  im- 
portunity and  with  the  subject,  and 
yet  resolved  not  to  sanction  their 
conduct.  It  was  not  the  act  of  judge 
delivering  him  up  according  to  the 
forms  of  the  law,  for  they  did  not  un- 
derstand it  so.  It  was  equivalent  to 
this:  "Jam  satisfied  of  his  innocence, 
and  shall  not  pronounce  the  sentence 
of  death.  If  you  are  bent  on  his  ruin 
— if  you  are  determined  to  put  to 
death  an  innocent  man — if  my  judg- 
ment does  not  satisfy  you — take  him 
and  put  him  to  death  on  your  own 
responsibility,  and  take  the  conse- 
quences. It  can  not  be  done  with 
my  consent,  nor  in  the  due  form  of 
law ;  and  if  done,  it  must  be  by  you, 
without  authority,  and  in  the  face  of 
justice."  See  Matt,  xxvii.  24. 

7.  We  have  a  law.  The  law  respect- 
ing blasphemy.  Lev.  xxiv.  16.  Deut. 
xiii.  1-5.  They  had  arraigned  Jesus 
on  that  charge  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
and  condemned  him  for  it.  Matt.  xxvi. 
63-65.  But  this  was  not  the  charge  on 
which  they  had  arraigned  him  before 
Pilate.  They  had  accused  him  of  se- 
dition. Luke  xxiii.  2,  On  this  charge 
they  were  now  convinced  that  they 
could  not  get  Pilate  to  condemn  him. 
He  declared  him  innocent.  Still  bent 
on  his  ruin,  and  resolved  to  gain  their 


400 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


that  saying,  he  was  the  more 
afraid ; 

9  And  went  again  into  the  judg- 
ment-hall, and  saith  unto  Jesus, 
Whence  art  thou?  But  "  Jesus 
gave  him  no  answer. 

aPsa.38. 13.  Isa.  53.  7.  Matt.  27. 12, 14.  Phil.  1,  28. 

purpose,  they  nov^,  contrary  to  their 
first  intention,  adduced  the  original 
accusation  on  whicli  they  had  already 
pronounced  him  guilty.  If  they  could 
not  obtain  his  condemnation  as  a  reb- 
el^ they  now  sought  it  as  a  blasphemer^ 
and  they  appealed  to  Pilate  to  sanc- 
tion what  they  believed  was  required 
in  their  law.  Thus  to  Pilate  himself 
it  became  more  manifest  that  he  was 
innocent,  that  they  had  attempted  to 
deceive  him,  and  that  the  charge  on 
which  they  had  arraigned  him  was  a 
mere  pretence  to  obtain  his  sanction 
to  their  wicked  design.  ^  Made  him- 
self. Declared  himself,  or  claimed  to 
be.  H  The  Son  of  God.  The  law  did 
not  forbid  this,  but  it  forbade  blas- 
phemy., and  they  considered  the  as- 
sumption of  this  title  as  the  same 
as  blasphemy  (John  x.  80,  33,  36),  and 
therefore  condemned  him. 

8.  When  Pilate  therefore  heard  that 
sayi7ig.  ^  That  they  had  accused  him 
of  blasphemy.  As  this  was  not  the 
charge  on  which  they  had  arraigned 
him  before  his  bar,  he  had  not  before 
heard  it,  and  it  now  convinced  him 
more  of  their  malignity  and  wicked- 
ness. ^  He  was  the  more  afraid.  What 
was  the  ground  of  his  fear  is  not  de- 
clared by  the  evangelist.  It  was  prob- 
ably, however,  the  alarm  of  his  con- 
science., and  the  fear  of  vengeance  if  he 
sufiered  such  an  act  of  injustice  to  be 
done  as  to  put  an  innocent  man  to 
death.  He  was  convinced  of  his  in- 
nocence. He  saw  more  and  more 
clearly  the  design  of  the  Jews ;  and  it 
is  not  improbable  that  a  heathen.,  who 
believed  that  the  gods  often  manifest- 
ed themselves  to  men,  dreaded  their 
vengeance  if  he  suffered  one  who 
claimed  to  be  divine,  and  who  might 
be,  to  be  put  to  death.  It  is  clear 
that  Pilate  was  convinced  that  Jesus 
was  innocent;  and  in  this  state  of  agi- 
tation between  the  convictions  of  his 
own  conscience,  and  the  clamors  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  fear  of  vengeance, 
and  the  certainty  that  he  would  do 
wrong  if  he  gave  him  up,  he  was 
thrown  into  this  state  of  alarm,  and 


10  Then  saith  Pilate  unto  him, 
Speakest  thou  not  unto  me? 
Knowest  ^  thou  not  that  I  have 
power  to  crucify  thee,  and  have 
power  to  release  thee  ? 

11  Jesus  answered.  Thou  ^  cquld- 

b  Dan.  3. 14, 15.  c  Lu.  22.  53.  c.  7.  30. 


resolved  again  to  question  Jesus,  that 
he  might  obtain  satisfaction  on  the 
subjects  that  agitated  his  mind, 

9.  Whence  art  thou?  See  Notes  on 
chap,  vii,  27.  Pilate  knew  that  he  was 
a  Galilean,  but  this  question  was  ask- 
ed to  ascertain  whether  he  claimed  to 
be  the  Son  of  God — whether  a  mere 
man,  or  whether  divine,  1  Jesus  gave 
him  no  ansiver.  Probably  for  the' fol- 
lowing reasons  :  1st.  He  had  already 
told  him  his  design,  and  the  nature 
of  his  kingdom.  Chap,  xviii,  36,  37. 
2d.  He  had  said  enough  to  satisfy  him 
of  his  innocence.  Of  that  Pilate  was 
convinced.  His  duty  was  clear,  and 
if  he  had  had  firmness  to  do  it,  he 
would  not  have  asked  this.  Jesus,  by 
his  silence,  therefore  rebuked  him  for 
his  want  of  firmness,  and  his  unwil- 
lingness to  do  what  his  conscience 
told  him  was  right.  3d.  It  is  not 
probable  that  Pilate  would  have  un- 
derstood him  if  he  had  declared  to 
him  the  truth  about  his  origin,  and 
about  his  being  the  Son  of  God.  4th. 
After  what  had  been  done — after  he 
had  satisfied  Pilate  of  his  innocence, 
and  then  had  been  beaten  and  mock- 
efl  by  his  permission — he  had  no  rea- 
son to  expect  justice  at  his  hands,  and 
therefore  properly  declined  to  make 
any  farther  defence.  By  this  the 
prophecy  (Isa,  liii.  7)  was  remarkably 
fulfilled. 

10.  Speakest  thou  not,  etc.  This  is 
the  expression  of  a  pian  of  pride.  He 
was  not  accustomed  to  be  met  with  si- 
lence like  this.  He  endeavored,  there- 
fore, to  address  the  fears  of  Jesus,  and 
to  appal  him  with  the  declaration  that 
his  life  was  at  his  dispffeal,  and  that 
his  safety  depended  on  his  favor.  This 
arrogance  called  forth  the  reply  of  the 
Saviour,  and  he  told  him  that  he  had 
no  power  except  what  was  given  him 
from  above.  Jesus  was  not,  there- 
fore, to  be  intimidated  by  any  claim 
of  power  in  Pilate.  His  life  was  not 
in  his  hands,  and  he  could  not  stoop 
to  ask  tlie  favor  of  a  ma7i. 

11.  JVo  power.  No  such  power  as 
you  claim.    You  have  not  originated 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


401 


est  have  no  power  at  all  against 
me  except  it  were  given  thee  from 
above ;  "  therefore  he  ^  that  deliv- 
ered me  unto  thee  hath  the  great- 
er sin. 


b  Mar.  14. 44.  c.  18. 3. 


12  And  from  thenceforth  Pilate 
sought  to  release  him ;  but  the 
J ews  cried  out,  saying,  If  thou  let 
this  man  go  thou  art  not  Cesar's 
friend.  Whosoever  ^  maketh  him- 


cHeb.6.4-8.  Jas.4. 17. 


d  Lu.  23.  2.  Acts  17. 7. 


the  power  which  you  have.  You  have 
just  as  much  as  is  given^  and  your 
ability  extends  no  farther.  ^  Except 
it  were  given  thee.  It  has  been  conceded 
or  granted  to  you.  God  has  ordered 
your  life,  your  circumstances,  and  the 
extent  of  your  dominion.  This  was  a 
reproof  of  a  proud  man  in  office,  who 
was  forgetful  of  the  great  Source  of 
his  authority,  and  who  supposed  that 
l)y  his  own  talents  or  fortune  he  had 
risen  to  his  present  place.  Alas  !  how 
many  men  in  office  forget  that  God 
gives  them  their  rank,  and  vainly 
think  that  it  is  owing  to  their  own 
talents  or  merits  that  they  have  risen 
to  such  an  elevation.  Men  of  office 
and  talent,  as  well  as  others,  should 
remember  that  God  gives  them  what 
they  have,  and  that  they  have  no  influ- 
ence except  as  it  is  conceded  to  them 
from  on  high.  1[  From  above.  From 
God,  or  by  his  direction,  and  by  the  ar- 
rangements of  his  providence.  Rom. 
xiii.  1 :  "  There  is  no  power  but  of  God ; 
the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of 
God."  The  words  "from  above"  oft- 
en refer  to  God  or  to  heaven.  James 
i.  17 ;  iii.  15, 17.  John  iii.  3.  (In  the 
Greek.)  The  providence  of  God  was 
remarkable  in  so  ordering  affairs  that 
a  man,  flexible  and  yielding  like  Pilate, 
should  be  intrusted  with  power  in  Ju- 
dea.  Had  it  been  a  man  firm  and  un- 
yielding in  his  duty — one  who  could 
not  be  terrified  or  awed  by  the  multi- 
tude— Jesus  would  not  have  been  de- 
livered to  be  crucified.  Acts  ii.  23. 
God  thus  brings  about  his  wise  ends ; 
and  while  Pilate  was  free^  and  acted 
out  his  nature  without  compulsion, 
yet  the  purposes  of  God,  long  before 
predicted,  were  fulfilled,  and  Jesus 
made  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
the  world.  Thus  God  overrules  the 
wickedness  and  folly  of  men.  He  so 
orders  affairs  that  the  true  character  of 
men  shall  be  brought  out^  and  makes 
use  of  that  character  to  advance  his 
own  great  purposes.  H  Therefore.  On 
this  account.  "  You  are  a  magistrate. 
Your  power,  as  such,  is  given  you  by 
God.  You  are  not,  indeed,  guilty  for 
accusing  me,  or  malignantly  arraign- 


ing me ;  but  you  have  power  intrust- 
ed to  you  over  my  life ;  and  the  Jews, 
who  knew  this,  and  who  knew  that  the 
power  of  a  magistrate  was  given  to 
him  by  God,. have  the  greater  sin  for 
seeking  my  condemnation  before  a 
tribunal  appointed  by  God,  and  for  en- 
deavoring to  obtain  so  solemn  a  sanc- 
tion to  their  own  malignant  and  wick- 
ed purposes.  They  have  endeavored 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  civil  power, 
the  sacred  appointment  of  God,. and 
071  this  accoimt  their -sin  is  greater." 
This  does  not  mean  that  their  sin  was 
greater  than  that  of  Pilate,  though 
that  was  true ;  but  their  sin  was  great- 
er on  account  of  the  fact  that  they  per- 
severingly  and  malignantly  endeavor- 
ed to  obtain  the  sanction  of  the  mag- 
istrate to  their  wicked  proceedings. 
Nor  does  it  mean,  because  God  liad 
purposed  his  death  (Acts  ii.  23),  and 
given  power  to  Pilate,  that  t^herefore 
their  sin  was  greater,  for  God^s  pur- 
pose in  the  case  made  it  neither  more 
nor  less.  It  did  not  change  the  nature 
of  their  free  acts.  This  passage  teach- 
es no  such  doctrine,  but  that  their  sin 
was  aggravated  hj  malignantly  endeav- 
oring to  obtain  the  sanction  of  a  mag- 
istrate who  was  invested  with  author-, 
ity  by  God,  and  who  wielded  the  pow- 
er that  God  gave  him.  By  this  Pilate 
ought  to  have  been  convinced,  and  was 
convinced,  of  their  wickedness,  and 
hence  he  sought  more  and  more  to 
release  him.  1[  He  that  delivered  me. 
The  singular  here  is  put  for  the  plu- 
ral, including  Judas,  the  high-priests, 
and  the  Sanhedrim. 

12.  Sought  to  release  him,.  He  was 
more  and  more  convinced  of  his  in- 
nocence, and  more  unwilling  to  jaeld 
him  to  mere  malice  and  envy  in  the 
face  of  justice.  1[  But  the  Jews  cried  . 
,mit,  etc.  This  moved  Pilate  to  deliv- 
Jesus  into  their  hands.  He  feared 
that  he  would  be  accused  of  unfaith- 
fulness to  the  interests  of  the  Roman 
emperor  if  he  did  not  condemn  a  man 
whom  Jiis  own  nation  had  accused  of 
sedition.  The  Roman  emperor  then 
on  the  throne  was  exceedingly  jealous 
and  tyrannical,  and  the  fear  of  losing 


402 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


self  a  king,  speaketli  against  Ce- 
sar. 

13  When Pilate  therefore  heard 
that  saying,  he  brought  Jesus  forth, 
and  sat  down  in  the  judgment-seat., 
in  a  place  that  is  called  the  Pave- 
ment, but  in  the  Hebrew,  Gabbatha. 

14  And  ^  it  was  the  preparation 
of  the  passover,  and  about  the 
sixth  hour ;  and  he  saith  unto  the 
Jews,  Behold  your  King  ! 

15  But  they  cried  out.  Away  with 
him^  away  with  Mm;  crucify  him ! 
Pilate  saith  unto  them,  Shall  I  cru- 
cify your  King  ?  The  chief  priests 
answered,  We  ^  have  no  king  but 
Cesar. 

16  Then  ^  delivered  he  him, 
therefore,  unto  them  to  be  cruci- 
fied. And  they  took  Jesus  and 
led  Mm  away. 

17  And  he,  bearing  his  cross, 
went  ^  forth  into  a  place  called 
the  place  of  a  skull,  which  is  called 
in  the  Hebrew  Golgotha ; 

a  Prov.  29.  25.  Acts  4. 19. 
b  Matt,  27. 62.  c  Gen.  49. 10. 

Matt.  27.  26,  etc.  Mar.  15. 15,  etc.  Lu.  23. 24,  etc. 


his  favor  induced  Pilate  to  deliver 
Jesus  into  their  hands.  If  Ccesar^s 
friend.  The  friend  of  the  Roman  em- 
peror. The  name  of  the  reigning  em- 
peror was  Tiberius.  After  the  time 
of  Julius  Caesar  all  the  emperors  were 
called  Ccesar^  as  all  the  kings  of  Egypt 
were  called  Pharaoh.  This  emperor 
was,  during  the  latter  part  of  his 
reign,  the  most  cruel,  jealous,  and 
wicked  that  ever  sat  on  the  Roman 
throne. 

13.  Judgment-seat.  The  tribunal  or 
place  of  pronouncing  sentence.  He 
came  here  to  deliver  liim,  in  due  form 
of  law,  into  the  hands  of  the  Jews. 

Pavement.  This  was  an  area  or  room 
of  the  judgment-hall  whose  floor  was 
made  of  small  square  stones  of  various 
colors.  This  was  common  in  P^^'laflML 
and  houses  of  wealth  and  splendS^ 
See  Notes  on  Matt.  ix.  2.  ^  Oabhatha. 
This  word  is  not  elsewhere  used.  It 
comes  from  a  word  signifying  to  be 
elevated.  The  name  given  to  the  place 
by  the  Hebrews  was  conferred  from 
ite  being  the  place  of  the  tribunal^  as 
an  elevated  place. 


18  Where  they  crucified  him,  and 
two  others  with  him,  on  either  side 
one,  and  Jesus  in  the  midst. 

19  And  f  Pilate  wrote  a  title, 
and  put  it  on  the  cross.  And  the 
writing  was,  JESUS  OF  NAZA- 
RETH, THE  KING  OF  THE 
JEWS. 

20  This  title  then  read  many  of 
the  Jews ;  for  the  place  where 
Jesus  was  crucified  was  nigh  to 
the  city ;  and  it  was  written  in 
Hebrew,  and  Greek,  and  Latin. 

21  Then  said  the  chief  priests  of 
the  Jews  to  Pilate,  Write  not.  The 
King  of  the  Jews;  but  that  he 
said,  I  am  King  of  the  Jews. 

22  Pilate  answered.  What  I  have 
written,  I  have  written. 

23  Then  the  soldiers,  when  they 
had  crucified  Jesus,  took  his  gar- 
ments, and  made  four  parts,  to  eve- 
ry soldier  a  part ;  and  also  Ms  cOat : 
now  the  coat  was  without  seam, 

^  woven from  the  top  throughout., 

€  Num.  15.  36.  Heb.  13. 12. 

/Matt.  27.  37.  Mar.15.26.  Lu.23.38. 

i  or,  wrought.  g  Ex.  39.  22. 


14.  The  preparation  of  the  Passover. 
See  Notes  on  Mark  xv.  42.  ^  The  sixth 
hour.  Twelve  o'clock.  Mark  says 
(chap.  XV.  25)  that  it  was  the  third 
hour.  See  the  difficulty  explained  in 
the  Notes  on  that  place. 

16-22.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii. 
32-37. 

22.  What  I  have  written^  etc.  This 
declaration  implied  that  he  would 
make  no  change.  He  was  impatient, 
and  weaiy  of  their  solicitations.  He 
had  yielded  to  them  contrary  to  the 
convictions  of  his  own  conscience, 
and  he  now  declared  his  purpose  to 
yield  no  farther. 

23.  His  garments.  The  plural  here  is 
used  to  denote  the  outer  garment.  It 
was  made,  commonly,  so  as  to  be  easi- 
ly thrown  on  or  off,  and  when  they  la- 
bored or  walked  it  was  girded  about 
the  loins.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  v.  40. 
H  Four  parts.  It  seems,  from  this, 
that  there  were  four  soldiers  employ- 
ed as  his  executioners.  U  His  coat. 
His  under  garment,  called  the  tunic. 
1  Was  without  seam.  Josephus  {Antiq., 
b.  iii.,  ch.  8,  §  4)  says  of  the  garment 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


403 


24  They  said,  therefore,  among 
themselves.  Let  us  not  rend  it,  but 
cast  lots  for  it,  whose  it  shall  be ; 
that  the  scripture  might  be  fulfil- 
led which  saith,  *They  parted 
my  raiment  among  them,  and  for 
my  vesture  they  did  cast  lots. 
These  things,  therefore,  the  sol- 
diers did. 

25  Now  there  stood  by  the  cross 
of  Jesus  his  mother,  and  his  moth- 
^  er's  sister,  Mary  the  wife  of  Cleo- 
phas,  *  and  Mary  Magdalene. 

26  When  Jesus  therefore  saw  his 
mother,  and  the  disciple  standing 
by whom  he  loved,  he  saith  unto 

a  Psa.  22, 18.  1  or,  Clopas. 

6LU.24. 18.  cc.  13.23. 


or  coat  of  the  high-priest  that  "this 
vesture  was  not  composed  of  two 
pieces,  nor  was  it  sewed  together 
upon  the  shoulders  and  the  sides; 
hut  it  was  one  long  vestment,  so 
woven  as  to  have  an  aperture  for  the 
neck.  It  was  also  parted  where  the 
hands  were  to  come  out."  It  seems 
that  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  great  High- 
priest  of  his  people,  had  also  a  coat 
made  in  a  similar  manner.  Compare 
Exod.  xxxix.  22. 

24.  Let  us  not  rend  it.  It  would  then 
have  been  useless.  The  outer  garment, 
being  composed  of  several  parts — 
fringes,  borders,  etc.  (Deut.  xii.  12) — 
could  be  easily  divided.  ^  That  the 
Scripture^  etc.  Psa.  xxii.  18. 

26.  The  disciple — whom  he  loved.  See 
chap.  xiii.  23.  ^  Woman.  This  appel- 
lation certainly  implied  no  disrespect. 
See  Notes  on  chap.  ii.  4.  ^  Behold  thy 
son!  This  refers  to  John^  not  to  Je- 
sus himself.  Behold,  my  beloved  dis- 
ciple shall  be  to  you  a  son^  and  pro- 
vide for  you,  and  discharge  toward 
you  the  duties  of  an  affectionate  child. 
Mary  was  poor.  It  would  even  seem 
that  now  she  had  no  home.  Jesus,  in 
his  dying  moments,  filled  with  tender 
regard  for  his  mother,  secured  for  her 
an  adopted  son,  obtained  for  her  a 
home,  and  consoled  her  grief  by  the 
prospect  of  attention  from  him  who 
was  the  most  beloved  of  all  the  apos- 
tles. What  an  example  of  filial  atten- 
tion !  What  a  model  to  all  children  ! 
And  how  lovely  appears  the  dying  Sa- 
viour, thus  remembering  his  afflicted 
mother,  and  making  her  welfare  one 


his  mother.  Woman,  ^  behold  thy 
son ! 

27  Then  saith  he  to  the  disciple. 
Behold  thy  mother !  *  And  from 
that  hour  that  disciple  took  her 
unto  his  own  f  home. 

28  After  this,  Jesus,  knowing  that 
all  things  were  now  accomplished, 
that  the  scripture  ^  might  be  fulfil- 
led, saith,  I  thirst. 

29  Now  there  was  set  a  vessel 
full  of  vinegar :  and  they  filled  a 
sponge  with  vinegar,  and  put  it 
uj)on  hyssop,  and  put  it  to  his 
mouth. 

30  When  Jesus  therefore  had  re- 

dc.  2,4.  •  clTim.5.2. 

/  c.  16.32.  g  Psa.  69.  21. 

of  his  last  cares  even  on  the  cross, 
and  even  when  making  atonement  for 
the  sins  of  the  world ! 

27.  Behold  thy  mother!  One  who  is 
to  be  to  thee  as  a  mother.  The  fact 
that  she  was  the  mother  of  Jesus 
would  secure  the  kindness  of  John, 
and  the  fact  that  she  was  now  intrust- 
ed to  him  demanded  of  him  affectfon- 
ate  regard  and  tender  care,  f  From 
that  /loiir,  etc.  John  seems  to  have 
been  in  better  circumstances  than  the 
other  apostles.  See  chap,  xviii.  16. 
Tradition  says  that  she  continued  to 
live  with  him  in  Judea  till  the  time 
of  her  death,  which  occurred  about 
fifteen  years  after  the  death  of  Christ. 

28-30.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  46- 
50.  ^  That  the  Scripture  might  he  ful- 
filled^ saith^  I  thirst.  See  Psalm  Ixix. 
21.  Thirst  was  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tressing circumstances  attending  the 
crucifixion.  The  wounds  were  high- 
ly inflanied,  and  a  raging  fever  was 
caused,  usually,  by  the  sufferings  on 
the  cross,  and  this  was  accompanied 
by  insupportable  thirst.  See  Notes 
on  Matt,  xxvii.  35.  A  Mameluke,  or 
Turkish  officer,  was  crucified,  it  is 
said  in  an  Arabic  manuscript  recently 
translated,  on  the  banks  of  the  River 
Barada,  under  the  castle  of  Damascus. 
He  was  nailed  to  the  cross  on  Friday, 
and  remained  till  Sunday  noon,  when 
he  died.  After  giving  an  account  of 
the  crucifixion,  the  narrator  proceeds: 
"I have  heard  this  from  one  who  wit- 
nessed it;  and  he  thus  remained  till 
he  died,  patient  and  silent,  without 
wailing,  but  looking  around  him  to 


404 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33, 


ceived  the  vinegar,  lie  said,  It  is 
finished ;  and  he  bowed  his  head 
and  gave  ^  up  the  ghost. 

31  The  Jews,  therefore,  because 
it  was  the  preparation,  ^  that  the 
bodies  should,  not  remain  ^  upon 
the  cross  on  the  sabbath  day  (for  ^ 
that  sabbath  day  was  a  high  day), 
besought  Pilate  that  their  legs 
might  be  broken,  and  that  they 
might  be  taken  away. 

ac.17.4.  6  Isa.5?.  10,12.  Heb.2.14,15. 

ever.  42.  c?  Deut.  21.  23. 


the  right  and  the  left,  upon  the  peo- 
ple. But  he  begged  for  water,  and 
none  was  given  him ;  and  the  hearts 
of  the  people  were  melted  with  com- 
passion for  him,  and  with  pity  on  one 
of  God's  creatures,  who,  yet  a  boy, 
was  suffering  under  so  grievous  a  trial. 
In  the  mean  time  the  water  was  flow- 
ing around  him,  and  he  gazed  upon  it, 
and  longed  for  one  drop  of  it ;  and  he 
complained  of  thirst  all  the  first  day, 
after  which  he  was  silent,  for  God 
gave  him  strength."  —  Wisemaoi^ s  Lec- 
tures^ p.  164, 165,  cd.  Andover. 

80.  It  is  finished.  The  sufferings  and 
agonies  in  redeeming  man  are  over. 
The  work  long  contemplated,  long 
promised,  long  expected  by  prophets 
and  saints,  is  done.  The  toils  in  the 
ministry,  the  persecutions  and  mock- 
eries, and  the  pangs  of  the  garden  and 
the  cross,  are  euclecl,  and  man  is  re- 
deemed. What  a  wonderful  declara- 
tion was  this !  How  full  of  consoUition 
to  man  !  And  how  should  this  d3iiig 
declaration  of  the  Saviour  reach  ev- 
ery heart  and  affect  every  soul ! 

Z\.  The  preparation.  Ver.  14.  ^  That 
the  bodies^  etc.  The  law  required  that 
the  bodies  of  those  who  were  hung 
should  not  remain  suspended  during 
the  night.  See  Deut.  xxi.  23,23.  That 
law  was  made  when  the  punishment 
by  crucifixion  was  unknown,  and  when 
those  who  were  susx)ended  would  al- 
most immediately  expire.  In  the  pun- 
ishment by  crucifixion,  life  was  length- 
ened out  for  four,  five,  or  eight  days. 
The  Jews  therefore  requested  that 
their  death  might  be  hastened,  and 
that  the  land  might  not  be  polluted 
by  their  bodies  remaining  suspended 
on  the  Sabbath  day.  H  Was  a  high 
day.  It  was,  1st.  The  Sabbath.  2d.  It 
was  the  day  on  which  the  paschal 
feast  properly  commenced-   It  was 


32  Then  came  the  soldiers  and 
brake  the  legs  of  the  first,  and  of 
the  other  which  was  crucified  with 
him. 

33  But  when  they  came  to  Jesus, 
and  saw  that  he  was  dead  already, 
they  brake  not  his  legs ; 

34  But  one  of  the  soldiers  with 
a  spear  pierced  his  side,  and  forth- 
with came  there  out  blood  /  and 
water.^ 

e  Lev.  23.  7, 8.  /  Heb.  9.  22, 23.  1  Jno.  5. 6, 8. 

g  1  Pet.  3.  21. 


called  a  high  day  because  that  year 
the  feast  of  the  Passover  commenced 
on  the  Sabbath.  Greek,  Great  day.'''' 
^  Their  legs  might  he  broken.  To  hasten 
their  death.  The  effect  of  this,  while 
they  were  suspended  on  the  cross, 
would  be  to  increase  their  pain  by  the 
act  of  breaking  them,  and  to  deprive 
their  body  of  tlie  support  which  it  re- 
ceived from  the  feet,  and  to  throw  the 
whole  weight  on  the  hands.  By  this 
increased  torment  their  lives  were 
soon  ended.  Lactantius  says  that  this 
was  commonly  done  by  the  Romans 
to  persons  who  were  crucified.  The 
common  period  to  which  persons  cru- 
cified would  live  w^as  several  days. 
To  compensate  for  those  lingerifhg  ago- 
nies, so  that  the  full  amount  of  suffer- 
ing might  be  endured,  they  iiicreased 
their  sufferings  by  breaking  their 
limbs,  and  thus  hastening  their  death. 

33.  /Saw  that  he  was  dead.  Saw  by 
the  indications  of  death  on  his  per- 
son, and  perhaps  by  the  testimony  of 
the  centurion.  Matt,  xxvii.  54.  The 
death  of  Jesus  was  doubtless  hasten- 
ed by  the  intense  agony  of  the  gar- 
den, and  the  peculiar  sufferings  en- 
dured as  an  atonement  for  sin  on  the 
cross.    Compare  Matt,  xxvii.  46. 

34.  One  of  the  soldiers.  One  of  those  . 
appointed  to  watch  the  bodies  till 
they  were  dead.  This  man  appears  to 
have  doubted  whether  he  was  dead, 
and,  in  order  to  see  whether  he  was 
not  yet  sensible,  he  pierced  him  with 
his  spear.  The  Jews  designed  that 
his  legs  should  be  broken,  but  this 
was  prevented  by  the  providence  of 
God ;  yet  in  another  way  more  satis- 
factory proof  was  obtained  of  his  death 
than  would  have  been  by  the  breaking 
of  his  legs.  This  was  so  ordered,  no 
doubt,  that  there  might  be  the  fullest 
proof  that  he  was  truly  dead ;  that  it 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


405 


35  And  he  that  saw  it  bare  rec- 
ord, and  his  record  is  true ;  and  he 

a  1  Jno.  1. 1-3. 

could  not  be  pretended  that  he  had 
swooned  away  and  revived,  and  so, 
therefore,  that  there  could  not  be  the 
least  doubt  of  his  resurrection  to  life. 
^  With  a  spear.  The  common  spear 
which  soldiers  used  in  war.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  such  a  stroke 
from  the  strong  arm  of  a  Roman  sol- 
dier would  have  caused  death,  if  he 
had  not  been  already  dead ;  and  it  was, 
doubtless,  to  furnish  this  conclusive 
proof  that  he  was  actually  deady  and 
that  an  atonement  had  thus  been  made 
for  mankind,  that  John  mentions  so 
particularly  this  fact.  Let  the  follow- 
ing circumstances  be  remembered, 
showing  that  death  inust  have  ensued 
from  such  a  wound :  (1. )  The  Saviour 
was  elevated  but  a  little  from  the 
ground,  so  as  to  be  easily  reached  by 
the  spear  of  a  soldier.  (2. )  The  wound 
must  have  been  transversely  upward^  so 
as  to  have  penetrated  into  the  body, 
as  he  could  not  have  stood  directly 
under  him.  (3. )  It  was  probably  made 
with  a  strong  arm  and  with  violence. 
(4.)  The  spear  of  the  Roman  soldier 
was  a  lance  which  tapered  very  gen- 
tly to  a  point,  and  would  penetrate 
easily.  (5. )  The  wound  was  compara- 
tively a  large  wound.  It  was  so  large 
as  to  admit  the  hand  (John  xx.  27) ;  but 
for  a  lance  thus  tapering  to  have  made 
a  wound  so  wide  as  to  admit  the  hand, 
it  must  have  been  at  least  four  or  five 
inches  in  depth,  and  must  have  been 
such  as  to  have  made  death  certain. 
If  it  be  remembered  that  this  blow 
was  probably  in  the  left  side,  the  con- 
clusion is  inevitable  that  death  would 
have  been  the  consequence  of  such  a 
blow.  To  make  out  this  fact  was  of 
special  importance,  probably,  in  the 
time  of  John,  as  the  reality  of  the  death 
of  Jesus  was  denied  by  the  Gnostics, 
many  of  whom  maintained  that  he  died 
in  appearance  only.  T[  Pierced  his  side. 
Which  side  is  not  mentioned,  nor  can 
it  be  certainly  known.  The  common 
opinion  is  that  it  was  the  left  side. 
Car.  Frid.  Gruner  {Commentatio  Anti- 
quaria  Medica  de  Jesu  Christi  Morte^  p. 
30-36),  has  attempted  to  show  that  it 
must  have  been  the  left  side.  See 
Wiseman's  Lectures,  p.  161,  162,  and 
Kuinoel  on  John  xix.  34,  where  the  ar- 

f'uments  of  Gruner  are  fully  stated, 
t  is  clear  that  the  spear  pierced  to 


•knoweth  that  he  saith  true,  that  ye 
might  believe. 


the  region  of  the  heart.  ^  And  forth- 
with camCj  etc.  This  was  evidently  a 
7iatural  effect  of  thus  piercing  the 
side.  Such  a  flowing  of  blood  and 
water  makes  it  probable  that  the  spear 
reached  the  heart,  and  if  Jesus  had 
not  before  been  dead,  this  would  have 
closed  his  life.  The  heart  is  surround- 
ed by  a  membrane  called  the  pericar- 
dium. This  membrane  contains  a  se- 
rous matter  or  liquor  resembling  wa- 
ter, which  prevents  the  surface  of  the 
heart  from  becoming  dry  by  its  con- 
tinual motion.  —  Webster.  It  was  this 
which  was  pierced  and  from  which  the 
water  flowed.  The  point  of  the  spear 
also  reached  one  of  the  ventricles  of 
the  heart,  and  the  blood,  yet  warm, 
rushed  forth,  either  mingled  with  or 
followed  by  the  water  of  the  pericar- 
dium, so  as  to  appear  to  John  to  be 
blood  and  water  flowing  together. 
This  was  a  natural  effect,  and  would 
follow  in  any  other  case.  Commenta- 
tors have  almost  uniformly  supposed 
that  this  was  significant ;  as,  for  exam- 
ple, that  the  blood  was  an  emblem  of 
the  eucharist,  and  the  water  of  bap- 
tism, or  that  the  blood  denoted  justi- 
fication, and  the  water  sanctification ; 
but  that  this  was  the  design  there  is 
not  the  slightest  evidence.  It  was 
strictly  a  natural  result,  adduced  by 
John  to  establish  one  fact  on  which 
the  whole  of  Christianity  turns — that 
he  was  truly  dead.  On  this  depends 
the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  of  his 
resurrection,  and  all  the  prominent 
doctrines  of  religion.  This  fact  it  was 
of  importance  to  prove,  that  it  might 
not  be  pretended  that  he  had  only  suf- 
fered a  syncope^  or  had  fainted.  This 
John  establishes.  He  shows  that  those 
who  were  sent  to  hasten  his  death  be- 
lieved that  he  had  expired ;  that  then 
a  soldier  inflicted  a  wound  which  ivould 
have  terminated  life  if  he  had  not  been 
already  dead;  and  that  the  infliction 
of  this  wound  was  followed  by  the 
fullest  proof  that  he  had  truly  ex- 
pired. On  this  fact  he  dwells  with 
the  interest  which  became  a  subject 
of  so  much  importance  to  the  world, 
and  thus  laid  the  foundation  for  un- 
doubted assurance  that  the  Lord  Je- 
sus died  for  the  sins  of  men. 

35.  He  that  saw  it.  John  himself. 
He  is  accustomed  to  speak  of  himself 


^06 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


36  For  these  things  were  done 
that  the  scripture  "  should  be  ful- 
filled, A  bone  of  him  shall  not  be 
broken. 

37  And  again  another  scripture  ^ 
saitli,  They  shall  look  on  him 
whom  they  pierced. 

38  And  after  this,  Joseph  of  Ari- 
mathea,  being  a  disciple  of  Jesus, 
but  secretly  for  fear  of  the  Jews, 
besought  Pilate  that  he  might 
take  away  the  body  of  Jesus ;  and 
Pilate  gave  Mm  leave.  He  came, 
therefore,  and  took  the  body  of 
Jesus. 

39  And  there  came  also  ^  Mco- 
demus  (which  at  the  first  came  to 
Jesus  by  night),  and  ^  brought  a 
mixture  of  myrrh  and  aloes,  about 
a  hundred  pounds  tceiglit. 

40  Then  took  they  the  body  of 
Jesus,  and  wound  ^  it  in  linen 
clothes  with  the  spices,  as  the 
manner  of  the  Jews  is  to  bury. 

41  Now  in  the  place  where  he 
was  crucified  there  was  a  garden, 

a  Ex.  12. 46.  Num.  9.  12.  Psa.  34.  20.  b  Psa,  22. 
16.  Zech.  12. 10.  Rev.  1.7.  c  c.  9.  22  ;  12. 42. 

c.  3. 1, 2 ;  7.  50.         e  2  Chr.  16. 14.         /  Acts  5.  6. 


in  the  third  person.  ^  His  record  is 
true.  His  testimony  is  true.  Such 
was  the  known  character  of  this  writ- 
er, such  his  sacred  regard  for  truth, 
that  he  cotild  appeal  to  that  with  full 
assurance  that  all  would  put  confi- 
dence in  him.  He  often  appeals  thus  to 
the  fact  tliat  his  testimony  was  known 
to  be  true.  Itwould  be  wellif  <x?Z  Chris- 
tians had  sueli  a  character  that  their 
word  would  be  assuredly  believed. 

36.  That  the  scripture  should  be  ful- 
jilled.  See  Exod.  xii.  46.  John  here 
regards  the  paschal  lamb  as  an  em- 
blem of  Christ ;  and  as  in  the  law  it 
was  commanded  that  a  bone  of  that 
lamb  should  not  be  brolven,  so,  in  the 
providence  of  God,  it  was  ordered 
tliat  a  bone  of  the  Saviour  should  not 
be  broken.  The  scripture  thus  re- 
ceived a  complete  fulfilment  respect- 
ing both  the  type  and  the  antitype. 
Some  have  supposed,  however,  that 
John  referred  to  Psalm  xxxiv.  20. 

37.  Another  scripture.  Zech.  xii.  10. 
We  must  here  be  struck  with  the 


I  and  in  the  garden  a  new  sepul- 
chre, wherein  was  never  man  yet 
laid. 

42  There  ^  laid  they  Jesus,  there- 
fore, because  ^  of  the  Jews'  prep- 
aration day;  for  the  sepulchre  was 
nigh  at  hand. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  *  first  day  of  the  week  Com- 
eth Mary  Magdalene  early, 
when  it  was  yet  dark,  unto  the  sep- 
ulchre, and  seeth  the  stone  taken 
away  from  the  sepulchre. 

2  Then  she  runneth,  and  cometh 
to  Simon  Peter,  and  to  the  other 
disciple  whom  ^  Jesus  loved,  and 
saith  unto  them,  They  have  taken 
away  the  Lord  out  of  the  sepul- 
chre, and  we  know  not  where  they 
have  laid  him. 

3  Peter  *  therefore  went  forth, 
and  that  other  disciple,  and  came 
to  the  sepulchre. 

4  So  they  ran  both  together; 
and  the  other  disciple  did  outrun 

olsa.53.9.  1  Cor.  15.4.  Aver.  31. 

t  Matt.  28.1, etc.  Mar.  16. 1,  etc.  Lu.24.  l,etc. 
J  c.  13. 23 ;  19.  26 ;  21. 7, 24.  k  Lu.  24. 12. 


wonderful  providence  of  God,  that  so 
maw?/ .  scriptures  were  fulfilled  in  his 
death.  All  these  things  happened 
without  any  such  desicpi  on  the  part 
of  the  men  engaged  in  these  scenes ; 
but  whatever  was  done  by  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile tended  to  the  fulfilment  of  proph- 
ecies long  on  record,  and  with  which 
the  Jews  tliemselves  ought  to  have 
been  familiar.  Little  did  they  sup- 
pose, wlien  delivering  him  to  Pilate — 
when  he  was  mocl^ed  —  when  they 
parted  his  garments  —  when  they 
pierced  him — that  they  were  fulfilling 
ancient  predictions.  But  in  this  way 
God  had  so  ordered  it  that  the  firm- 
est foundation  should  be  laid  for  the 
belief  that  he  was  the  true  Messiah, 
and  that  the  designs  of  wicked  men 
should  all  be  overruled  to  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  great  plans  which  God 
had  in  sending  his  Son. 

38-42.  See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  57 
-61. 

CHAPTER  XX. 
1-12.  For  an  account  of  the  resur- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


407 


Peter,  and  came  first  to  the  sepul- 
chre. 

5  And  he,  stooping  down,  and 
looking  in^  saw  the  linen  clothes* 
lying ;  yet  went  he  not  in. 

6  Then  cometh  Simon  Peter  fol- 
lowing him,  and  went  into  the  sep- 
ulchre, and  seeth  the  linen  clothes 
lie; 

7  And  the  napkin  ^  that  was 
about  his  head,  not  lying  with  the 
linen  clothes,  but  wrapped  togeth- 
er in  a  place  by  itself. 

8  Then  went  in  also  that  other 
disaiple  which  came  first  to  the 
sepulchre,  and  he  saw  and  be- 
lieved. 

9  For  as  yet  they  knew  not  the  ^ 
scripture,  that  he  must  rise  again 
fi'om  the  dead. 

10  Then  the  disciples  went  away 
again  unto  their  own  home. 

11  But  Mary  stood  without  at 
the  sepulchre,  weeping ;  and  as 
she  wept  she  stooped  down,  and 
looTced  *  into  the  sepulchre, 

aLu.  13.  30.  6  c.  19. 40.  cell.  44. 

d  Psa.  16. 10.  Acts  2.  25-31 ;  13. 34, 35.      e  Mar.  16.  5. 

rection  of  Christ,  see  Notes  on  Matt, 
xxviii. 

9.  The  scripture.  See  Luke  xxiv.  26, 
46.  The  sense  or  meaning  of  the  va- 
rious predictions  that  foretold  his 
death,  as,  for  example,  Psa.  ii.  7.  Com- 
pare Acts  xiii.  33.  Psa.  xvi.  9, 10.  Com- 
pare Acts  ii.  25-32.  Psa.  ex.  1.  Com- 
pare Acts  ii.  34,  35. 

13.  They  have  taken  away.  That  is, 
the  disciples  or  friends  of  Jesus  who 
had  laid  him  there.  Perhaps  it  was 
understood  that  the  body  was  depos- 
ited there  only  to  remain  over  the 
Sabbath,  with  an  intention  then  of 
removing  it  to  some  other  place  of 
burial.  Hence  they  hastened  early  in 
the  morning  to  make  preparation,  and 
Mary  supposed  they  had  arrived  be- 
fore her  and  had  taken  him  away. 

14.  Knew  not  that  it  was  Jesus.  She 
was  not  expecti7ig  to  see  him.  It  was 
yet  also  twilight,  and  she  could  not 
see  distinctly. 

16.  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Mary.  This 
was  spoken,  doubtless,  in  a  tone  of 
voice  that  at  once  recalled  him  to  her 
recollection.    ^  Rdbhoni.    This  is  a 


12  And  seeth  two  angels  in  white, 
sitting,  the  one  at  the  head  and  the 
other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body 
of  Jesus  had  lain. 

13  And  they  say  unto  her.  Wom- 
an, why  weepest  thou  ?  She  saith 
unto  them.  Because  they  have  tak- 
en away  my  Lord,  and  I  know  not 
where  they  have  laid  him. 

14  And  when  she  had  thus  said, 
she  turned  herself  back,  and  f  saw 
J esus  standing,  and  knew  not  s  that 
it  was  Jesus. 

15  Jesus  saith  unto  her.  Woman, 
why  weepest  thouC^ whom  seekest 
thou  ?  She,  supposing  him  to  be 
the  gardener,  saith  unto  him.  Sir, 
if  thou  have  borne  him  hence,  tell 
me  where  thou  hast  laid  him,  and 
^  I  will  take  him  away. 

16  Jesus  saith  unto  her,  Mary.* 
She  turned-?'  herself,  and  saith  unto 
him,  Eabboni ;  which  is  to  say, 
Master. 

17  Jesus  saith  unto  her.  Touch 
me  not;  for  I  am  not  yet  ascend- 

/  Matt.  28. 9.  Mar.  16.9.  jir  Lu.  24. 16, 31.  c.  21.4. 
A  Cant.  3.  2.         i  Isa.  43. 1.  c.  10.  3.        j  Cant.  3. 4. 

Hebrew  word  denoting,  literally,  my 
great  master.  It  was  one  of  the  titles 
given  to  Jewish  teachers.  This  title 
was  given  under  three  forms :  {a)  Mah^ 
or  master — the  lowest  degree  of  hon- 
or. (&)  Bdbhi,  my  master— a  title  of 
higher  dignity,  (c)  Mahhoni^  my  great 
master — the  most  honorable  of  all. 
This  title,  among  the  Jews,  was  only 
given  to  seven  persons,  all  persons  of 
great  eminence.  As  given  by  Mary 
to  the  Saviour,  it  was  at  once  an  ex- 
pression of  her  joy,  and  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  him  as  her  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter. It  is  not  improbable  that  she, 
filled  with  joy,  was  about  to  cast  her- 
self at  his  feet. 

17.  Touch  me  not,  etc.  This  passage 
has  given  rise  to  a  variety  of  interpre- 
tations. Jesus  required  Thomas  to 
touch  him  (verse  27),  and  it  has  been 
difficult  to  ascertain  why  he  forbid 
this  now  to  Mary.  The  reason  why 
he  directed  Thomas  to  do  this  was, 
that  he  doubted  whether  he  had  been 
restored  to  life.  Mary  did  not  doubt 
that.  The  reason  wh}^  he  forbade  her 
to  touch  him  now  is  to  be  sought  in 


408 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


ed  to  my  Father;  but  go  to  my" 
brethren,  and  say  unto  them,  *  I 
ascend  unto  my  Father  and  ^  your 
Father,  and  to  my  ^  God  and  your  ^ 
God. 

18  Mary  Magdalene  came-^  and 
told  the  disciples  that  she  had 

aPsa.22.22.    Rom.  8. 29.  Heb.2.11. 
h  C.16.  28. 

c  Rom.  8. 14, 15.  2  Cor.  6. 18.   Gal.  3.  26 ;  4.  6,  7. 
rfEph.  1.17. 

the  circumstances  of  the  case.  Mary, 
filled  with  joy  and  gratitude,  was 
about  to  prostrate  herself  at  his  feet, 
disposed  to  remain  with  him,  and  of- 
fer him  there  heriiomage  as  her  risen 
Lord.  This  is  probably  included  in 
the  word  touch  in  this  place ;  and  the 
language  of  Jesus  may  mean  this: 
*'Do  not  approach  me  now  for  this 
purpose.  Do  not  delay  here.  Other 
opportunities  will  yet  be  afforded  to 
see  me.  I  have  not  yet  ascended — 
that  is,  I  am  not  about  to  ascend  im- 
mediately^ but  shall  remain  yet  on 
earth  to  afford  opportunity  to  my  dis- 
ciples to  enjoy  my  presence."  From 
Matt,  xxviii.  9,  it  appears  that  the 
women,  when  they  met  Jesus,  held 
him  by  the  feet  and  worshipped  him. 
This  species  of  adoration  it  was  prob- 
ably the  intention  of  Mary  to  offer, 
and  this,  at  that  time^  Jesus  forbade, 
and  directed  her  to  go  at  once  and 
give  his  disciples  notice  that  he  had 
risen.  H  My  brethren.  See  chap.  xv. 
15.  11  My  Father  and  your  Father^  etc. 
Nothing  was  better  fitted  to  afford 
them  consolation  than  this  assurance 
that  his  God  was  theirs^  and  that, 
though  he  had  been  slain,  they  were 
still  indissolubly  united  in  attachment 
to  the  same  Father  and  God. 

19.  The  same  day  at  evening.  On  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  the  day  of  the 
resurrection  of  Christ.  1[  When  the 
doors  were  shut.  This  does  not  mean 
that  the  doors  were  fastened^  though 
that  might  have  been  the  case,  but 
only  that  they  were  closed.  Jesus 
had  been  taken  from  them,  and  it  was 
natural  that  they  should  apprehend 
that  the  Jews  would  next  attempt  to 
wreak  their  vengeance  on  his  follow- 
ers. Hence  they  met  in  the  evening, 
and  with  closed  doors,  lest  the  Jews 
should  bring  against  them  the  same 
charge  of  sedition  that  they  had 
against  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  is  not  cer- 
tainly said  what  w^as  the  object  of  their 
assembling,  but  it  is  not  unreasonable 


seen  the  Lord,  and  that  he  had 
spoken  these  things  unto  her. 

19  Then  the  same  day  at  even- 
ing, being  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
vyrhen  the  doors  were  shut  where 
the  disciples  were  assembled  for 
fear  of  the  Jews,  came  Jesus,  and 

cGen.17.7,8.  Psa.  43. 4, 5  ;  48. 14.  Isa.41.10.  Jer. 
31.33.  Ezek.36.  28.  Zech.  13.  9.  Heb.  11.  16.  Rev. 
21. 3.  f  Matt.  28. 10.  o  Mar.  16. 14.  Lu.  24. 

36.  1  Cor.  15.  5. 


to  suiipose  that  it  was  to  talk  over 
the  events  which  had  just  occurred, 
to  deliberate  about  their  condition, 
and  to  engage  in  acts  of  worship. 
Their  minds  were  doubtless  much 
agitated.  They  had  seen  their  Mas- 
ter taken  away  and  put  to  death ;  but 
a  part  of  their  number  arlso  had  af- 
firmed that  they  had  seen  him  alive. 
In  this  state  of  things  they  naturally 
came  together  in  a  time  and  place  of 
safety.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  the 
early  Christians  to  hold  their  meetings 
for  worship  in  the  night.  In  times  of 
persecution  they  were  forbidden  to 
assemble  during  the  day,  and  hence 
they  were  compelled  to  meet  in  the 
night.  Pliny  the  younger,  writing  to 
Trajan,  the  Roman  emperor,  and  giv- 
ing an  account  of  Christians,  says  that 
"they  were  wont  to  meet  together  on 
a  stated  day  before  it  was  light,  and 
sing  among  themselves  alternately  a 
hymn  to  Christ  as  God."  True  Chris- 
tians will  love  to  meet  together  for 
worship.  Nothing  will  prevent  this ; 
and  one  of  the  evidences  of  piety  is  a 
desire  to  assemble  to  hear  the  Word 
of  God,  and  to  offer  to  him  prayer  and 
praise.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that 
this  is  the  first  assembly  that  was  con- 
vened for  worship  on  the  Lord's  day, 
and  in  that  assembly  Jesus  was  pres- 
ent. Since  that  time,  the  da}'  has  been 
observed  in  the  Church  as  the-  Chris- 
tian Sabbath,  particularly  to  com- 
memorate the  resurrection  of  Christ. 
If  Came  Jesus^  etc.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  he  came  into  their  assem- 
bly in  any  miraculous  manner.  For 
any  thing  that  appears  to  the  contra- 
ry, J esus  entered  in  the  usual  way  and 
manner,  though  his  sudden  appearance 
alarmed  them.  T|  Peace  be  imto  you. 
The  sudden  manner  of  his  appearance, 
and  the  fact  that  most  of  them  had  not 
before  seen  him  since  his  resurrection, 
tended  to  alarm  them.  Hence  he  ad- 
dressed them  in  the  usual  form  of  sal- 
utation to  allay  their  fears,  and  to  as- 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XX. 


409 


stood  in  the  midst,  and  saith  unto 
them,  Peace  le  unto  you. 

20  And  when  he  had  so  said,  he 
showed  unto  them  his  hands  and 
his  side.  Then  "  were  the  disci- 
ples glad  when  they  saw  the 
Lord. 

21  Then  said  Jesus  to  them  again, 
Peace  *  le  unto  you :  as  my  Father 
hath  sent  me,  even  so  "  send  I 
you. 

22  And  when  he  had  said  this,  he 

a  c.  16.  22.  h  c.  14.  27. 

c  Matt.  28. 19.  c.  17.18.  2  Tim.  2.  2.  Heb.3. 1. 


sure  them  that  it  was  their  own  Sa- 
viour and  Friend. 

20.  He  showed  unto  them  his  hands, 
etc.  In  this  manner  he  gave  them  in- 
dubitable proofs  of  his  identity.  He 
showed  them  that  he  was  the  same  Be- 
ing who  had  suffered ;  that  he  had  tru- 
ly risen  from  the  dead,  and  had  come 
forth  with  the  same  body.  That  body 
had  not  yet  put  on  its  glorified  form. 
It  was  necessary  fiy^st  to  establish  the 
proof  of  his  resurrection,  and  that 
could  be  done  only  by  his  appearing 
as  he  was  when  he  died. 

21.  As  my  Father  hath  sent  me.  As 
God  sent  me  to  preach,  to  be  perse- 
cuted, and  to  sulfer ;  to  make  known 
his  will,  and  to  offer  pardon  to  men, 
so  I  send  you.  This  is  the  design  and 
the  extent  of  the  commission  of  the 
ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  is 
their  model;  and  they  will  be  suc- 
cessful only  as  they  sttody  his  charac- 
ter and  imitate  his  example.  This 
commission  he  proceeds  to  confirm 
by  endowing  them  all  with  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

22.  He  breathed  on  them.  It  was  cus- 
tomary for  the  prophets  to  use  some 
significant  act  to  represent  the  nature 
of  their  message.  See  Jer.  xiii. ,  xviii. , 
etc.  In  this  case  the  act  of  breathing 
was  used  to  represent  the  nature  of 
the  influence  that  would  come  upon 
them,  and  the  source  of  that  influence. 
When  man  was  created,  God  breathed 
into  him  the  breath  of  life.  Gen.  ii.  7. 
The  word  rendered  spirit  in  the  Script- 
ures denotes  wiiid,  air,  breath,  as  well 
as  Spirit.  Hence  the  operations  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  are  compared  to  the  wind. 
John  iii.  8.  Acts  ii.  2.  Beceive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost.  His  breathing  on  them 
was  a  certain  sign  or  pledge  that  they 
would  be  endowed  with  the  influences 

XL— S 


breathed  on  tTiem^  and  saith  unto 
them.  Receive  ^  ye  the  Holy  Ghost. 

23  Whose  soever  ^  sins  ye  remit, 
they  are  remitted  unto  them ;  and 
whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they 
are  retained. 

24  But  Thomas,  -''one  of  the 
twelve,  called  Didymus,  was  not 
with  them  when  Jesus  came.       . , 

25  The  other  disciples  therefore 
said  unto  him.  We  have  seen  the 
Lord.    But  he  ^  said  unto  them, 

d  Acts  2. 4, 38.  e  Matt.  16. 19  ;  18. 18. 

/c.  11.16.  Psa.  78. 11,32. 

of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Compare  Acts  i. 
4.  Chap.  ii. 

23.  Whose  soever  sins,  etc.  See  Notes 
onMatt.xvi.  19;  xviii.  18.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark  here  that  Jesus  confers  the 
same  power  on  all  the  apostles.  He 
gives  to  no  one  of  them  any  peculiar 
authority.  If  Peter,  as  the  Papists  pre- 
tend, had  been  appointed  to  any  i^e- 
culiar  authority,  it  is  wonderful  that 
the  Saviour  did  not  here  hint  at  any 
such  pre-eminence.  This  passage  con- 
clusively proves  that  they  were  invest- 
ed with  equal  power  in  organizing  and 
governing  the  Church.  The  authori- 
ty which  he  had  given  Peter  to  preach 
the  Gospel  first  to  the  Jews  and  the 
Gentiles,  does  not  militate  against 
this.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  xvi.  18, 19. 
This  authority  given  them  was  full 
proof  that  they  were  inspired.  The 
meaning  of  the  passage  is  not  that 
man  can  forgive  sins  —  that  belongs 
only  to  God  (Isa.  xliii.  23),  but  that 
they  should  15e  inspired  ;  that  in  found- 
ing the  Church,  and  in  declaring  the 
will  of  God,  they  should  be  taught 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  declare  on  what 
terms,  to  what  characters,  and  to  what 
temper  of  mind  God  would  extend  for- 
giveness of  sins.  It  was  not  author- 
ity to  forgive  individuals,  but  to  estab- 
lish in  all  the  churches  the  terms  and 
conditions  on  which  men  might  be 
pardoned,  with  a  promise  that  God 
would  confirm  all  that  they  taught; 
that  all  might  have  assurance  of  for- 
giveness who  would  comply  with 
those  terms ;  and  that  those  who  did 
not  comply  should  not  be  forgiven, 
but  that  their  sins  should  be  retained. 
This  commission  is  as  far  as  possible 
from  the  authority  which  the  Roman 
Catholic  claims  of  remitting  sin  and 
of  pronouncing  pardon. 


410 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


Except  I  shall  see  in  his  hands  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  fin- 
ger into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and 
thrust  my  hand  into  his  side,  I 
will  not  believe. 

26  And  after  eight  days,  again  his 
disciples  were  within,  and  Thomas 
with  them.  Then  came  Jesus,  the 
doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the 
midst,  and  said.  Peace  ^  te  unto  you. 

alsa.26.12.  fcljno.l.l. 


25.  Except  I  shall  see,  etc.  It  is  not 
known  what  was  the  ground  of  the 
incredulity  of  Tliomas.  It  is  proba- 
ble, however,  tliat  it  was,  in  part  at 
least,  the  effect  of  deep  grief,  and  of 
that  despondency  which  lills  the  mind 
when  a  long-cherished  hope  is  taken 
away.  In  such  a  case  it  requires  proof 
of  uncommon  clearness  and  strength 
to  overcome  the  despondency,  and  to 
convince  us  that  we  may  obtain  the 
object  of  our  desires.  Thomas  has 
been  much  blamed  by  expositors,  but 
he  asked  only  for  proof  that  would  be 
satisfactory  in  his  circumstances.  The 
testimony  of  ten  disciples  should  have 
been  indeed  sufficient,  but  an  oppor- 
tunity was  thus  given  to  the  Saviour 
to  convince  the  last  of  them  of  the 
truth  of  his  resurrection.  This  in- 
cident shows,  what  all  the  conduct 
of  the  apostles  proves,  that  they  had 
not  conspired  together  to  impose  on 
the  world.  Even  they  were  slow  to 
believe,  and  one  of  them  refused  to 
rely  even  on  the  testimony  of  ten  of 
his  brethren.  How  unlike  this  to  the 
conduct  of  men  who  ag'^e  to  impose 
a  story  on  mankind !  Many  are  like 
Thomas.  Many  now  are  unwilling  to 
believe  because  they  do  not  see  the 
Lord  Jesus,  and  with  just  as  little  rea- 
son as  Thomas  had.  The  testimony  of 
those  eleven  men— including  Thomas 
— who  saw  him  alive  after  he  was  cru- 
cified ;  who  were  willing  to  lay  down 
their  lives  to  attest  that  they  had  seen 
him  alive ;  who  had  nothing  to  gain 
by  imposture,  and  whose  conduct  was 
removed  as  far  as  possible  from  the 
appearance  of  imposture,  should  be 
regarded  as  ample  proof  of  the  fact 
that  he  rose  from  the  dead. 

26.  And  after  eight  days  again.  That 
is,  on  the  return  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week.  From  this  it  appears  that  they 
thus  early  set  apart  this  day  for  as- 
sembling together,  and  Jesus  coun- 


27  Then  saith  he  to  Thomas, 
Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  be- 
hold my  hands ;  and  reach  hither 
thy  hand,  ^  and  thrust  it  into  my 
sicle ;  and  be  ^  not  faithless,  but  be- 
lieving. 

28  And  Thomas  answered  and 
said  unto  him,  My  ^  Lord  and  my 
God. 

29  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Thomas, 

cl  Tim.  1.14.  Psa.  118.28.  c.  5.  23.  1  Tim.  3. 16. 


tenanced  it  by  appearing  twice  with 
them.  It  was  natural  that  the  apos- 
tles should  observe  this  day,  but  not 
probable  that  they  would  do  it  with- 
out the  sanction  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
His  repeated  presence  gave  such  a 
sanction,  and  the  historical  fact  is  in- 
disputable that  from  this  time  this 
day  was  observed  as  the  Christian 
Sabbath.  See  Acts  xx.  7.  1  Cor.  xvi. 
2.  Rev.  i.  10. 

28.  My  Lord  and  my  God.  In  this 
passage  the  name  God  is  expressly 
given  to  Christ,  in  his  own  presence 
and  by  one  of  his  own  apostles.  This 
declaration  has  been  considered  as  a 
clear  proof  of  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
for  the  following  reasons :  1st.  There 
is  no  evidence  that  this  was  a  mere 
expression,  as  some  have  supposed, 
of  surprise  or  astonishment.  2d.  The 
language  was  addressed  to  Jesus  him- 
self—'TAomas — said  UNTO  HIM."  3d. 
The  Saviour  did  not  reprove  him  or 
(Jieck  him  as  using  any  improper  lan- 
guage. If  he  had  not  been  divine,  it  is 
impossible  to  reconcile  it  with  his 
honesty  that  he  did  not  rebuke  the  dis- 
ciple. No  pious  man  would  have  al- 
lowed such  language  to  be  addressed 
to  him.  Comp.  Acts  xiv.  13-15.  Rev. 
xxii.  8, 9.  4th.  The  Saviour  proceeds 
immediately  to  commend  Thomas  for 
believing ;  but  what  was  the  evidence 
of  his  believing  ?  It  was  this  declara- 
tion, and  this  only.  If  this  was  a  mere 
exclamation  of  surprise,  what  proof 
was  it  that  Thomas  believed  ?  Before 
this  he  doubted.  Now  he  believed, 
and  gave  utterance  to  his  belief,  that 
Jesus  was  his  Lord  and  his  God.  5th. 
If  this  was  not  the  meaning  of  Thom- 
as, then  his  exclamation  was  a  mere 
act  of  profaneness,  and  the  Saviour 
would  not  have  commended  him  for 
taking  the  name  of  the  Lord  his  God 
in  vain.  The  passage  proves,  there- 
fore, that  it  is  proper  to  apply  to 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


411 


because  thou  hast  seen  me,  thou 
hast  believed ;  blessed  "  are  they 
that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have 
believed. 

30  And  ^  many  other  signs  truly 
did  Jesus  in  the  presence  of  his 
disciples,  which  are  not  v^ritten 
in  this  book. 

31  But  "  these  are  written  that 
ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  and 

a  1  Pet.  1.8.  6  c.  21.  25.  cLu.  1.4. 

Christ  the  name  Lord  and  God,  and 
thus  accords  with  what  John  affirmed 
in  chapter  i.  1,  and  which  is  establish- 
ed throughout  this  gospel. 

29.  Because  thou  hast  seen  me.  Be- 
cause you  have  lool^ed  upon  my  body, 
and  seen  the  proofs  that  I  am  the  same 
Saviour  that  was  crucified.  Jesus  here 
approves  the  faith  of  Thomas,  but  more 
highly  commends  the  faith  of  those 
who  should  believe  without  having 
seen.  T[  Blessed.  Happy,  or  worthy 
of  tlie  divine  approbation.  The  word 
has  here  the  force  of  the  comparative 
degree,  signifying  that  they  would  be 
in  some  respects  more  blessed  than 
Thomas.  Tliey  would  evince  liigher 
faith.  1[  That  have  not  seen,  etc.  Those 
who  should  be  convinced  by  the  tes- 
timony of  the  apostles,  and  by  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit.  They  would 
evince  stronger  faith.  All  faith  is  of 
things  not  seen ;  and  God  blesses  those 
most  who  most  implicitly  rely  on  his 
word. 

30.  Other  signs.  Other  mirdcles. 
Many  were  recorded  by  the  other 
evangelists,  and  many  which  he  per- 
formed were  never  recorded.  Chap, 
xxi.  25. 

31.  These  are  written.  Those  record- 
ed in  this  gospel.  H  That  ye  might  be- 
lieve, etc.  This  is  a  dew  to  the  design 
which  John  had  in  view  in  w^ritihg 
this  gospel.  The  whole  scope  or  eiid 
of  the  book  is  to  accomplish  two  ob- 
jects: 1st.  To  prove  that  Jesus  was 
the  Messiah ;  and,  2d.  That  they  who 
looked  at  the  proof  might  be  con- 
vinced and  have  eternal  lile.  This  de- 
sign is  kept  in  view  throughout  the 
book.  The  miracles,  facts,  arguments, 
instructions,  and  conversations  of  our 
Lord  all  tend  to  this.  This  point  had 
not  been  kept  in  view  so  directly  by 
either  of  the  other  evangelists,  and  it 
was  reserved  for  the  last  of  the  apos- 


<^that,  believing,  ye  might  have 
life  through  his  name. 

CHAPTER  XXL 

AFTER  these  things  Jesus 
showed  himself  again  to  the 
disciples  at  the  sea  of  Tiberias; 
and  on  this  wise  showed  he  him- 
self. 

2  There  were  together  Simon  Pe- 
tea,  and  Thomas  called  Didymus, 

c.  3. 15, 16;  5.24;  10.10.    1  Pet.  1.9.  » 

ties  to  collect  those  arguments,  and 
make  out  a  connected  demonstration 
tJiat  Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  If  this  de- 
sign of  John  is  kept  steadily  in  view, 
it  will  throw  much  light  on  the  book, 
and  the  argument  is  unanswerable, 
framed  after  the  strictest  rules  of  rea- 
soning, infinitely  beyond  the  skill  of 
man,  and  having  throughout  the  clear- 
est evidence  of  demonstration. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

1.  The  Sea  of  Tiberias.  Called  also 
the  Sea  of  Galilee,  being  situated  in 
Galilee.  See  Notes  on  Matt.  iv.  18. 
In  this  place  Jesus  had  promised  to 
meet  them.  Mark  xiv.  28;  xvi.  7. 
Matt.  xxvi.  32 ;  xxviii.  10.  This  inter- 
view of  Jesus  is  but  just  mentioned 
by  Matthew  (chap,  xxviii.  16),  and  is 
omitted  by  both  Mark  and  Luke.  This 
is  the  reason  why  John  relates  so  par- 
ticularly what  occurred  there.  Galilee 
was  a  retired  place  where  they  would 
be  free  from  danger,  and  was  therefore 
a  safe  and  convenient  situation  for  Je- 
sus to  meet  them,  in  order  to  give 
them  his  last  instructions.  H  On  this 
wise.   Thus.   In  this  manner. 

2.  There  were  together.  Probably  re- 
siding in  the  same  place.  While  they 
were  waiting  for  the  promise  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  they  still  found  it  proper 
to  be  usefully  employed.  Their  Mas- 
ter had  been  taken  away  by  death,  and 
the  promised  Spirit  had  not  descend- 
ed on  them.  In  tlie  interval — before 
the  promised  Spirit  was  poured  upon 
them — tliey  chose  not  to  be  idle,  and 
therefore  returned  to  their  former 
employment.  It  is  to  be  remarked, 
also,  that  they  had  no  other  means 
of  support.  While  with  Jesus,  they 
were  commonly  supplied  by  the  kind- 
ness of  the  people ;  but  now,  when 
the  Saviour  had  died,  they  were  cut 
off  from  this  means  of  support,  and 


412 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


and  *  Nathanael  of  Cana  in  Gali- 
lee, and  the  so?is  *  of  Zebedee,  and 
two  other  of  his  disciples. 

3  Simon  Peter  saith  unto  them, 
I  go  a  fishing.  They  say  unto  him, 
We  also  go  with  thee.  They  went 
forth,  and  entered  into  a  ship  im- 
mediately ;  and  that  night  they 
caught  nothing. 

4  But  when  the  morning  was  now 
come,  Jesus  stood  on  the  shore; 
Iwit  the  disciples  knew  ^  not  that 
it  was  Jesus. 

5  Then  ^  Jesus  saith  unto  them. 
^  Children,  have  ye  any  meat  ? 
They  answered  him.  No. 

6  And  he  said  unto  them.  Cast  ^ 

a  c.  1.45.  6  Matt.  4.  21.  c  c.  20. 14. 


returned  to  the  honest  labor  of  their 
early  lives.  Moreover,  they  had  been 
directed  by  the  Saviour  to  repair  to  a 
mountain  in  Galilee,  where  he  would 
meet  them.  Matt,  xxviii.  10.  This 
was  probably  not  far  from  the  Sea 
of  Galilee,  so  that,  until  he  came  to 
them,  they  would  naturally  be  en- 
gaged in  their  old  employment.  Min- 
isters of  the  Gospel  should  be  willing 
to  labor,  if  necessary,  for  their  own 
support,  and  should  not  esteem  such 
labor  dishonorable.  God  has  made 
employment  indispensable  to  man,  and 
if  the  field  of  labor  is  not  open  in  one 
way,  they  should  seek  it  in  another. 
If  at  any  time  the  i)eople  withhold  the 
supply  of  their  wants,  tliey  should  be 
able  and  willing  to  seek  support  in 
some  other  honest  occupation. 

3.  That  night  they  caught  nothing. 
This  was  so  ordered  in  the  providence 
of  God  that  the  miracle  which  was 
wrought  might  appear  more  remark- 
able. 

4.  Knew  not  that  it  ivas  Jesus.  Prob- 
ably it  was  yet  twilight,  and  in  the 
distance  they  could  not  distinctly  rec- 
ognize him. 

5.  Children.  A  term  of  aflfection  and 
friendship.  1  John  ii.  18.  t  Any  meat. 
This  word  (Greek)  means  any  thing 
eaten  with  bread.  It  was  used  by 
the  Greeks  especially  to  denote ^s/i. — 
Schlensner. 

6.  On  the  right  side.  Why  the  right 
side  is  mentioned  is  not  known.  Gro- 
tius  supposes  that  it  was  the  side 
nearest  the  shore,  where  there  was 


the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the 
ship,  and  ye  shall  find.  They  cast, 
therefore,  and  now  they  were  not 
able  to  draw  it  for  the  multitude 
of  fishes. 

7  Therefore  that  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved  saith  unto  Peter,  It  is 
the  Lord.  Now  when  Simon  Pe- 
ter heard  that  it  was  the  Lord,  he 
girt  his  fisher's  coat  unto  him  (for 
he  Avas  naked),  and  did  cast  him- 
self into  the  sea. 

8  And  the  other  disciples  came 
in  a  little  ship  (for  they  were  not 
far  from  land,  but  as  it  were  two 
hundred  cubits),  dragging  the  net 
with  fishes. 

d  Lu.  24. 41 .  1  or,  Sirs.  c  Lu.  5. 4-7. 


less  probability  of  taking  fish.  It  does 
not  appear  that  they  yet  recognized 
the  Lord  Jesus,  but  from  some  cause 
they  had  sufiicient  confidence  in  him 
to  make  another  trial.  Perhaps  they 
judged  that  he  was  one  skilled  in  that 
employment,  and  knew  where  there 
was  the  greatest  probability  of  suc- 
cess. 

7.  Therefore  that  disciple  whom  Jesus 
loved.  John.  Chap.  xiii.  23.  ^  It  is 
the  Lord.  He  was  convinced,  perhaps, 
by  the  apparent  miracle,  and  by  look- 
ing more  attentively  on  the  person  of 
one  who  had  been  the  means  of  such 
unexpected  and  remarkable  success. 
T[  His  Jisher^ s  coat.  His  upper  or  out- 
er gaVment  or  tunic,  in  distinction 
from  the  inner  garment  or  tunic 
which  was  worn  next  the  skin.  In 
the  case  of  Peter  it  may  have  been 
made  of  coarse  materials  such  as  fish- 
ermen commonly  wore,  or  such  as  Pe- 
ter usually  wore  when  he  was  engaged 
in  this  employment.  Such  garments 
are  common  with  men  of  this  occupa- 
tion. This  outer  garment  he  proba- 
bly had  laid  aside.  1[  He  was  naked. 
He  was  undressed^  with  nothing  on 
but  the  under  garment  or  tunic..  The 
word  docs  not  require  us  to  suppose 
a  greater  degree  of  nakedness  than 
this.  See  Notes  on  Mark  xiv.  51. 
Also  1  Sam.  xix.  24.  ^  Bid  cast  him- 
self into  the  sea.  With  characteristic 
ardor,  desirous  of  meeting  again  his 
Lord,  and  showing  his  affection  for 
him. 

8.  Two  hundred  cubits.  About  three 


A.D.  33.J 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


413 


9  As  soon,  then,  as  they  were 
come  to  land,  they  saw  a  fire  of 
coals  there,  and  fish  laid  thereon, 
and  bread. 

10  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Bring 
of  the  fish  which  ye  have  now 
caught. 

11  Simon  Peter  went  up,  and 
drew  the  net  to  land  full  of  great 
fishes,  an  hundred  and  fifty  and 
three;  and,  for  all  there  were  so 
many,  yet  was  not  the  net  broken. 

12  Jesus  saith  unto  them.  Come 
and  dine.   And  none  of  the  disci- 

a  Acts  10.41. 


hundred  and  fifty  feet,  or  a  little  more 
than  twenty  rods. 

9.  They  saiv  a  fiy^e^  etc.  We  have 
no  knowledge  whence  this  was  pro- 
duced—  whether  it  was,  as  Grotius 
supposes,  by  a  miracle,  or  whether  it 
was  a  place  occupied  by  other  fisher- 
men, where  they  also  might  cook  the 
fish  which  they  had  caught.  As  no 
miracle  is  mentioned,  however,  there 
is  no  reason  for  supposing  that  any 
existed  in  the  case. 

11.  An  hundred  and  fifty  and  three. 
The  number  is  mentioned  because  it 
seems  to  have  been  a  very  unusual 
draught,  and  it  was  particularly  grat- 
ifying and  striking  to  them  after  they 
had  spent  the  whole  night  and  had 
caught  nothing.  This  convinced  them 
that  it  was  no  other  than  the  same 
Saviour  who  had  so  often  worked 
wonders  before  them  that  was  now 
with  them. 

12.  Come  and  dine.  The  word  in 
the  original  means  the  meal  which  is 
taken  in  the  morning.,  or  breakfast. 

13.  Jesu8  then  corneth.,  and  taketh  bread., 
etc.  It  is  not  said  that  Jesus  himself 
ate  with  them,  but  he  gave  them  food. 
The  design  of  this  interview  seems  to 
have  been  to  convince  them  that  he 
had  truly  risen  from  the  dead.  Hence 
he  performed  a  miracle  before  they 
suspected  that  it  was  he,  that  there 
might  be  no  room  to  say  that  they 
had  ascribed  to  him  the  power  of  the 
miracle  througli  friendship  and  collu- 
sion with  him.  The  miracle  was  such 
as  to  satisfy  them  of  its  truth,  and 
was,  in  accordance  with  all  his  works, 
not  for  mere  display,  but  for  utility. 
He  remained  with  them,  was  with 
them  at  their  meal,  conversed  with 


pies  durst  ask  him,  Who  art  thou  ? 
knowing  that  it  was  the  Lord. 

13  Jesus  ^  then  cometh,  and  tak- 
eth bread,  and  giveth  them,  and 
fish  likewise. 

14  This  *  is  now  the  third  time 
that  Jesus  showed  himself  to  his 
disciples  after  that  he  was  risen 
from  the  dead. 

15  So  when  they  had  dined,  Je- 
sus saith  to  Simon  Peter,  Simon, 
son  of  Jonas,  lovest  thou  me  more 
^  than  these  ?  He  saith  unto  him, 
Yea,  Lord ;  thou  knowest  that  I 

6  0.20.  19,26,  c  Matt.  26. 33, 35. 

them,  and  thus  convinced  them  that 
he  was  the  same  Friend  who  had  died. 

14.  The  third  time.  See  the  "Har- 
mony of  the  accounts  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus"  at  the  end  of  Matthew. 

15.  Lovest  thou  me  more  than  these? 
There  is  a  slight  ambiguity  here  in  the 
original,  as  there  is  in  our  translation. 
The  word  t?iese  may  be  in  the  neuter 
gender,  and  refer  to  these  tilings — his 
boat,  his  fishing  utensils,  and  his  em- 
ployments ;  or  it  may  be  in  the  mas- 
culine, and  refer  to  the  apostles.  In 
the  former  sense  it  would  mean, ' '  Lov- 
est thou  me  more  than  thou  lovest 
these  objects  ?  Art  thou  now  willing, 
from  love  to  me,  to  forsake  all  these, 
and  go  and  preach  my  Gospel  to  the 
nations  of  the  earth?"  In  the  other 
sense,  which  is  probably  the  true 
sense,  it  would  mean,  "Lovest  thou 
me  more  than  these  other  apostles 
love  me?"  In  this  question  Jesus 
refers  to  the  profession  of  superior 
attachment  to  him  which  Peter  had 
made  before  his  death  (Matt.  xxvi. 
33):  "  Though  all  men  shall  be  off'end- 
ed  because  of  thee,  yet  will  I  never 
be  offended."  Compare  John  xiii.  37. 
Jesus  here  slightly  reproves  him  for 
that  confident  assertion,  reminds  him 
of  his  sad  and  painful  denial,  and  now 
puts  this  direct  and  pointed  question 
to  him  to  know  what  was  .the  prese^it 
state  of  his  feelings.  After  all  that 
Peter  had  had  to  humble  him,  the  Sa- 
viour inquired  of  him  what  had  been 
the  effect  on  his  mind,  and  whether  it 
had  tended  to  prepare  him  for  the  ar- 
duous toils  in  which  he  was  about  to 
engage.  This  question  we  should  all 
put  to  ourselves.  It  is  a  matter  of 
much  importance  that  we  should  our- 


414 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


love  thee.  He  saitli  unto  Mm, 
Feed  my  lambs. 

16  He  saitli  to  him  again  the  sec- 
ond time,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lov- 
est  thou  me  ?  He  saith  unto  him. 
Yea,  Lord ;  thou  knowest  that  I 

alsa.40. 11.  Jer.3. 15.  Ezek.  34.  2-10.  Acts  20.  28. 
IPet.  5.  2,4. 


selves  know  what  is  the  effect  of  the 
dealings  of  divine  Providence  on  our 
hearts,  and  what  is  o\xy  present  state  of 
feeling  toward  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
^  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.  Peter 
now  made  no  pretensions  to  love  su- 
perior to  his  brethren.  His  sad  de- 
nial had  convinced  him  of  the  folly  of 
that  claim ;  but  still  he  could  appeal 
to  the  Searcher  of  the  heart,  and  say 
that  he  knew  that  he  loved  him.  Here 
is  the  expression  of  a  humbled  soul — 
a  soul  made  sensible  of  its  weakness 
and  need  of  strength,  yet  with  evi- 
dence of  true  attachment  to  the  Sa- 
viour. It  is  not  the  most  confident 
pretensions  that  constitute  the  high- 
est proof  of  love  to  Christ ;  and  the 
happiest  and  best  stat'e  of  feeling  is 
when  we  can  witli  humility,  yet  with 
confidence,  look  to  the  Lord  Jesus  and 
say,  "  Thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee." 
HI  Feed  my  lambs.  The  word  here  ren- 
deredmeans  the  care  afi*ordedby 
furnishing  nutriment  for  the  flock.  In 
the  next  verse  there  is  a  change  in  the 
Greek,  and  the  word  rendered  feed  de- 
notes rather  the  care,  guidance,  and 
protection  which  a  shepherd  extends 
to  his  flock.  By  the  use  of  both  these 
words,  it  is  supposed  that  our  Saviour 
intended  that  a  shepherd  was  both  to 
ofi'er  the  proper  food  for  his  flock  and 
to  govern  it;  or,  as  we  express  it,  to 
exercise  the  office  of  a  pastor.  The 
expression  is  taken  from  the  office  of 
a  shepherd,  with  which  the  office  of  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel  is  frequently 
compared.  It  means,  as  a  good  shep- 
herd provides  for  the  wants  of  his 
flock,  so  the  pastor  in  the  church  is 
to  furnish  food  for  the  soul,  or  so  to 
exhibit  truth  that  the  faith  of  believ- 
ers may  be  strengthened  and  their 
hope  confirmed.  "[[  Mtj  lambs.  The 
Church  is  often  compared  to  a  flock. 
See  chap.  x.  1-16.  Here  the  expres- 
sion 7mj  lambs  undoubtedly  refers  to 
the  tender  and  the  young  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church  ;  to  those  who  are  young 
in  years  and  in  Christian  experience. 
The  Lord  Jesus  saw,  what  has  been 


love  thee.  He  saith  unto  him, 
Feed  my  sheep.^ 

17  He  saith  unto  him  the  third 
time,  Simon,  son  of  Jonas,  lovest 
thou  me  ?  Peter  v^^as  grieved  be- 
cause he  said  unto  him  the  third 

h  Heb.  13.  20.    1  Pet.  2.  25. 
c  Lam.  3.  33. 


confirmed  in  the  experience  of  the 
Church,  that  the  success  of  the  Gos- 
pel among  men  depended  on  the  care 
which  the  ministry  would  extend  to 
those  in  early  life.  It  is  in  obedience 
to  this  command  that  Sunday-schools 
have  been  established,  and  no  means 
of  fulfilling  this  command  of  the  Sa- 
viour have  been  found  so  efl^ectual  as 
to  extend  patronage  to  those  schools. 
It  is  not  merel}^,  therefore,  the  privi- 
lege, it  is  the  solemn  duty  of  ministers 
of  the  Gospel  to  countenance  and  pat- 
ronize those  schools. 

16.  Feed  my  sheep.  The  word  here 
rendered /eec^,  as  has  been  remarked,  is 
different  from  the  word  in  the  previ- 
ous verse.  It  has  the  sense  of  govern- 
ing, caring  for,  guiding ,  protecting — the 
kind  of  faithful  vigilance  which  a  shep- 
herd uses  to  guide  his  flock,  and  to 
make  provision  against  their  wants 
and  dangers.  It  may  be  implied  here 
that  the  care  needed  for  the  young  in 
the  Church  is  to  instruct  them,  and 
for  those  in  advanced  years  both  to  in- 
struct and  govern  them.  1[  My  sheep. 
This  term  commonly  denotes  the 
Church  in  general,  without  respect  to 
age.   Chap.  x. 

17.  The  third  time.  It  is  probable 
that  Jesus  proposed  this  question 
three  times  because  Peter  had  thrice 
denied  him.  Thus  he  tenderly  ad- 
monished him  of  his  fault  and  remind- 
ed him  of  his  sin,  while  he  solemnly 
charged  him  to  be  faithful  and  vigi- 
lant in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of 
the  pastoral  office.  The  reason  why 
the  Saviour  addressed  Peter  in  this 
manner  was  doubtless  because  he  had 
just  denied  him  —  had  given  a  most 
melancholy  instance  of  the  instabili- 
ty and  weakness  of  his  faith,  and  of 
his  liability  to  fall.  As  he  had  thus 
been  x)rominent  in  forsaking  him,  he 
took  this  occasion  to  give  to  him  a 
special  charge,  and  to  secure  his  future 
obedience.  Hence  he  so  administer- 
ed the  charge  as  to  remind  him  of 
his  fault;  and  he  made  him  so  prom- 
inent as  to  show  the  solicitude  of  the 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


415 


time,  Lovest  thou  me  ?  and  lie  said 
unto  him,  Lord,  thou  *  knowest  all 
things ;  thou  knowest  that  I  love 
thee.  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Feed 
my  sheep. 

18  Yerily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
*  when  thou  wast  young,  thou  gird- 
edst  thyself,  and  walkedst  whither 
thou  wouldest ;  but  when  thou 
shalt  be  old,  thou  shalt  stretch 

a  c.  16. 30.  6  c.  13.  36.  Acts  12.3,4. 

c  Acts  21. 11. 


Saviour  that  henceforward  he  might 
not  be  left  to  dishonor  his  high  call- 
ing. This  same  charge,  in  substance, 
he  had  on  other  occasions  given  to 
the  apostles  (Matt,  xviii.  18),  and  there 
is  not  the  slightest  evidence  here  that 
Christ  intended,  as  the  Papists  pre- 
tend, to  give  Peter  any  peculiar  pri- 
macy or  eminence  in  the  Church.  The 
charge  to  Peter  arose,  manifestly,  from 
his  prominent  and  melancholy  act  in 
denying  him,  and  was  the  kind  and 
tender  means  used  by  a  faithful  Sa- 
viour to  keep  him  from  similar  acts 
in  the  future  dangers  and  trials  of  life. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  admo- 
nition was  effectual.  Henceforward 
Peter  was  one  of  the  most  firm  and 
unwavering  of  all  the  apostles,  and 
thus  fully  justified  the  appellation  of 
a  rock^  which  the  Saviour  by  antici- 
pation had  given  him.  See  Notes  on 
John  i.  42. 

18.  When  thou  wast  young.  When  in 
early  life  thou  didst  gird  thyself^  etc. 
The  Jews,  in  walking  or  running,  gi7'd- 
ed  their  outer  garments  around  them, 
that  they  might  not  be  impeded.  See 
Notes  on  Matt.  v.  38-41.  1[  Thou  gird- 
edst.  The  expression  here  denotes 
freedom.  He  did  as  he  pleased — he 
girded  himself  or  not — he  went  or  re- 
mained, as  he  chose.  Perhaps  the  ex- 
pression refers  rather  to  that  time  than 
to  the  previous  period  of  Peter's  life. 
''Thou  being  now  young  or  in  the 
vigor  of  life,  hast  just  girded  thyself 
and  come  freely  to  the  shore."  In 
either  case  the  Saviour  intimates  that 
at  the  end  of  his  life  h^would  not  be 
thus  free.  T[  When  tnm  shalt  be  old. 
Ancient  writers  say  that  Peter  was 
put  to  death  about  thirty-four  years 
after  this.  His  precise  age  at  that 
time  is  not  known.  H  Thou  shalt  stretch 
forth  thy  hands.  When  Peter  was  put 
to  death,  we  are  told  that  he  request- 


forth  thy  hands,  and  another  shall 
^  gird  thee,  and  carry  tliee  whither 
thou  wouldest  not. 

19  This  spake  he,  signifying  by 
what  death  ^  he  should  glorify 
God.  And  when  he  had  spoken 
this,  he  saith  unto  him,  Follow^ 
^me. 

20  Then  Peter,  turning  about, 
seeth  the  disciple  whom  Jesus 

2  Pet.  1.14. 

e  Num.  14.  24.  1  Sam.  12. 20.^  Matt.  19. 28.  c.  12.  26. 

ed  that  he  might  be  crucified  with 
his  head  downward,  saying  that  he 
who  had  denied  his  Lord  as  he  had 
done  was  not  worthy  to  die  as  he  did. 
This  expression  of  Christ  may  inti- 
mate the  readiness  of  Peter  thus  to 
die.  Though  he  was  not  at  liberty  as 
when  he  was  young,  though  bound  by 
others,  yet  he  freely  stretched  out  his 
hands  on  the  cross,  and  was  ready  to 
give  up  his  life.  %  Another  shall  gird 
thee.  Another  shall  hind  thee.  The 
limbs  of  persons  crucified  were  often 
hound  instead  of  being  nailed^  and  even 
the  hody  was  sometimes  girded  to  the 
cross.    See  Notes  on  Matt,  xxvii.  35. 

Garry  thee^  etc.  Shall  hear  thee,  or 
shall  compel  thee  to  go  to  prison  and 
to  death.  This  is  not  said  to  intimate 
that  Peter  would  be  unwilling  to  suf- 
fer martyrdom,  but  it  stands  opposed 
to  the  freedom  of  his  early  life.  Though 
willing  when  compelled  to  do  it,  yet 
he  would  not  seek  it;  and  though  he 
would  not  needlessly  expose  himself 
to  it,  yet  he  would  not  shrink  from  it 
when  it  was  the  will  of  God. 

19.  By  what  deaths  etc.  In  these 
words  two  things  are  implied:  1st. 
That  Peter  would  die  a  violent  death ; 
and,  2d.  That  his  death  would  be  such 
as  to  honor  God.  The  ancients  say 
that* Peter  was  crucified  at  Rome, 
about  thirty-four  years  after  this,  with 
his  head  downward.  Clemens  says 
that  he  was  led  to  the  crucifixion 
with  his  wife,  and  sustained  her  in 
her  sufi"erings  by  exhorting  her  to  re- 
member the  example  of  her  Lord.  He 
also  adds  that  he  died,  not  as  the  phi- 
losophers did,  but  with  a  firm  hope 
of  heaven,  and  patiently  endured  the 
pangs  of  the  cross. — Strom..,  vii.  This 
declaration  of  the  Saviour  was  doubt- 
less continually  before  the  mind  of 
Peter,  and  to  the  hour  of  his  death  he 
maintained  the  utmost  constancy  and 


416 


JOHN. 


[A.D.  33. 


loved  following,  which  also  lean- 
ed on  his  breast  at  supper,  and 
said.  Lord,  which  is  he  that  be- 
trayeth  thee  ? 

21  Peter,  seeing  him,  saith  to  Je- 
sus, Lord,  and  what  shall  this  man 
dof. 

22  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  If  I  will 
that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  "  what  is 
that  to  thee  ?    Follow  ^  thou  me. 

a  Matt.  25. 31.  Rev.  1.7;  22.  20.  b  ver.  19. 


fidelity  in  his  cause,  thus  justifying 
the  appellation  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
gave  him — a  rock. 

20.  Which  also  leaned,  etc.  See  chap, 
xiii.  24,  25. 

21.  What  shall  this  man  do?  This 
question  probably  means,  "What 
death  shall  he  die  ?"  But  it  is  impos- 
sible to  ascertain  certainly  why  Peter 
asked  this  question.  John  was  a  fa- 
vorite disciple,  and  perhaps  Peter  sus- 
pected that  he  would  have  a  hapi)ier 
lot,  and  not  be  put  to  death  in  this 
manner.  Peter  was  grieved  at  the 
question  of  Jesus  ;  he  was  probably 
deeply  affected  with  the  account  of 
his  own  approaching  sufferings ;  and, 
with  perhaps  a  mixture  of  grief  and 
envtf^  he  asked  what  would  be  his  lot. 
But  it  is  possible^  also,  that  it  was  from 
kindness  to  John  —  a  deep  solicitude 
about  him,  and  a  wish  that  he  might 
not  die  in  the  same  manner  as  one 
who  had  denied  his  Lord.  Whatever 
the  motive  was,  it  was  a  curiosity 
which  the  Lord  Jesus  did  not  choose 
to  gratify. 

22.  That  7ie  tarrij.  ThatheZi^^e.  The 
same  word  is  used  to  express  life  in 
Phil.  i.  24,  25.  1  Cor.  xv.  6.  H  Till  I 
come.  Some  have  supposed  this  to  re- 
fer to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem ; 
others  to  the  day  of  judgment;  oth- 
ers to  signify  that  he  would  notfelie  a 
violent  death ;  but  the  plain  meaning 
is,  "  If  I  will  that  he  should  not  die  at 
all,  it  is  nothing  to  thee."  In  this 
way  the  apostles  evidently  understood 
it,  and  hence  raised  a  report  that  he 
would  not  die.  It  is  remarkable  that 
John  was  the  last  of  the  apostles ;  that 
he  lived  to  nearly  the  close  of  the  first 
century,  and  then  died  a  peaceful 
death  at  Ephesus,  being  the  only  one, 
as  is  supposed,  of  the  apostles  who 
did  not  suffer  martyrdom.  The  tes- 
timony of  antiquity  is  clear  on  this 
point;  and  though  there  have  been 


23  Then  went  this  saying  abroad 
among  the  brethren,  that  that  dis- 
ciple should  not  die ;  yet  Jesus 
said  not  unto  him.  He  shall  not 
die ;  but.  If  I  will  that  he  tarry 
till  I  come,  what  is  that  to  thee  ? 

24  This  is  the  disciple  which  tes- 
tifieth  of  these  things,  and  wrote 
these  things ;  and we  know  that 
his  testimony  is  true. 

cc.  19.35.   3Jno.  12. 


many  idle  conjectures  about  this  pas- 
sage and  about  the  fate  of  John,  yet 
no  fact  of  history  is  better  attested 
than  that  John  died  and  was  buried 
at  Ephesus.  T[  What  is  tJiat  to  thee? 
From  this  passage  we  learn,  1st.  That 
our  main  business  is  to  follow  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  2d.  That  there  are 
many  subjects  of  religion  on  which  a 
vain  and  impertinent  curiosity  is  ex- 
ercised. All  such  curiosity  Jesus  here 
reproves.  3d.  That  Jesus  will  take 
care  of  all  his  true  disciples,  and  that 
we  should  not  be  unduly  solicitous 
about  them.  4th.  That  we  should  go 
forward  to  whatever  he  calls  us — to 
persecution  or  death  —  not  envying 
the  lot  of  any  other  man,  and  anxious 
only  to  do  the  will  of  God. 

23.  Then  ivent  this  saying,  etc.  This 
mistake  arose  very  naturally  —  1st. 
From  the  words  of  Jesus,  which  might 
be  easily  misunderstood  to  mean  that 
he  should  not  die;  and,  2d.  It  was 
probably  confirmed  when  it  was  seen 
that  John  survived  all  the  other  apos- 
tles, had  escaped  all  the  dangers  of 
persecution,  and  was  leading  a  peace- 
ful life  at  Ephesus.  This  mistake  J ohn 
deemed  it  projDcr  to  correct  before  he 
died,  and  has  thus  left  on  record  what 
Jesus  said  and  what  he  meant. 

24.  This  is  the  disciple,  etc.  This 
proves  that  the  beloved  disciple  was 
John.  T[  We  know.  That  is,  it  is  known;  - 
it  is  universally  admitted.  It  was  so 
decidedly  his  character  that  he  always 
declared  the  truth,  that  it  had  become 
known  and  was  unquestioned,  so  that 
7ie  hirnseJf  might  appeal  to  the  univer- 
sal testimony^jin  his  behalf.  In  this 
case,  thereforl^ve  have  the  testimo- 
ny of  a  man  whose  character  for  near- 
ly a  ce7itury  was  that  of  a  man  of  truth 
— so  much  so  that  it  had  become,  in 
a  manner,  x)roverbial,  and  was  put  be- 
yond a  doubt.  It  is  impossible  to  be- 
lieve that  such  a  man  would  sit  down 


A.D.  33.] 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


417 


25  And  *  there  are  also  many 
other  things  which  Jesus  did,  the 
which,  if  they  should  be  written 
every  one,  I  suppose  that  even  the 

deliberately  to  impose  on  mankind,  or 
to  write  a  book  which  was  false ;  and 
if  not,  then  this  book  is  true,  and  that 
is  the  same  as  saying  that  Christiani- 
ty is  a  religion  from  heaven. 

25.  Many  other  things.  Many  mira- 
cles. Chap.  XX.  30.  Many  discourses 
delivered,  etc.  If  I  suppose^  etc.  This 
is  evidently  the  figure  of  speech  call- 
ed a  hyperbole.  It  is  a  mode  of  speech 
where  the  words  express  more  or  less 
than  is  literally  true.  It  is  common 
among  all  writers ;  and  as  the  sacred 
writers,  in  recording  a  revelation  to 
men,  used  human  language,  it  was 
proper  that  they  should  express  them- 
selves as  men  ordinarily  do  if  they 
wished  to  be  understood.  This  figure 
of  speech  is  commonly  the  efi'ect  of 
surprise,  or  having  the  mind  fidl  of 
some  object,  and  not  having  words  to 
express  the  ideas :  at  the  same  time, 
the  words  convey  no  falsehood.  The 
statement  is  to  be  taken  as  it  would 
be  understood  among  the  persons  to 
whom  it  is  addressed ;  and  as  no  one 
supposes  that  the  author  means  to  be 
understood  literally,  so  there  is  no  de- 
ception in  the  case,  and  consequently 
no  impeachment  of  his  veracity  or  in- 
spiration. Thus,  when  Longinus  said 
of  a  man  that  "he  was  the  owner  of 
a  piece  of  ground  not  larger  than  a 
Lacedaemonian  letter,"  no  one  under- 
stood him  literally.  He  meant,  evi- 
dently, a  very  small  piece  of  land,  and 
no  one  would  be  deceived.  So  Virgil 
says  of  a  man,  "he  was  so  tall  as  to 
reach  the  stars,"  and  means  only  that 
he  was  very  tall.  So  when  John  says 
that  the  world  could  not  contain  the 
books  that  would  be  written  if  all  the 
deeds  and  sayings  of  Jesus  were  re- 
corded, he  clearly  intends  nothing 
more  than  that  a  great  many  books 
would  be  required,  or  that  it  would 
be  extremely  difiScult  to  record  them 
all;  intimating  that  his  life  was  act- 
ive, that  his  discourses  were  numer- 
S2 


world  itself  could  not  contain  the 
^  books  that  should  be  written. 
Amen. 

a  c.  20. 30.  b  Amos  7. 10. 


ous,  and  that  he  had  not  pretended  to 
give  them  all,  but  only  such  as  would 
go  to  establish  the  main*  point  for 
which  he  wrote  —  that  he  was  the 
Messiah.  Chap.  xx.  30, 31.  The  figure 
which  John  uses  here  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  the  Scriptures.  Gen.  xi.  4 ;  xv. 
5.   Num.  xiii.  33.  Dan.  iv.  20. 

This  gospel  contains  in  itself  the 
clearest  proof  of  inspiration.  It  is 
the  work  of  a  fisherman  of  Galilee, 
without  any  proof  that  he  had  any 
unusual  advantages.  It  is  a  connect- 
ed, clear,  and  satisfactory  argument  to 
establish  the  great  truth  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah.  It  was  written  many 
years  after  the  ascension  of  Jesus.  It 
contains  the  record  of  the  Saviour's 
profoundest  discourses,  of  his  most 
convincing  arguments  with  the  Jews, 
and  of  his  declarations  respecting  him- 
self and  God.  It  contains  the  purest 
and  most  elevated  views  of  God  to  be 
found  any  where,  as  far  exceeding  all 
the  speculations  of  philosophers  as 
the  sun  does  the  blaze  of  a  taper.  It 
is  in  the  highest  degree  absurd  to 
suppose  that  an  unlettered  fisherman 
could  have  originated  this  book.  Any 
one  may  be  convinced  of  this  by  com- 
paring it  with  what  woidd  be  the  pro- 
duction of  a  man  in  that  rank  of  life 
now.  But  if  John  has  preserved  the 
record  of  what  has  occurred  so  many 
years  before,  then  it  shows  that  he 
was  under  the  divine  guidance,  and  is 
himself  a  proof,  a  full  and  standmg 
proof,  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  prom- 
ise which  he  has  recorded — that  the 
Holy  Spirit  would  guide  the  apostles 
into  all  truth.  John  xiv.  26.  Of  this 
book  we  may,  in  conclusion,  apply 
the  words  spoken  by  John  respecting 
his  vision  of  the  future  events  of  the 
Church:  "Blessed  is  he  that  readetli 
and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this" 
book,  "and  keep  those  things  which 
are  written  therein,  for  the  time  is  at 
hand."  Rev.i.3. 


If 


TABLES. 


A  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE 

op  the  pkincipal  events  occurkina  in  judea,  and  the  correspond- 
ing events  in  the  roman  empire,  from  the  conquest  of  j.udea  by 
pompet  to  the  destruction  of  jerusalem  by  titus. 

Before  Christ. 

77-68.  Alexandra  Queen  of  the  Jews.  She  leaves  two  sons,  Hyrcamis 
and  Aristobulus.  Both  claim  the  crown — Aristobulns  seizing  upon  it  by 
force,  and  Hyrcanus  being  placed  on  the  throne  by  the  Pharisees.  In  a  bat- 
tle between  the  two  brothers  Hyrcanus  is  overcome,  and  Aristobulus  secures 
the  crown. 

70.  Pompey  and  Crassus  consuls  in  Rome. 

66.  Pompey  conquers  Mithridates  and  reduces  Pontus. 

65.  In  Syria  the  dynasty  of  the  Seleucidae  ends  with  Antiochus  XII.,  who  is 
overcome  by  Pompey.    Syria  becomes  a  Roman  province. 

67-63.  Aristobulus  II.  Kino  of  the  Jews.  He  had  been  high-priest  un- 
der the  reign  of  his  mother  nine  years.  Was  then  king  and  liigh-priest.  Was 
afterward  priest  nineteen  years.  Then  ethnarch  four  years.  Then  Herod's 
captive  and  sport  eight  years.  Hyrcanus,  at  the  instigation  of  Antipater,  the 
fatlier  of  Herod  the  Great,  seeks  the  aid  of  Aretas,  the  king  of  Arabia.  Anti- 
pater, or  Antipas,  was  an  Idumean  by  birth,  but  had  adopted  the  Jewish  re- 
ligion, and  was  Governor  of  Idumea  during  the  reign  of  Alexander  Janneus 
and  his  widow  Alexandra.  Antipater  joins  the  party  of  Hyrcanus.  He  and 
Hyrcanus  flee  to  Aretas,  king  of  Arabia.  Aretas  agrees  to  place  him  on  the 
throne,  and  conducts  him  to  Judea  with  an  army  of  50,000  men.  Takes  Jeru- 
salem, and  restores  him  to  the  throne.  Aristobulus  flees  to  the  temple,  and 
then  appeals  to  Scaurus,  the  Roman  general  at  Damascus,  for  aid.  Scaurus 
writes  to  Aretas ;  threatens  to  declare  him  an  enemy  of  the  Roman  people  if 
he  does  not  withdraw.  He  withdraws,  and  Aristobulus  pursues  him,  and  de- 
feats him  in  a  battle. 

63.  Pompey  the  Great,  who  had  come  to  Damascus,  commands  the  two 
brothers  to  appear  before  him.  The  two  brothers  appear  before  him,  and 
urge  their  respective  claims — Hyrcanus  pleading  his  birth,  Aristobulus  the 
necessity  of  the  case.  Aristobulus,  foreseeing  that  the  decision  would  be 
against  him,  withdraws,  and  fortifies  himself  in  Jerusalem.  Aristobulus  sur- 
renders himself  to  Pompey,  but  his  party  shut  the  gates  against  the  Romans, 
and  Pompey  puts  Aristobulus  in  chains,  and  begins  a  siege.  The  city  is  taken 
by  the  Romans  because  the  Jews  would  not  fight  on  the  Sabbath,  and  is 
brought  under  the  Roman  power,  according  to  Calmet  59  years,  according  to 
Hales  63  years,  and  according  to  Jahn  63  years  before  Christ.  Pompey  con- 
firms Hyrcanus  in  the  high-priesthood. 

63-55.  Hyrcanus  II.  Prince  and  High-priest  of  the  Jews.  Judea  a 
Roman  Province. 

60.  The  first  Triumvirate— Pompey,  Crassus,  and  Julius  Caesar. 

58.  Clodius  procures  the  banishment  of  Cicero. 

55.  Caesar  invades  Britain. 

54.  Alexander,  son  of  Aristobulus,  escapes  from  those  who  were  carrying 
him  to  Rome,  and  returns  to  Judea  and  raises  soldiers.   Hyrcanus,  not  being 


420 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


[B.C. 


able  to  defend  himself,  applies  to  Gabinius,  the  Roman  general.  Antipater, 
the  father  of  Herod  the  Great,  joins  the  Roman  army.  Alexander  is  defeated. 
Gabinius  conhrms  Hyrcanus  in  the  high-priesthood,  bnt  changes  the  form  of 
the  government  to  an  Aristocracy.  This  continues  until  the  year  44  B.C., 
when  Caesar  comes  to  Judea  and  restores  Hyrcanus  to  his  former  power. 

53.  Aristobulus  escapes  from  Rome,  and  comes  to  Judea  with  his  younger 
son,  Antigonus.    They  are  taken  prisoners  and  sent  to  Rome. 

54.  Gabinius  is  removed  from  Judea.  Crassus  is  made  proconsul  of  Syria, 
and  comes  to  Syria.  He  comes  to  Jerusalem,  and  robs  the  Temple  of  8000 
talents  of  gold,  equal  to  about  $200,000,000.  Makes  war  with  the  Parthians, 
and  is  put  to  death.  Cassius  Longinus  succeeds  him  in  the  command  of  the 
army ;  brings  the  remainder  of  the  army  over  the  Euphrates,  and  takes  about 
30,000  Jewish  captives. 

53.  Augustus,  afterward  the  Roman  emperor,  is  born. 

48.  Calpurnius  Bibulus  made  governor  of  Syria. 

48.  About  this  time  Ptolemy  Auletes,  king  of  Egypt,  died. 

46-44.  Hyrcanus  II.  high-priest. 

46.  Civil  war  between  Caesar  and  Pompey. 

45.  Battle  of  Pharsalia,  in  Thessaly,  where  Pompey  is  defeated.  Pompey 
flees  to  Egypt,  and  is  beheaded. 

45.  Antipater,  the  father  of  Herod  the  Great,  is  made  Governor 
OF  Judea.  He  is  appointed  to  this  office  by  Julius  Coesar.  Caesar  confirms 
Hyrcanus  in  the  high-priesthood,  and  gives  him  i^ermission  to  build  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem,  which  had  been  demolished  by  Pompey. 

44.  Hyrcanus  sends  to  Rome  a  golden  shield,  and  the  Jews  are,  by  a  decree 
of  the  Senate,  acknowledged  as  the  allies  of  the  Romans. 

44.  Antipater  rebuilds  the  walls  of  Jerusalem.  He  makes  his  eldest  son, 
Phazael,  governor  of  Jerusalem,  and  Herod,  afterward  Herod  the  Great,  gov- 
ernor of  Galilee. 

44.  Caesar  subdues  all  Egypt,  and  gives  it  into  the  hands  of  Cleopatra.  Is 
again  made  dictator. 
Herod  attacks  and  subdues  the  robbers  in  Galilee. 

Herod  is  summoned  before  the  Sanhedrim  on  the  charge  of  the  exercise  of 
arbitrary  power.  He  a^jpears  before  them  in  a  purple  robe,  and  attended  by 
his  life-guard,  and  defies  them.  He  dex^arts  from  Jerusalem,  and  goes  to  Sex- 
tus  Caesar  at  Damascus,  and  obtains  the  government  of  all  Coele-Syria. 

43.  The  Roman  calendar  reformed  by  Julius  Caesar.  This  year  was  called 
the  Year  of  Confusion^  and  consisted  of  445  days. 

41.  Julius  Caesar  restores  to  the  Jews  all  that  they  had  formerly  possessed, 
and  confirms  them  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  their  privileges. 

Caesar  is  put  to  death  in  the  senate-house. 

40.  Triumvirate — Octavianus  Caesar  (afterward  Augustus),  Antony,  and 
Lepidus. 

40.  Jewish  embassadors  appear  at  Rome  to  pray  that  their  privileges  may 
be  confirmed.    Their  request  is  granted. 
39.  Malichus  causes  Antipater,  the  father  of  Herod,  to  be  poisoned. 

38.  Herod  causes  Malichus  to  be  killed  to  revenge  the  death  of  his  father. 

39.  Battle  of  Philippi,  in  which  Brutus  and  Cassius  are  defeated. 

39.  Herod  and  Phazael  tetrarchs  of  Judea.  They  are  accused  by  the  Jews 
before  Antony.  More  than  a  thousand  Jews  appear  with  these  complaints. 
Antony  regards  it  as  rebellion,  and  causes  many  of  them  to  be  slain,  and  con-, 
firms  tlie  brothers  as  tetrarchs  of  the  Jews. 

Antigonus,  son  of  Aristobulus,  prevails  on  the  Parthians  to  place  him  on 
the  throne  of  Judea.  The  Parthians  seize  Hyrcanus  and  Phazael,  and  deliver 
them  up  to  Antigonus. 

Phazael  beats  out  his  own  brains.  Antigonus  cuts  off  the  ears  of  Hyrcanus 
and  sends  him  beyond  the  Euphrates. 

37.  Herod  is  forced  to  fee  to  Jerusalem^  and  thence  to  Mome^  to  implore  the  aid 
of  A7itony.  He  obtains  the  (jrant  of  the  Kingdom  of  Judea  from  the  Senate^  and 
the  governors  of  Syria  are  required  to  aid  him  in  securing  it.  He  is  conducted 
to  the  Capitol  at  Rome  by  Antony  and  Octavianus,  and  there  crowned  king 
with  idolatrous  sacrifices.   He  reigned  thirty-seven  years. 


B.C.]  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE.  421 

37.  Herod  King  of  J udea.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Antipater,  an  Idu- 
mean  by  birth,  who  had  been  governor  of  Judea. 

37.  Ventidius,  a  Roman,  has  command  of  the  forces  in  tlie  East.  Appoint- 
ed by  Antony. 

Herod  returns  to  Judea,  having  been  absent  but  three  months.  He  raises 
an  army.  Hastens  to  relieve  his  family  in  the  fortress  of  Massada,  where  they 
were  besieged  by  Antigonus.  Goes  to  Idumea,  and  takes  possession  of  a 
strong  fortress  by  the  name  of  Ressa,  and  then  returns  and  lays  siege  to  Je- 
rusalem. Unable  to  take  the  city,  he  is  obliged  to  decamp.  Marches  to  Gal- 
ilee, and  endeavors  to  clear  the  country  of  robbers. 

36.  Herod  renews  his  attacks  on  the  robbers.  Is  obliged  to  let  down  his 
soldiers  in  chests  by  ropes  over  the  mouth  of  the  caves,  and  to  fight  them 
there.  Having  subdued  the  robbers,  he  marches  to  Samaria  against  Antigo- 
nus, but  is  obliged  to  return  to  Galilee  to  quell  the  robbers. 

The  brother  of  Herod,  Joseph,  is  surrounded  and  slain  by  the  army  of  An- 
tigonus near  Jericho. 

36.  Antony  leads  an  army  against  the  Parthians.  Commits  the  government 
of  Syria  to  Sosius,  and  returns  to  Italy. 

The  Roman  Triumvirate  continues,  and  Antony  has  assigned  to  him  the  af- 
fairs of  the  East. 

35.  Herod  marches  against  Jerusalem,  and  lays  siege  again  to  the  city. 

He  is  married  to  Mariamne,  to  whom  he  had  been  betrothed  four  years. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  Alexander,  the  son  of  King  Aristobulus,  by  Alexan- 
dra, the  daughter  of  Hyrcanus  II.,  and  was  thus  granddaughter  to  both  these 
brothers.  Herod  hoped  by  this  marriage  to  reconcile  the  Jews  to  him,  as  the 
Asmonean  family,  from  which  she  was  descended,  was  in  high  favor  with  the 
Jews.  She  was  a  woman  of  uncommon  beauty.  Herod  is  joined  by  the  Ro- 
man general,  Sosius. 

34.  Jerusalem  is  taken  by  Herod,  and  Antigonus  surrenders  himself.  He 
is  treated  with  the  greatest  indignity.  Is  sent  to  Antioch,  and  beheaded  by 
the  command  of  Antony,  and  thus  the  reign  of  the  Asmoneans,  wiiich  had 
lasted  126  years,  is  ended,  and  Herod  is  confirmed  in  the  kingdom. 

Reign  of  Herod  the  Great. 

34.  Herod  condemns  to  death  all  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  except 
Sameas  and  Pollio. 

32.  He  appoints  to  the  office  of  high-priest  Ananel,  of  Babylon,  a  common 
priest,  but  a  descendant  of  the  ancient  high-priests. 

He  invites  Hyrcanus  II.  to  come  to  Jerusalem  from  Seleucia,  where  he  had 
been  kindly  entertained  by  the  Oriental  Jews.  Hyrcanus  comes  to  Jerusa- 
lem, where  he  is  treated  by  Herod  with  great  respect. 

32.  Herod,  at  the  earnest  solicitations  of  Alexandra  and  Mariamne,  deprives 
Ananel  of  the  high-priesthood,  and  confers  it  on  Aristobulus,  the  brother  of 
Mariamne,  then  only  seventeen  years  old.  Herod  is  displeased  with  the  in- 
terference of  Alexandra  in  this  business,  and  she  and  her  son  Aristobulus  at- 
tempt to  escape  to  Cleopatra  in  Egypt.  Aristobulus  is  drowned  Mp)rder  of 
Herod  in  a  lake  near  Jericho  on  account  of  the  affection  shown  mi  him  by 
the  people. 

32.  Antony  comes  into  Syria,  but  goes  then  into  Egypt,  where  he  spends  a 
whole  year  with  Cleopatra.  Lepidus  and  Octavianus  come  to  an  open  rup- 
ture, and  Lepidus  retires  as  a  private  man,  and  the  Roman  power  is  left  in  the 
hands  of  Antony  and  Octavianus,  afterward  Augustus. 

31.  Herod  is  sent  for  by  Antony  to  justify  himself  against  the  charge  of 
having  murdered  Aristobulus.  Gives  his  kingdom  to  the  care  of  his  uncle 
Joseph.  Charges  him,  in  case  he  is  condemned,  to  put  Mariamne  to  death, 
that  she  might  not  be  possessed  by  Antony.  Joseph  informs  her  of  the 
charge  of  Herod,  and  is  imprisoned  on  his  return. 

30.  Ananel  high-priest  the  second  time. 

War  between  Augustus  and  Antony.    Herod  sides  with  Antony. 

Antony  gives  to  Cleopatra  the  most  fertile  part  of  Judea,  but  Herod  agrees 
to  pay  her  a  yearly  tribute  of  two  hundred  talents. 

Cleopatra  visits  Herod  at  Jerusalem,  and  attempts  in  vain  to  entangle  him 
in  her  snares. 


422  CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE.  [B.C. 

Antony  makes  war  on  Armenia.  Appoints  Csesario,  son  of  Julius  Caesar  by 
Cleopatra,  king  of  Egypt.  Makes  his  eldest  son,  Alexander,  king  of  Armenia 
and  Parthia. 

27.  Herod  makes  war  with  the  Arabians  at  the  command  of  Antony.  Is 
defeated  near  Cana.    A  great  earthquake  in  Judea. 

27.  The  Battle"  of  Actium,  between  Antony  and  Octavianus,  which  de- 
cides the  destiny  of  the  Roman  world.    Antony  is  defeated. 

26,  Antony  and  Cleopatra  kill  themselves. 

26.  Hyrcanus,  then  eighty  years  of  age,  attempts  to  escape,  and  Herod  glad- 
ly embraces  this  opportunity  to  put  him  to  death.  Goes  to  Rome  to  pay 
court  to  Augustus  and  to  conciliate  his  favor.  Places  Mariamne  and  her 
mother  Alexandra  in  the  castle  of  Alexandrium,  with  orders  to  the  keepers 
to  put  them  to  death  if  he  is  slain.  Confesses,  to  Augustus  all  that  he  had 
done  for  Antony,  and  is  confirmed  in  his  kingdom. 

25.  Augustus  visits  Judea,  and  is  magnificently  entertained  by  Herod. 

24.  Mariamne  becomes  irreconcilably  opposed  to  Herod.  Herod  becomes 
jealous.  Orders  the  most  faithful  servant  of  Mariamne  to  be  put  to  the  tor- 
ture. Accuses  Mariamne  of  adultery  before  judges  of  his  own  selection.  She 
is  condemned,  in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of^erod,  and  immediately  exe- 
cuted.   Herod,  filled  with  remorse,  loses  all  self-command. 

23.  Herod  puts  to  death  the  sons  of  Babas,  at  the  instigation  of  his  sister 
Salome,  and  thus  cuts  off  the  last  remains  of  the  Asmonean  race.  They  were 
the  descendants  of  Hyrcanus,  and  Herod  now  felt  himself  secure  from  any 
claimant  to  the  throne. 

21.  Plague  and  famine  in  Judea.  Herod  lays  the  foundation  of  a  palace  on 
Mount  Zion. 

He  marries  Mariamne,  the  daughter  of  the  priest  Simon. 

21.  Augustus  is  made  emperor.    He  was  the  nephew  of  Julius  Ceesar. 

19.  Herod  builds  Csesarea  in  Palestine,  and  fortifies  Samaria.  Sends  to 
Rome  his  two  sons,  Alexander  and  Aristobulus,  whom  he  had  by  the  mur- 
dered Mariamne.  Agrippa,  the  favorite  of  Augustus,  is  made  Governor  of 
the  East. 

18.  Augustus  visits  Antioch,  and,  at  the  request  of  Herod,  raises  his  broth- 
er Pheroras  to  the  dignity  of  a  tetrarch. 
17.  Agrippa  comes  into  Asia.    Herod  visits  him. 

16.  Herod,  in  order  to  conciliate  the  afi'ection  of  the  Jews,  resolves  on  re- 
building the  Temple  in  a  style  of  much  greater  magnificence  than  the  former 
Temple.  Two  years  are  spent  in  collecting  materials.  The  old  Temple  is 
taken  down  by  degrees,  as  fast  as  its  parts  could  be  replaced  by  the  new 
building.  The  main  body  of  the  edifice  completed  in  nine  years  and  a  half, 
but  the  whole  not  completed  until  long  after  the  death  of  Herod.  (Notes  on 
John  ii.  20.) 

13.  Herod  goes  to  Rome.  Takes  his  two  sons  with  him  on  his  return,  and 
marriea^l^m,  the  one  to  a  daughter  of  the  King  of  Cappadocia  and  the  oth- 
er to  aSB^hter  of  his  sister  Salome. 

12.  Agnppa  visits  the  East,  and  is  magnificently  entertained  by  Herod  at 
Jerusalem. 

8.  Herod  goes  to  Rome,  and  accuses  his  two  sons,  Alexander  and  Aristob- 
ulus, of  a  design  against  his  life.  To  this  he  is  instigated  principally  by  his 
brother  Pheroras  and  his  sister  Salome,  on  account  of  their  hatred  of  Mari- 
amne. 

7.  Csesarea,  a  city  built  in  honor  of  Augustus,  is  dedicated  with  great  pomp. 

Herod  is  finally  reconciled  to  his  sons  by  the  influence  of  Archelaus,  king 
of  Cappadocia,  whose  daughter  Alexander  had  married.  He  goes  into  Ara- 
bia, takes  the  fortress  of  Repta,  and  puts  the  garrison  to  the  sword. 

5.  He  breaks  open  the  tomb  of  David,  and  takes  out  a  large  amount  of 
treasures. 

3.  The  suspicions  of  Herod  are  again  excited  against  his  two  sons,  Alexan- 
der and  Aristobulus.  They  are  arrested,  tried,  condemned,  and  sent  to  Sa- 
maria, where  they  are  strangled  by  order  of  their  father. 

1.  Pheroras,  the  brother  of  Herod,  and  Antipater,  the  son  of  Herod,  form  a 
conspiracy  against  his  life.    The  plan  is  to  poison  him.    Pheroras  is  taken 


A.D.J 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


423 


sick  and  dies.  Antipater  at  the  time  is  in  Rome.  The  whole  plot  is  discov- 
ered by  the  widow  of  Pheroras,  and  Herod  divorces  his  wife  Mariamne,  daugh- 
ter of  Simon,  for  being  an  accomplice,  strikes  the  name  of  Antipater  from  his 
will,  deposes  Simon  from  the  high-priesthood,  and  puts  many  persons  to 
death.  All  this  is  kept  secret  from  Antipater  at  Rome,  and  Herod  sends  for 
him  to  come  home,  with  many  expressions  of  his  paternal  love. 

Augustus  the  Roman  Emperor.  The  Temple  of  Janus  shut  as  a  sign  of 
universal  peace. 

The  birth  of  Christ  four  years  before  the  common  Christian  era.  That  era 
began  to  be  used  about  A.D.  526,  being  first  employed  by  Dionysius,  and  is 
supposed  to  have  been  placed  about  four  years  too  late.  Some  make  the  dif- 
ference two,  others  three,  four,  five,  and  even  eight  years.  He  was  born  at 
the  commencement  of  the  last  year  of  the  reign  of  Herod,  or  at  the  close  of 
the  year  preceding.  Herod  had  been  king  thirty-seven  years,  Augustus  em- 
peror about  sixteen. 

Antipater  returns  from  Rome.  Is  accused  and  convicted  of  a  design  to 
murder  Herod,  and  is  put  to  death  by  his  order.  The  flight  into  Egypt. 
Matt.  ii.  13-15.    The  murder  of  the  Innocents  at  Bethlehem.    Matt.  ii.  16. 

Herod  dies  at  Jericho  five  days  after  his  son  Antipater,  in  the  seventieth  year 
of  his  age,  of  a  most  loathsome  and  painful  disease.  He  called  around  him  the 
principal  men  of  the  nation,  and  charged  his  sister  Salome  and  her  husband 
to  confine  them  in  the  Hippodrome,  and  to  massacre  them  as  soon  as  he  had 
breathed  his  last,  that  the  J ews  might  have  some  cause  to  mourn  when  he 
died. 

By  the  will  of  Herod,  Archelaus  is  appointed  his  successor  in  the  kingdom, 
Herod  Antipas  made  tetrarch  of  Perea  and  Galilee,  and  Philip  tetrarch  of  Ba- 
tanea,  Gaulonitis,  Trachonitis,  and  Paneas.  To  his  sister  Salome  he  gives 
Jamnia  and  some  other  places.  As  soon  as  Herod  was  dead,  his  sister  Salome 
dismissed  all  the  Jewish  nobles  who  had  been  confined  in  the  Hippodrome, 
and  who  had  been  ordered  to  be  put  to  death. 

After  Christ. 

2-11.  Archelaus.  Goes  to  Rome  to  obtain  the  confirmation  of  his  title 
as  king  from  Augustus.  The  decision  of  Augustus  is  delayed.  Archelaus 
takes  the  high-priesthood  from  Joazer  and  gives  it  to  Eleazar.- 

Great  tumult  in  Judea.  The  nation  in  arms  against  the  Roman  power. 
The  Temple  is  attacked,  but  the  Romans  are  repulsed. 

Augustus  confirms  Archelaus  in  the  kingdom,  but  with  the  title  of  ethnarch 
instead  of  king.  Archelaus  rebuilds  Jericho.  Is  accused  by  the  Jews  and 
Samaritans  of  tyranny  before  Augustus,  and  is  banished  to  Yienne,  in  Gaul,  in 
the  tenth  year  of  his  reign. 

12-26.  Judea  a  Roman  Province.  In  the  year  12  A.D.  Augustus  united 
Judea  and  Samaria  to  Syria,  and  appointed  Publius  Sulpitius  Quirinus  ( Cyre- 
nius,  Luke  ii.  2)  governor  of  the  province.  At  the  same  time  Coponius  is 
made  procurator  of  Judea. 

14.  The  Temple  at  Jerusalem  is  polluted  by  some  Samaritans,  who  entered 
it  by  night  and  strewed  there  the  bones  of  dead  men. 

17.  Augustus  dies  at  Rola,  in  Campania,  in  the  seventy-sixth  year  of  his  age 
and  the  fifty-seventh  year  of  his  reign.  He  is  succeeded  by  Tiberius,  the  son 
of  his  wife  Julia. 

18.  Valerius  Gratus  made  procurator  of  Judea  by  Tiberius.  He  deposes 
Ananus  and  makes  Ismael  high-priest.  Afterward  he  gives  the  office  to  Ele- 
azar,  son  of  Ananus ;  then  to  Simeon,  and  at  last  to  Joseph,  called  in  the  New 
Testament  Caiaphas. 

Herod  Antipas  builds  the  city  of  Tiberias. 
26.  Pontius  Pilate  made  Procurator  of  Judea  by  Tiberius. 
He  attempts  to  set  up  Roman  colors  and  ensigns  in  Jerusalem,  butwop- 
posed  by  the  Jews. 

29.  John  the  Baptist  begins  to  preach. 

30.  Jesus  is  baptized  by  John. 

Tiberius  banishes  all  who  professed  the  J ewish  religion  from  Rome. 
About  this  time  hostilities  existed  between  Herod  Antipas  and  Aretas,  king 


424 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


[A.D. 


of  Arabia.  Herod  Antipas  had  married  a  daughter  of  Aretas.  On  his  way  to 
Rome  he  saw  and  fell  in  love  with  Herodias,  the  wife  of  his  brother,  and  agreed 
to  marry  her  and  put  away  the  daughter  of  Aretas.  She,  hearing  this,  fled  to 
her  father,  and  the  consequence  was  a  war,  in  which  Herod  was  defeated  and 
his  army  dispersed. 

30.  John  the  Baptist  declares  this  marriage  unlawful,  and  is  imprisoned  by 
Herod. 

31.  John  the  Baptist  in  prison.  Sends  a  deputation  to  Jesus  to  know  if  he 
was  the  Messiah. 

33.  Is  slain  by  the  order  of  Herod,  at  the  instigation  of  Herodias. 

33.  J esus  is  crucified  on  Friday,  April  3.  Supposed  to  have  been  at  about 
three  o'clock  P.M. 

34.  Stephen  put  to  death.    Paul  converted  on  his  way  to  Damascus. 

35.  Agrippa  the  Younger,  being  involved  in  debt,  resolves  to  go  to  Rome. 
Attaches  himself  to  the  party  of  Caius,  and  incurs  the  displeasure  of  Tiberius. 
This  year  died  Philip,  tetrarch  of  Trachonitis,  etc.,  a  son  of  Herod  the  Great. 
He  was  mild  and  equitable  in  his  government,  and  had  ruled  thirty-seven 
years.  The  countries  over  which  he  had  presided  were  at  his  death  united 
to  the  province  of  Syria. 

37.  Tiberius  dies  a  most  profligate  and  abandoned  man.  He  is  succeeded 
by  Caius  Caligula. 

37.  Pilate  is  recalled  by  Caligula,  and  banished  to  Vienne,  in  Gaul,  where 
he  is  said  to  have  put  an  end  to  his  own  life. 

38-45.  Agrippa  the  Younger  King  of  the  Jews.  He  was  the  son  of  Ar- 
istobulus  and  grandson  of  Mariamne.  Shortly  before  the  death  of  Herod  the 
Great  (his  grandfather)  he  goes  to  Rome,  squanders  his  property  there,  and 
is  reduced  to  want.  Goes  to  Idumea,  and  resolves  to  commit  suicide.  Per- 
suaded to  abandon  his  plan  by  his  wife.  Obtains  the  government  from  Tibe- 
rius. Is  accused  by  his  half-brother  Aristobulus,  and  goes  again  to  Rome.  Is 
favorably  received  by  Tiberius.  Is  accused,  however,  of  having  made  a  trea- 
sonable remark  respecting  Tiberius,  and  imprisoned  till  the  death  of  that  em- 
peror. Is  released  by  Caligula  from  prison,  and  made  King  of  Gaulonitis, 
Batanea,  and  Trachonitis. 

42.  Herod  Antipas,  at  the  instigation  of  Agrippa,  is  banished  to  Lyons,  and 
his  tetrarchy  given  to  King  Agrippa. 

Caligula  orders  Petronius  to  place  his  statue  in  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem. 
It  is  delayed  at  the  instance  of  Agrippa. 

42.  Caligula  is  assassinated  at  Rome,  and  succeeded  by  Claudius. 

42.  Agrippa  is  raised  by  Claudius  to  the  rank  of  consul ;  Samaria  and  Ju- 
dea  are  given  him,  and  thus  he  obtains  the  entire  kingdom  of  Herod  the  Great. 

42.  Agrippa  arrives  at  Jerusalem. 

43.  Deprives  the  high-priest  Matthias  of  the  priesthood,  and  bestows  it  on 
Elioneus. 

Causes  the  Apostle  James  the  Greater  to  be  put  to  death--- Acts  xii.  1 — and 
imprisons  Peter.  Soon  afterward  dies  at  Csegarea  in  great  misery.  Acts  xii. 
21-23. 

A  famine  at  Rome. 

45.  Cuspius  Fadus  is  sent  into  Judea  as  governor  or  procurator.  He  con- 
tinues in  the  oflftce  two  years. 

A  great  famine  in  Judea. 

Fadus  demands  that  the  vestments  of  the  high-priest  should  be  placed  un- 
der Roman  custody.    Longinus  comes  to  Jerusalem  to  enforce  this  order. 

Claudius  places  Herod,  the  brother  of  the  deceased  Agrippa,  over  the  Tem- 
ple and  the  treasury. 

A  celebrated  false  Messiah  appears.  He  persuades  the  people  to  follow  him 
to  the  Jordan.  Promises  to  stop  the  river  by  a  word,  and  to  lead  them  over 
on  T^y  ground.    Is  pursued  by  the  Roman  cavalry  and  beheaded. 

A^econd  famine  in  the  reign  of  Claudius.  This  was  in  Palestine.  Acts 
xi.  28. 

46.  Fadus  is  recalled.  Tiberius,  an  apostate  Jew,  is  made  governor  of  Ju- 
dea in  his  place.  * 

47.  Claudius  takes  away  the  authority  of  Herod  and  gives  it  to  Agrippa,  the 


A.D.] 


CHRO^^OLOGICAL  TABLE. 


425 


son  of  King  Agrippa,  who  died  at  Caesarea.  This  was  the  Agrippa  before 
whom  Paul  afterward  appeared.    Acts  xxvi. 

47.  Tiberius  is  recalled,  and  Cumanus  is  made  procurator  of  Judea.  Vio- 
lent disturbances  in  Judea. 

53.  Cumanus  is  recalled  and  expelled  from  Rome.  Claudius  appoints  Fe- 
lix procurator  of  Judea.  Felix  was  a  freedman  of  Claudius.  Claudius  gives 
to  Agrippa  the  tetrarchy  which  had  formerly  belonged  to  Philip— Gauloni- 
tis,  Batanea,  and  Trachonitis. 

Claudius  expels  the  Jews  from  Rome,  because,  in  expectation  of  the  Mes- 
siah, they  are  constantly  exciting  disturbances. 

55.  Claudius  dies,  being  poisoned  by  the  Empress  Agrippina,  the  mother 
of  Nero.  Nero  succeeds  him.  Nero  soon  puts  many  persons  to  death,  and, 
among  others,  his  own  mother. 

56.  Nero  gives  to  Agrippa  the  cities  Tiberias,  Tarichsea,  Abila,  and  Julias, 
and  the  districts  belonging  to  them. 

Felix  captures  a  number  of  robbers  and  crucifies  them. 

The  Sicarii,  or  roblDers  with  short  swords,  appear  and  abound  in  Judea. 
Felix  hires  one  of  them  to  assassinate  the  high-priest  J onathan.  Many  false 
prophets  appear  in  Judea. 

58.  Paul  goes  into  Judea  to  carry  contributions.  Is  seized  in  the  Temple 
at  Jerusalem,  and  sent  to  Caesarea.  Ishmael  made  high-priest.  Paul  makes 
his  defense  before  Felix  (Acts  xxiv.)  at  Caesarea.    Is  imprisoned  two  years. 

60.  PoRCius  Festus  made  Governor  of  Judea.  Felix  is  accused  at  Rome. 

Paul  appeals  to  the  emperor.  Makes  his  speech  before  Agrippa  (Acts 
xxvi.),  and  is  put  on  shipboard  to  be  sent  to  Rome.  Is  shipwrecked  at  Malta. 

Festus  finds  the  country  overrun  with  robbers.  A  false  Messiah  is  taken 
and  slain.  Agrippa  at  Jerusalem  builds  a  high  apartment  in  the  palace  of 
Herod,  by  which  he  can  overlook  all  that  is  done  in  the  Temple.  The  Jews 
build  a  high  wall  on  the  west  side  of  the  Temple  to  intercept  his  view.  The 
case  is  submitted  to  Nero.    Nero  allows  the  wall  to  stand. 

63.  Festus  dies  in  Judea,  and  Albinus  made  his  successor. 

64.  Martyrdom  of  James  the  Less  at  Jerusalem.  According  to  Josephus, 
he  was  stoned. 

64.  Herod's  Temple  at  Jerusalem  is  completed,  and  about  18,000  workmen 
are  discharged  from  employment,  many  of  whom  become  robbers. 

65.  Gessius  Florus  made  Procurator  of  Judea — a  man  worse  than  any 
of  his  predecessors.    He  was  cruel,  tyrannical,  and  insatiably  avaricious. 

Josephus  says  that  at  that  time  there  were  3,000,000  Jews  in  Jerusalem. 

Rome  set  on  fire — probably  by  order  of  Nero.  He  charges  it  on  the  Chris- 
tians, several  of  whom  are  put  to  death  by  being  inclosed  in  pitch  and  set  on 
fire,  to  illuminate  the  gardens  of  the  emperor. 

66.  Beginning  of  the  Jewish  War. 

The  probable  year  of  the  martyrdom  of  Paul  and  Peter  at  Rome. 

An  edict  of  the  emperor  is  issued,  by  which  the  Syrian  and  Greek  inhabit- 
ants of  Caesarea  are  raised  above  the  Jews.  The  dissatisfaction  which  this  oc- 
casions is  the  first  cause  of  the  war.  The  Syrians  and  Greeks  at  Csesarea  sac- 
rifice birds  on  the  bottom  of  an  earthen  vessel,  in  order  to  irritate  the  Jews. 
A  tumult  is  excited.  .Florus  demands  seventeen  talents  from  the  Temple  for 
the  use  of  the  emperor.  The  Jews  are  exasperated,  and  take  possession  of  the 
lower  city.    They  attack  the  castle  of  Antonia,  and  take  it  after  two  days. 

The  Christians  in  Jerusalem,  seeing  that  a  war  is  about  to  break  out,  retire 
to  Pella,  in  the  kingdom  of  Agrippa,  beyond  Jordan. 

67.  Vespasian  is  appointed  by  Nero  to  prosecute  the  Jewish  war.  Comes 
to  Antioch,  and  forms  a  numerous  army.  Division  in  Jerusalem,  and  general 
revolt  in  Judea.  Titus,  the  son  of  Vespasian,  is  sent  to  Alexandria  to  collect 
an  army,  and  to  proceed  to  Palestine  in  aid  of  his  father.  Vespasian  subdues 
Galilee. 

Josephus  besieged  in  Jotapata.  Jotapata  taken,  and  Josephus  surrenders 
to  Vespasian. 

The  Zealots  in  Jerusalem  seize  the  Temple,  and  depose  Theophilus  from  be- 
ing high-priest,  and  put  Phannias  in  his  place.  They  send  for  the  Idumeans 
to  aid  them. 


426  WEIGHTS,  MEASURES,  AND  MONEY. 


68.  Vespasian  takes  all  the  places  of  strength  in  Judea,  around  Jerusalem. 
Nero  dies.    Galba  succeeds  him. 

69.  Josephus  set  at  liberty. 

Eleazar,  son  of  Simon,  forms  a  third  party,  and  makes  himself  master  of 
the  inner  Temple. 

Galba  dies.  Otho  declared  emperor.  Otho  dies.  Vitellius  proclaimed  em- 
peror by  the  German  legions.  Vespasian  proclaimed  by  the  army  in  the  East. 
Vespasian  secures  the  throne. 

70.  Titus  marches  against  Jerusalem  to  besiege  it.  Approaches  it  some 
days  before  the  Passover. 

The  factions  in  Jerusalem  at  first  unite  against  the  Romans,  but  afterward 
divide  again. 

The  Romans  make  a  wall  all  around  J erusalem,  to  reduce  it  to  famine. 
July  17.  The  perpetual  daily  sacrifice  ceases. 

A  Roman  soldier  sets  the  Temple  on  fire,  notwithstanding  the  orders  of 
Titus  to  the  contrary. 

71.  Titus  demolishes  the  Temple  to  its  foundation,  and  also  the  city,  reserv- 
ing the  towers  of  Hippicus,  Phazael,  and  Mariamne. 

Titus  returns  to  Rome,  to  his  father,  Vespasian.  A  triumph  decreed  them, 
and  the  arch  erected  in  Rome,  which  is  still  standing. 

The  Jewish  war  ended ;  Bassus  sent  into  Judea  as  lieutenant,  and  Judea  is 
subdued. 


SCRIPTURE 
WEIGHTS,  MEASURES,  AND  MONEY. 
I. 

Scriptural  Measures  of  Length,  reduced  to  English  Measure. 
A  Digit 


96 


144 


192 


A  Palm  

A  Span   

A  Cubit  . 


24 


36 


48 


19201480 


6 


12 


16 


160 


80 


1.5 


A  Fathom  

Ezekiel's  Reed  

An  Arabian  Pole  

10 1 A  Schoeiius^  or  Measuring  Line. 


20 


1.3 


13.3 


Feet. 

Inches. 

0 

0.912 

0 

3.648 

0 

10.994 

1 

9.888 

7 

3.552 

10 

11.328 

14 

7.104 

145 

11.040 

II. 

The  Long  Scripture  Measure, 


A  Cubil 

400 

2000 

5 

A  Sabbath  Day's  Journey  

4000 

10 

2 

12000 

30 

6 

3 

96000 

240 

48 

24 

8  |A  Day's  Journey  

Miles. 

'Paces. 

0 

0 

0 

145 

0 

729 

1 

403 

4 

155 

33 

172 

Feet, 

1.824 

4.0 

3 
1 

3 
4 


WEIGHTS,  MEASURES,  AND  MONEY. 


427 


III. 

Jewish  Money  reduced  to  our  Standard. 


10 

A  Pekah  

20 

2 

A  Shekel  

1200 

120 

50 

A  Maneh  or  Mina  

60000 

6000 

3000 

60  1 A  Talent  of  Silver  

A  gold  Shekel  was  worth . . . 
A  Talent  of  gold  was  worth . 


Dollars. 

Cents. 

0 

02.5 

0 

25.09 

0 

50.187 

25 

09.35 

1505 

62.5 

8 

03 

24309 

IV. 

Roman  Money ^  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament^  reduced  to  our 
Standard. 


A  Mite  (about  one  third  of  a  cent)  

A  Farthing  (about  two  thirds  of  a  cent)  

A  Penny  or  Denarius  (not  far  from  one  eighth  of  a  dollar) . . 
A  Pound  or  Mina  


Dollars. 

0 
0 
0 
13 


Cent8. 

00.34375 
00.6875 
13.75 
75 


INDEX 

TO 

THE  NOTES  ON  THE  GOSPELS. 


A. 

Abia,  course  of,  ii.,  8. 
Abiathar,  who  he  was,  i.,  392. 
Aceldama,  i.,  355. 

Adultery,  punishment  of,  23.  Nature 
of,  86. 

Aged  men— may  be  saved,  i.,  259. 

Alab^aster  box,  i.,  327,  328. 
Alms,  i.,  95. 

Altar,  i.,  84,  85.  Of  incense,  situation 
of,ii.,9,10.    Cut  of,  10. 

Ambition,  wrong,  i.,  259. 

Amusements,  dangerous,  i.,  199. 

Angels,  meaning  of,  i.,  308 ;  ii. ,  9.  At- 
tend on  the  dead,  131,  210,  211.  At 
the  Pool  of  Bethesda,  249. 

Anger,  i.,  82,  394. 

Anise,  i.,  293. 

Annas  and  Caiaphas,  ii,  36. 
Anointing,  custom  of,  i.,  408;  ii.,  42. 
Anxiety,  wrong,  i. ,  105. 
Apostles,  meaning  of,  i.,  144.  Why 

chosen,  ib.    Names  of,  144, 145. 
Archelaus,  i.,  41,  42. 
Asher,  tribe  of,  ii.,  32. 
Augustus,  ii.,  23. 
Avarice,  evil  of,  i.,  109. 

B. 

Babylon,  i. ,  22. 

Baking,  mode  of,  in  the  East,  i.,  107. 

Band  of  men,  i.,  343. 

Baptism,  meaning  of  the  word,  i.,  49, 
50.  Emblem  of  suffering,  253,  254. 
Word  applied  to  cups,  pots,  and  ta- 
bles, 412. 

Bar,  meaning  of,  i.,  196. 

Baskets,  meaning  of,  i.,  196. 

Beauty  valueless',  i.,  110. 

Bethany,  i.,  260,  261. 

Bethesda,  ii.,249. 

Bethlehem,  i.,  28. 

Bethphagc,  i.,  260,  261. 

B.ethsaida,  i.,  159, 197;  ii,  71. 

Bible,  meaning  of,  i.,  ix. 


Blasphemy,  what,  i.,  134,  347. 

Blind  men  cured,  i.,  258. 

Blood,  drops  of,  i. ,  341.   The  blood  of 

Jesus  invoked  by  the  Jews,  359. 
Boanerges,  meaning  of,  i.,  396. 
Books,  ancient  form  of,  ii.,  42. 
Bottles  in  the  East,  i.,  137, 138. 
Burials  outside  of  cities,  ii. ,  59.  Mode 

of,  831. 

C. 

Caiaphas,  who  he  was,  i.,  345. 
Calvary,  meaning  of,  i.,  362.  Where, 
ib. 

Camels,  i.,  244. 
Camel's  hair,  i.,  47. 
Cana,  ii. ,  211. 
Canaan,  i.,  205. 
Capernaum,  i.,  64;  ii.,  44. 
Centurion,  i.,  120. 

Cephas,  meaning  of,  i.,  213;  ii.,  208. 

Cesar,  meaning  of,  i. ,  281. 

Cesarea  Philippi,  i.,  211. 

Chief  priests,  who,  i.,  34. 

Children,  duty  to  a  parent,  i.,  201,  208. 
Christians  to  become  like  them,  228; 
ii.,  352.  Brought  to  the  Saviour,  i., 
240.  Permitted  to  come,  240,  241. 
Blessed  by  the  Saviour,  426. 

Christ,  meaning  of  the  word,  i.,  19. 
The  Son  of  David,  ib.  Expectation 
of  him  about  the  time  when  he  was 
born,  33.  A  ransom,  255.  What  are 
we  to  think  of  him,  285.  His  divin- 
ity, ii.,  193,  194,  196,  198,  302,  320, 
410.  Incarnation,  200.  Certainty 
that  he  was  put  to  death,  405. 

Christmas,  time  of,  ii. ,  27. 

Chorazin,  i.,  159. 

Church,  meaning  of,  i.,  214,  232. 

Closet,  i.,  96. 

Clothes,  rent  as  an  emblem  of  mourn- 
ing, i.,  348. 
Clothing  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  i. ,  91. 
Cloud,  a  symbol,  i.,  221. 
Coat,  i.,  91. 


INDEX. 


429 


Confession  of  Christ,  duty  of,  i.,  153. 

Converted,  meaning  of,  i.,  228. 

Corban,  meaning  of,  i.,  201. 

Corn,  meaning  of,  ii.,  53. 

Courses  of  priests,  ii.,  8. 

Covenant,  meaning  of,  i.,  335. 

Cross,  i.,  153.  Carrying  it,  361. 
Form  of,  361. 

Crucify,  i.,  296.  Description  of  cruci- 
fixion, 361-364.  Thirst  attending  it, 
ii.,  403.  Certainty  that  Jesus  was 
put  to  death  by  crucifixion,  405. 

Cummin,  i.,  293. 

Cup,  emblem  of  sufierings,  i.,  253,  254, 
339.  At  the  celebration  of  the  Lord' s 
Supper,  335,  336. 

Cyrene,  i. ,  361. 

D. 

Damnation,  meaning  of,  i.,  292. 
Damned,  i.,  455. 
Dancing,  i.,  199. 

Darkness  at  the  time  of  the  crucifix- 
ion of  Jesus,  i.,  365,  366. 

Debts,  meaning  of,  i.,  101. 

DecaDolis,  i.,  70. 

Dedication,  feast  of,  ii.,  318. 

Devil,  meaning  of,  i.,  59.  Possession 
of,  69. 

Divisions  of  the  books  of  Scripture,  i., 

ix.,  x.    Divided  into  chapters  and 

verses,  x.,  xi. 
Divorces  among  the  Jews,  i. ,  87.  Why 

permitted,  239.    When  right,  ib. 
Doctor  of  Divinity,  title  of,  unlawful, 

i.,  289,  290. 
Doctrines,  nature  of,  ii.,  270. 
Dogs  emblematic  of  wicked  men,  i., 

111.    Of  contempt,  205,  206. 
Doves  required  in  sacrifice,  i.,  268. 
Dreams  a  mode  of  divine  revelation, 

i.,  24. 

Drunkenness,  ii.,  162. 

Dust  of  the  feet  shaken  off,  i.,  148. 

Dwellings  in  the  East,  i.,  132-134. 

E. 

Earthquakes,  1.,  300. 
Egypt,  where,  i.,  36,  37. 
Elders,  meaning  of,  i.,  200. 
Elect,  ii.,  144. 
Eli,  meaning  of,.i.,  366. 
Elias,  i.,158,  222. 
Emmaus,  ii.,  180. 
Enon,  ii.,  231. 

Essenes,  who  they  were,  i.,  51. 
Exchangers,  i.,  320. 

F. 

Faith,  nature  of,  i.,  454,  455. 
Fan,  i.,  54. 

Fasting  among  the  Jews,  i.,  103;  ii., 


Father,  applied  to  God,  i.,  100. 
Father,  as  a  title  not  to  be  given,  i., 
290. 

Feast  made  by  Matthew,  ii. ,  51. 

Fig-tree,  i.,  269.    Cursed,  269,  270. 

Fire,  an  emblem  of  judgment,  i.,  54. 
Of  punishment,  323,  424,  425. 

Floor,  threshing,  i.,  54. 

Fool,  meaning  of  in  the  Bible,  i.,  83. 

Forgiveness,  how  often  to  be  prac- 
tised, i.,233. 

Fox,  an  emblem  of  cunning,  ii. ,  106. 

Fragments,  duty  of  saving  them,  ii., 
266. 

Frankincense,  i.,  36. 
Fulfilled,  meaning  of  the  word  as  used 
in  the  New  Testament,  i.,  25,  26. 

G. 

Gabriel,  ii.,  12. 
Gadara,  i.,  126. 

Galilee  of  the  Gentiles,  i.,  65.  Sea  of, 
66. 

Gall,  i.,363. 

Garden  of  Gethsemane,  i.,  338. 
Gate,  strait  and  broad,  i. ,  113. 
Gates  of  cities,  ii.,  59. 
Gehenna,  i.,  83. 

Genealogical  tables  of  Christ  recon- 
ciled, i.,19,  20,  21. 

Gergesenes,  i.,  126. 

Gerizim,  Mount,  ii. ,  241. 

Gethsemane,  i.,  338. 

Girdles,  i.,  91,  92. 

Glory,  meaning  of,  ii.,  27. 

Gnat,  i.,  294. 

Golgotha,  i.,  362. 

Gorgeous  robe,  ii.,  174. 

Gospel,  meaning  of,  i.,  xvii.  To  be 
preached  every  where,  377.  To  be 
preached  to  tb^oor,  ii.,  42. 

Grave-clothes,  19||pl. 

Greeks,  who  they  were,  ii.,  337. 

Green  tree  and  dry,  ii,  176. 

Grinding  in  the  East,  i.,  311. 

H. 

Hairs  of  the  head  numbered,  i.,  152. 
Hardness  of  heart,  i.,  394. 
Heart,  the  corruption  of,  i.,  204. 
Hedges,  ii.,  112. 

Hell,  i.,  83 ;  ii.,  131, 132.  Meaning  of, 
i.,  162. 

Herod,  i.,  28.  The  time  of  his  death, 
37.  Destroys  the  children  of  Beth- 
lehem, 38.  His  character,  ib.  His 
successors,  42. 

Herod,  tetrarch  of  Galilee,  ii.,  35. 

Herodians,  i.,  168.  Who  they  were, 
280. 

Herodias,  i.,  192. 

High-priest,  succession  of,  and  nature 
of  the  office,  i.,  326. 


430 


INDEX. 


Hinnom,  valley  of,  i. ,  83. 

Honey,  ii.,  186.    Wild,  i.,  48. 

Horn,  meaning  of,  as  an  emblem,  ii.,21. 

Hosanna,  i.,  262,  263. 

Hour  when  Jesus  was  crucified;  the 
accounts  of  the  evangelists  recon- 
ciled i.  449  450. 

Houses  in  the  East,  i.,  132, 133, 134. 

Humility,  i.,  260. 

Hunger  and  thirst,  emblematic,  i. ,  73. 

Hypocrite,  meaning  of,  i.,  95.  To  cor- 
rect his  own  faults.  111,  202.  Must 
perish,  286. 

Hyssop,  i.,  367. 

I. 

Idumea,  i.,  395. 
Immanuel,  i.,  26. 
Incense,  ii.,  9. 

Infants  may  be  brought  to  Jesus,  L, 
247.    Duty  to  bring  them,  ib. 

J. 

Jacob's  well,  ii.,237,  238. 
Jericho,  i.,  255,  256;  ii.,80. 
Jerusalem,  description  of,  i.,  30-33. 

Destruction  of,  298,  seq. 
Jesus,  meaning  of,  i.,  24. 
Jonah,  i.,  174. 
Jordan,  River,  1.,  50. 
Joseph  of  Arimathea,  i.,  369. 
Judas,  death  of,  i. ,  353. 
Judging  of  others  forbidden,  i.,  110. 

K. 

Kedron,  brook  of,  ii.,  391. 
Key,  an  emblem,  i.,  214. 
Kingdom  of  Christ,  ii.,  397. 
Kingdom  of  heaven,  i.,  46,  47. 

Lamb,  an  embledBHr Christ,  ii.,  205, 

206.    Of  children,  414. 
Lamps,  i.,  313,  314. 

Laws,  distinctions  among  the  Jews, 
i.,80. 

Lawyer,  meaning  of,  i.,  283. 
Leaven,  i.,  210. 

Leprosy,  i.,  118, 119.    Unlawful  to  as- 
sociate with  a  leper,  327. 
Levites,  ii.,  82. 

Life  in  the  blood,  i.,  335, 336.  Eternal 

life,  what,  ii.,  281. 
Light,  an  emblem,  i.,  77,  79.    Christ  a 

light,  ii.,31, 197, 198. 
Linen,  ii.,  130. 

Locusts  an  article  of  food,  i.,  47,  48. 
Lord's  Supper  instituted,  i.,  334,  335. 
Lunacy,  i.,  70. 


Magi,  i.,30. 
Manger,  ii. ,  25. 


M. 


Manna,  ii. ,  269. 

Marriage,  i.,  238.  Sacredness  of  the 
connection,  247,  313.  With  what 
feelings  should  be  entered  into,  247. 
Procession,  313  seq.    Feast,  317. 

Mary  Magdalene,  ii. ,  66. 

Matthew,  his  life,  i. ,  xviii. 

Meekness,  i.,  72,  73. 

Mercy,  i. ,  74. 

Mills,  kinds  of,  i.,  229,  311. 

Minister,  meaning  of  the  word,  i,  254, 

255  ' 
Mint,' i.,  293. 
Mites,  i.,  437. 

Moloch,  worship  of,  i.,  83,  84. 

Moses's  seat,  i.,  287,  288. 

Mothers  should  not  seek  honors  for 

their  sons,  i.,  259. 
Mount  of  Olives,  i.,  260,  261. 
Mourning  in  the  East,  i.,  125, 139, 140. 
.Mustard,  i.,  186. 
Myrrh,  i.,  36,  363. 
Mystery,  meaning  of,  i.,  181. 

N. 

Name  put  for  a  thing,  ii.,  17. 
Napkin,  ii.,  153. 
Nazareth,  i.,  42-45. 
Neighbor,  meaning  of,  ii.,  79. 
New  birth,  ii.,  222-224. 
Nineveh,  i.,  174, 175. 

O* 

Oaths,  1.,  88,  89.    Consequences  of 

wicked  oaths,  199. 
Oflfend,  meaning  of,  i.,  86,  337. 
Oil  used  as  a  medicine,  ii.,  82. 
Ointment,  i.,  442 ;  ii.,  65. 
Olives,  Mount  of,  i.,  260.  Olive-tree, 

261. 

Oratories,  ii.,  54. 
Ordinances,  ii.,  9. 
Ovens  in  the  East,  i.,  107;  ii.,  96. 

P. 

Palace,  i.,  346. 
Palm-tree,  i.,262,  263. 
Palsy,  i.,  70. 

Parables,  meaning  of,  i.,  179, 180. 
Paradise,  ii.,  178. 

Passover,  feast  of,  i..  325,  326.  How 
the  time  of  it  ascertained,  331.  The 
last  Passover  observed  by  the  Sa- 
viour, 332;  ii.,  395.  Mode  of  ob- 
servance by  the  Jews,  i.,  333. 

Peace-maker,  i.,  74. 

Peace  produced  by  the  Gospel,  ii.,  27, 
3(33. 

Penny,  value  of,  i.,  249,  250. 
Persecution,  meaning  of,  i.,  75. 
Pestilence,  wliat,  i.,  300. 
Peter,  meaning  of,  i.,  213.    His  firm- 


INDEX. 


431 


ness  of  faith  predicted,  and  the 

Church  founded  on  him,  213,  214. 

Kebuked  for  his  forwardness,  216. 

His  fall,  850,  3511 
Pharisees,  who  they  were,  i.,  50,  51. 
Phylacteries,  i.,  288,  289. 
Pinnacle  of  the  temple,  i.,  61. 
Pipe,  what,  i.,  159. 

Pontius  Pilate,  an  account  of,  i.,  352; 
ii.,  35. 

Possessions  of  the  devil,  i.,  69,  70. 

Prayer,  secret,  i. ,  96-99.  Duty  of,  109. 
Encouragement  to,  112,  232,  233. 
Should  be  practiced  alone,  226. 
Long  prayers  forbidden,  292.  Se- 
cret prayers  of  the  Saviour,  388. 
Jesiis  praying  after  his  baptism,  ii., 
38.  Spent  a  night  in  prayer,  54. 
T^ches  how  to  pray,  85. 

Prophet,  what,  ii.,  241. 

Prophets,  false,  i.,  113. 

Proselyte,  meaning  of,  i.,  292.  Kinds 
of  proselytes  among  the  Jews,  ib. 

Publicans,  character  of,  i.,  232. 

Purifying  among  the  Jews,  ii.,  213, 231. 

Purple,  i.,  360;  ii.,  130. 

Purse,  i.,  146;  ii.,  335. 

K. 

Rabbi,  meaning  of,  i.,  289,  290 ;  ii.,  207, 
221. 

Raca,  meaning  of,  i.,  82. 

Raiment,  see  Clothing.    Soft  raiment, 

i.,156, 
Rama,  i.,40,  41. 

Ransom,  meaning  of,  i.,  255;  ii.,  20. 

Redeem,  ii.,  20. 

Reed,  i.,  360. 

Reed,  bruised,  i.,  169. 

Regeneration,  meaning  of,  i.,  245. 

Repentance,  what,  i.,  46.  Necessity 

of,  ii.,101, 187. 
Resurrection  of  the  dead  proved,  i., 

282,  283. 

Resurrection  of  the  Saviour,  i.,  375, 
376.  Harmony  of  the  accounts  of, 
379-381. 

Reward,  meaning  of,  i.,  217. 

Robe,  ii.,121. 

Rock,  emblem,  i.,  213.  Peter  so  call- 
ed, ib. 

Room  in  heaven,  ii.,  112. 
Rooms  a  feasts,  i.,  289;  ii.,  109. 

S. 

Sabbath  for  man,  1.,  166, 167, 168.  Its 
value,  177,  393.  Jesus  worked  on 
the  Sabbath,  ii.,  253. 

Sackcloth,  i.,  160. 

Sadducees,  who  thj^were,  i.,  151. 

Salt,  the  nature  oij^i  the  East,  i.,  76. 
An  emblem  of  purity,  425. 


Salutations,  mode  of,  in  the  East,  ii., 
76. 

Samaritans,  origin  of,  and  opinions, 

i.,  145, 146. 
Sanctification,  meaning  of,  ii.,  387, 388. 
Sandals — shoes,  i.,  53. 
Sanhedrim,  i.,  82. 

Sarepta,  ii. ,  45.  jjj^ 
Satan,  ii.,  165.  ^ 
Satan,  meaning  of,  i. ,  216.    Desired  to 

have  Peter,  ii.,  167, 168. 
Scarlet,  i.,360. 
Sceptre,  i.,  361. 
Scorpions,  ii.,  78. 
Scourging,  i.,  149,  359,  360. 
Scribes,  i.,  116. 
Scrip,  i.,  147. 

Scriptures,  meaning  of,  i.,  282. 
Scriptures,  ii. ,  263.   Duty  of  searching 

them,  ib. 
Sea  of  Tiberias,  i.,  66. 
Sealing,  i.,  371.    Nature  of  a  seal,  ii., 

234. 

Sepulchres,  i.,  127. 

Serpents,  emblems  of  wisdom,  i.,  148. 

Of  wickedness,  296.  Might  be  taken 

up  without  injury,  456.    Serpent  in 

the  wilderness,  ii,  227. 
Shechem,  ii.,  235-237. 
Shechinah,  meaning  of,  i.,  221. 
Sheep,  emblems  of  innocence,  i.,  148. 

Church  so  called,  ii.,  316,  317. 
Shepherds,  emblems  of  teachers,  ii., 

312,  317. 
Sidon,  i.,  159. 

Sign,  a  miracle,  i.,  209,  210.    Of  the 

Son  of  man,  308. 
Siloam,  ii.,  305. 

Sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  i.,  172. 
Danger  of  grieving  the  Holy  Spirit, 
178. 

Sitting  at  tables,  mode  of,  i. ,  290. 
Sleep  produced  by  sorrow,  i.,  340. 
Soldiers  to  do  no  violence,  ii.,  37. 
Sparrows,  i.,  151, 152. 
Spear,  Roman,  ii.,  405. 
Spices,  used  in  burial,  i.,  369. 
Spikenard,  i.,  327,  328,  442. 
Sponge,  i.,367. 

Star  that  guided  the  wise  men,  i.,  33, 
35. 

Staves,  i.,  843. 

Steward,  ii.,  125. 

Strong  drink,  ii.,  11. 

Sun  darkened,  an  emblem,  i.,  307,  308. 

Supper,  Lord's,  instituted,  i,,  334,  335. 

Swaddling-clothes,  ii.,  25. 

Swearing,  profane,  i.,  89,  90. 

Swine,  emblematic  of  wicked  men,  1., 

111.    Odious  to  the  Jews,  ii.,  117. 
Swords,  i.,  344. 
Sycamine-tree,  ii. ,  136. 


432  INDEX. 


Sycamore-tree,  ii.,  136, 137. 
Sychar,  ii.,  235-237. 
Sycophants,  what,  ii.,  37,  38. 
Synagogue,  i.,  68.   Jesus  regularly  at- 
tended it,  ii.,  41. 
Syria,  ii.,  24.    Limits  of,  i.,  69. 
Syro-phenician  woman,  i.,  205. 

T. 

Tabernacles,  feast  of,  ii.,  279,  285. 
Tables,  mode  of  sitting  at,  i.,  289,  290. 
Talents,  parable  of,  i.,  318.    Value  of, 
ib. 

Tares,  i.,  185. 
Taxing,  ii.,  23. 

Temple,  pinnacle  of,  i,,  61.  Stones  in, 
298.  Description  of,  264-268.  Time 
in  which  it  was  building,  ii. ,  219. 

Tempt,  meaning  of,  i.,  59. 

Testament,  meaning  of,  i.,  ix. 

Tetrarch,  i.,  192. 

Thirst  attending  crucifixion,  ii.,  403. 
Thorns,  crown  of,  i.,  360. 
Threshing,  mode  of,  i.,  54,  55. 
Tiberias  Cesar,  ii.,  35. 
Tiberias,  Sea  of,  ii.,  411. 
Tithes,  meaning  of,  i.,  293. 
Tittle,  meaning  of,  i. ,  79. 
Tombs,  i.,  126,  127,  295.  Whitewash- 
ed, 295.    Tomb  of  Joseph,  370. 
Tower,  ii.,  113. 

Tradition,  meaning  of,  i.,  200.  Tradi- 
tions among  the  J ews,  ib. 

Transfiguration  of  Jesus,  i. ,  220. 

Translations  of  the  Scriptures,  i.,  xi.- 
xvi. 

Treasures,  the  kind  in  the  East,  i.,  36. 


Trench,  ii.,  155. 
Trespasses,  i.,  102. 
Tribute,  i.,  225. 
Trumpet,  i.,  309.  - 
Truth,  what,  ii.,  398. 
Turtle-doves,  ii.,  29. 
Tyre,  i.,  159. 

V. 

Veil  of  the  Temple,  i.,  367. 
Vipers,  i.,52,  173. 
Virgins,  ten,  i.,  313. 
Vision,  ii.,  13. 
Vows,  i.,89,  90,  201. 

W. 

Washing  the  hands,  i.,  201.  An  em- 
blem of  purity,  ii. ,  347. 

Watches,  divisions  of  time,  Roman 
and  Jewish,  i.,  197,  371. 

Watching,  duty  of,  i.,  317,  340. 

Water  an  emblem  of  innocence,  i.,  359. 
Of  salvation,  ii.,  240. 

Wedding  garment,  i.,  279. 

Wilderness,  i.,  44,  46. 

Wine,  ii.,  11.  Old  wine,  52.  Wines 
of  the  Scriptures,  214,  215,  216. 

Worm,  emblematic  of  punishment,  1., 
424. 

Worship,  meaning  of  the  word,  i.,  36. 
Writing  table,  ii.,  19. 

Y. 

Yoke,  emblem,  i.,  163, 164. 

Z. 

Zaccheus,  ii.,  149, 150, 151. 
Zeal,  ii.,  217.   False  zeal,  375. 


THE  END. 


